How AI in Education Can Help Schools Overcome Resource Limitations and Tackle Pressing Challenges
While schools have a responsibility to introduce AI thoughtfully, they shouldn’t let this overshadow their thinking about AI. The applications of AI in education extend well beyond student use of generative AI chatbots. For example, AI tools can help teachers focus more on teaching and supporting students by automating tedious and time-consuming tasks, such as grading multiple choice quizzes, adapting curriculum and materials to personalize learning, and creating supplementary instructional content.
It may surprise you to learn that AI can also help resource-constrained school teams in other ways, including:
- Detecting safety threats
- Identifying student mental health needs
- Assessing school climate
- Supporting the whole student
Read on to learn about two revolutionary AI tools that are helping schools overcome resource limitations and tackle some of their most pressing challenges.
How AI in Education Can Help Schools Overcome the Shortage of Mental Health Providers
The shortage of mental and behavioral health professionals is a nationwide issue, and among those hardest hit are K-12 students. School psychologists, who typically provide psychological services to support students’ mental health, are in particularly short supply. Only one state (Utah) meets the recommended student-to-psychologist ratio of 500:1, with the national average sitting at 1,119:1.
While the resources to support students are dwindling, the concerns around student mental health are not. Given the incidence of suicide, cyberbullying, and other threats, ensuring student safety and wellness is a paramount concern. However, with limited resources to address the issue, the traditional methods of identifying and supporting students who are struggling emotionally often fall short.
AI-powered student wellness monitoring helps schools effectively support student safety and wellness with the resources they currently have. Securly Aware uses AI and machine learning technologies to scan students’ online activities for signs of distress, including suicidal ideation, self-harm, depression, grief, cyberbullying, and violence. As it detects risk signals, it alerts school teams so they can respond quickly to critical situations and investigate looming concerns before they get worse.
How AI in Education Can Give Schools the Reliable and Timely Data They Need to Drive Meaningful Improvements
School and district leaders need access to timely and reliable data to move the needle on strategic priorities and school improvement plans. However, gathering and analyzing this data is easier said than done.
K-12 teams can overcome traditional data challenges with AI-powered data collection and analysis. Securly Discern is a revolutionary AI that continually gathers data from students’ online activities. Discern can also analyze this data in any number of ways. From MTSS and SEL screeners, to school climate surveys and safety threat assessments, Discern gives schools access to the real-time insights they need to make data-driven decisions and effectively support student needs.
Conclusion
Generative AI chatbots are stealing a lot of attention, but they’re just one example of how AI can be used in education. By taking on the heavy lifting associated with supporting student safety, wellness, and school improvement initiatives, AI tools like Securly Aware and Securly Discern can help K-12 administrators fill critical gaps and gain the peace of mind that they’re tackling their most pressing issues.
FAQs
Q: How can AI help schools overcome the shortage of mental health providers?
A: AI-powered student wellness monitoring can help schools identify students who are struggling emotionally and alert school teams so they can respond quickly to critical situations.
Q: What are some examples of AI-powered data collection and analysis in education?
A: Securly Discern is a revolutionary AI that continually gathers data from students’ online activities and analyzes it in any number of ways, providing real-time insights to support student needs.
Q: How can AI help schools overcome traditional data challenges?
A: AI-powered data collection and analysis can automate data collection and analysis, eliminate time- and labor-intensive student surveys, and provide immediate insights and actionable data.
