Will AI Make Graduates of Christian Schools Redundant and Replaceable?

Hosted by the Stony Brook School, this panel discussion covers the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on Christian education and is aimed at equipping educators at Christian schools to think intentionally about the advent of Artificial Intelligence and fulfilling our kingdom mission in 21st century classrooms. The panel features Head of The Stony Brook School, Joshua Crane, Executive Director of Gravitas, Dr. Sean Riley, and Stony Brook English faculty and author of Everywhere God: Exploring the Ordinary Places, Alicia Brummeler. (Adapted from YouTube description)

The webinar covers several key points:

1. Introduction by Joshua Crane: He introduces Stonybrook School, emphasizing its commitment to integrating faith and learning. The school has formed an AI task force to explore AI's possibilities and challenges, focusing on how AI intersects with Christian values and the human experience.

2. Dr. Sha Riley's Presentation: Dr. Riley discusses the future of work involving collaboration between well-formed humans and well-designed AI. She highlights the importance of focusing on distinctively human qualities and the difference between humans and AI, such as embodiment, free intentional action, subjective consciousness, and relational, emotional, and intuitive capacities. Dr. Riley also addresses the dangers and opportunities presented by AI in education, emphasizing moral, intellectual, spiritual, and aesthetic growth.

3. Luke Trobos's Insights: Trobos expands on the idea that AI should be deployed in education in line with the Christian school's mission. He warns against adopting technology without considering its impact on the school's educational goals. Trobos advocates for dual fluency, where students are skilled in both digital and analog tasks, emphasizing the importance of process-based learning alongside the use of AI.

4. Alicia's Perspective on Embodiment: Alicia discusses the significance of understanding that we are embodied beings made in God's image, and how this understanding should guide the use of AI in classrooms. She emphasizes the importance of physical presence, whole-person education, and the limitations of our embodiment, which AI cannot replicate.

5. Jeffrey Smith's Practical Steps for Using AI: Smith provides practical advice for integrating AI into Christian education, suggesting that schools should not avoid AI but use it with intention and clear guidelines. He recommends changing assessment methods, equipping faculty, and focusing on writing skills as ways to navigate the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

The webinar concludes with a Q&A session, addressing concerns about academic integrity, the potential for AI to hallucinate or produce incorrect outputs, and the importance of aligning technology use with the Christian school's mission. The speakers collectively emphasize the need for a balanced, thoughtful approach to incorporating AI into education, ensuring it serves to enhance rather than undermine the development of distinctively human qualities and alignment with Christian values.

Summary adapted from Flint's AI video summary.