February 12, 2025
Educators are charged with making decisions about the many innovations created to help education systems be more efficient and responsive to the needs of all learners. This Spotlight offers insights into the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education; the intersection between AI, policy, data, and ethics; and the true cost of education technology for schools and districts.
Navigating the Promise and Reality of Artificial Intelligence
Navigating the Promise and Reality of Artificial Intelligence is a WestEd initiative to explore the opportunities and challenges of AI in education and human development. AI is shaping the futures of education and human development fields.
WestEd aims to support practitioners, policymakers, and other educational professionals with practical solutions, critical resources, and pioneering research as they make innovative, efficient, and safe use of AI.
Navigate the promise and reality of AI with WestEd as your trusted partner. Learn about the following:
- An AI-Powered Assessment System to Drive Learning in Science Classrooms
- Introducing Generative AI to College Staff and Leadership
- Generative AI in Math and Science Education
Let’s Talk AI: Ethics, Data, and Policy
Watch this recorded conversation on building trust and fairness in AI, presented by WestEd’s Data Integration Support Center (DISC) during Data Privacy Week 2025. Assessment expert Dr. Sarah Quesen and DISC Executive Director Baron Rodriguez shared their experience developing frameworks for responsible AI.
They addressed practical questions for organizations considering AI:
- quality standards
- necessary resources
- implementation processes
Drawing from their firsthand experience, they provided valuable insights that apply across various sectors and organizations.
Consider True Cost When Choosing EdTech
Recent WestEd research on a supplementary math program offers helpful guidance to school and district leaders making decisions about the latest education technology products. The study examines the impact and cost-effectiveness of ASSISTments, a free online program that gives students—in this case, 7th graders—instant feedback on their math work and provides teachers with real-time data on students’ progress.
The cost-effective analysis offers practical tips for evaluating whether the adoption of a new tool or platform is worth the time and effort staff will need to put into it.
The researchers write, “Overreliance on effectiveness alone may encourage adoption of interventions that are too expensive to sustain with fidelity.”
Read more about the real cost of EdTech.
WestEd’s Learning and Technology experts work with educators and school leaders nationwide to create meaningful learning experiences with technology.
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