SamTastic Weekly Tip: 12/16/24 - AI use needs to be carefully considered.

This week’s tip: AI use needs to be carefully considered.

This week’s tip is a bit different and a lot longer.  I want to share an issue I have enjoyed struggling with for the last two years.

I love tech.  We created TimeTrack, a tech tool, in 2005, so principals, and other school leaders could use to use it to improve their impact ~ a central part of the SAM Process.

Two years ago I was excited with the emergence of artificial intelligence, AI.  I played with it a bit, but my excitement was tempered by the tool’s hallucinations, totally made up statements it presented as fact.  I banned the use of AI by Time Change Coaches, and our TimeTrack developers, until we could develop guardrails for its use.  At the same time, we made sure TimeTrack would be able to incorporate AI at some point.

Since then, I have been impressed by SAM principals who use AI effectively.  Jill Jacobs, an amazing SAM principal in Missouri, uses AI in a very effective, and ethical, manner:

“I like to think of ChatGPT as adding the "SAM" factor to my written messages. With that I mean it adds the personal relationship piece that I sometimes find hard when I am balancing the various demands on my time.  Additionally, using AI to create some of my messages helps me get management tasks done promptly.  When I am not sure how to respond to an email I procrastinate, now I can "tell" ChatGPT what I want to say and it composes a response in a tone that promotes my true intentions, care, and connection.”

Pretty cool, right?

Jill’s use, and what I’ve learned other SAM school leaders do, demonstrate effective and ethical use of AI. 

Sunday morning, I always ready a hard copy of the New York Times. It is still sitting next to my living room chair this evening as I also received, via email, The Main Idea, a monthly review of a book of interest to educators.

Once I started reading the summary and support materials, I could not go back to the Times.   The book?  The Artificial Intelligence Playbook: Time-Saving Tools for Teachers that Make Learning More Engaging by Meghan Hargrave, Douglas Fisher, and Nancy Frey.

So, I played with the question that keeps me from using AI: “Ethically, should a leader disclose when they use AI in an email or other document?”

I warned you this was a different kind of SamTastic Weekly Tip.  It is also the longest Tip we’ve ever sent. 

So, to bring this week’s Tip to an end, I offer two things:1. All SAM team members are eligible to receive The Main Idea.  All you have to do is complete this online form:  https://bit.ly/3ZVJkPx . We provide access at no charge to SAM team members.

2. You can read, below, the email I sent to Jenn David Lang, The Main Idea author, and the how I used AI to revise the message. Which version is best?  Does AI capture my intent? I believe this illustrates the concern, and optimism, I have about AI and its future use in TimeTrack.

If you would like to share your use of AI, use this link:  https://bit.ly/4fn9cbx

Hey Jenn.

Thanks for your work on the AI Playbook.

I appreciated the way you explained how AI could be used by an educator.  The prompt examples were great.

I’ve wondered if a user of AI has an ethical responsibility to disclose its use in a communication or document.  Was this question addressed?

We have a lot of principals who are using AI.  A principal in Iowa drafts letters and newsletters and then asks AI to revise to make them more friendly and shorter.  In this case, I am not sure disclosing the use of AI would be ethically required.  If a principal did the reverse, ask AI to draft a newsletter covering five issues to share with parents in a friendly manner, it seems there may be a greater need to disclose AI use.

If you go a step further, and ask IA to revise, or write a feedback email, or evaluation, using notes the leader made during a classroom visit, or visits, then, it seems, there is a far greater responsibility to disclose.

Some principals tell me they use AI this way.  I ask if they read and modify what AI creates before sending and disclose the use of AI.  Most read.  Few modify.  None disclose the use of AI.

Full disclosure:  We banned the use of AI by our Time Change Coaches last year until we can develop clear guidelines on use.  At the same time, we are exploring how AI can be built into TimeTrack.  With the narrative info principals enter for each teacher, project and student with whom they work…. coupled with the mathematical record of time spent, the potential use of AI is rich…and a bit worrisome.

Thanks again for your work, Jenn. 

Mark

Mark Shellinger, Director

National SAM Innovation Project

The message above was written without AI assistance.  The message, below, was ChatGPT’s response to the prompt:  Would you rewrite this letter to Jenn and make it friendlier and more concise?

Subject: AI Playbook Insights

Hi Jenn,

Thanks for your excellent work on the AI Playbook. I especially appreciated how you explained how educators can use AI, and the prompt examples were very helpful.

One question I’ve been thinking about is whether there’s an ethical responsibility to disclose AI use in communications or documents. Did you touch on that in the playbook?

We have a lot of principals using AI, like one in Iowa who drafts letters and newsletters, then asks AI to make them friendlier and more concise. In this case, disclosure doesn’t seem as necessary. But if a principal asks AI to draft a newsletter on multiple topics or write feedback on classroom visits, it feels like disclosure would be more important.

I’ve heard from some principals using AI this way, and when I ask if they read and modify what AI creates, most say they do, but none disclose its use.

As a bit of background, we banned AI use by our Time Change Coaches last year while we work on clearer guidelines. We're also exploring how AI might be integrated into TimeTrack, especially with the narrative info principals enter about teachers, projects, and students. There’s a lot of potential, but also some concerns.

Thanks again for all your work, Jenn. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Best,

Mark

The AI version is more concise.  It is 71 words shorter.  It is also a bit friendlier, I think.  Using AI this way took me more time, not less.

If, instead, I ask AI this prompt:  “Write an email to Jenn, who wrote a summary of the book, AI Playbook, asking if a principal should disclose use of AI in a newsletter for parents and a feedback email or evaluation after observing a teacher.  Here’s what I got:

Subject: Clarification on AI Disclosure in Principal Communications

Hi Jenn,

I hope you're doing well! I recently read your summary of AI Playbook and found it very insightful, especially the sections on how AI can be integrated into education. I have a quick question regarding the use of AI in school settings.

As a principal, I'm wondering whether it would be appropriate to disclose the use of AI in specific communications with parents, such as a school newsletter, or in feedback emails or evaluations after observing a teacher. Do you think it’s important to make parents and staff aware of AI tools being used in these contexts, or would it be more effective to keep it implicit?

I would really appreciate your thoughts on this, especially considering your insights from the book!

Thanks so much for your help.

Best regards,[Your Name][Your Position][Your School]

This AI version is even more concise.  I would need to spend some time to edit to retain the original meaning and content, but this would take less time, not more.

Ready to try it?  https://chatgpt.com/

SamTastic Weekly Tip: 12/10/24 - Know Where to Look

This week’s tip: Know Where to Look

SAMs know where to find the principal throughout the day by looking at TimeTrack.   When necessary, they can find the principal easily if a First Responder or scheduling for an open time using AutoSelect is not possible.

But does the SAM know how to find specific items on TimeTrack?  Perhaps a meeting that happened last August concerning summer school?  Who from the district attended?  Perhaps the agenda from the staff meeting last January on the new reading program?  What was the name of the presenter? 

You can use the search function in TimeTrack by using any key word or phrase.  It is the magnifying glass icon to the right of the leader’s name.

Enter a key word or phrase and TimeTrack will immediately display each and every time it appears—going back in time.  Clicking the eye icon will take you to the event.  If there is a mail icon, it means you sent a related email.  Click the icon to retrieve the message.

Would you like to narrow your search? Would you like to be more specific?  You can select search areas in TimeTrack by clicking the inverted pyramid. Then, select the area of TimeTrack you wish to search.  Of course, access to NoteTrack is limited to the TimeTrack owner.

The Event Note/Additions box makes the search feature even more valuable.  Many users report that entering notes or links for meeting agendas, websites and minutes makes their work easier.  Being able to easily find this information weeks, months or even years later is invaluable. Each link entered is active.  The user can click on the link for immediate access.

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Reminder:  If you haven’t provided travel information for the for the 18th Annual National SAM Conference please send to:  Travel@SamsConnect.com or let Pam know your situation. Also, preference selection for breakout sessions will close at the start of Christmas/Winter Break.

18th Annual National SAM Conference

Loews Miami Beach Resort

January 16, 2025 through January 19, 2025

REGISTER HERE

Tentative Draft Agenda (with descriptions)

Pre-Conference Session Descriptions

Keynote Session Descriptions​

Breakout Session Descriptions

Breakout Session Selection

SamTastic Weekly Tip: 12/2/24 - Meet the need. Don’t take a message.

This week’s tip: Meet the need. Don’t take a message.

SAMs know that office staff can help the principal have a greater impact on teaching practice, stay on task and go home at a reasonable time ~ if they avoid saying, “Can I take a message?”

Instead, great office staff members use the SAMs Communications Protocol and First Responder system. When a caller, visitor, staff member or student says: “Is the principal available?”, they respond by stating when the principal is available by clicking Auto Select on TimeTrack. (see screen shots, below)

“I can get you in to see the principal at 10:00 AM…but she would not want you to wait. The First Responder for your concern is Eve Stevens. Can I have Eve help you and save the time with the principal in case you still need her?”

It is easier, perhaps, to say: “The principal is not available. Can I take a message?” The problem is this delays dealing with the concern, makes the caller, or person at the front counter, feel unimportant, and leaves the principal with a stack of call-back slips that delays the leader’s departure at the end of the day.

Research shows SAM schools run far smoother than schools that haven’t started the process. Research also shows SAMs who train the office staff to use the Communications Protocol and First Responder systems have the very best schools and the happiest parents, staff and students.

Principals train people to use their time by how they respond to requests.  Principals who respond with what they can do, not what they can’t, are far more effective.  Principals and SAMs who teach office staff to do the same thing make the school run more smoothly and honor the students, parents and school community members in need of assistance.

You will find tools for training office staff here: https://www.samprocess.com/written-tools-for-sam-teams

Your Time Change Coach can help you train your office staff. Just ask!

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Reminder: Yesterday was the deadline for travel information for the for the 18th Annual National SAM Conference.  If you haven’t done so, please send to:  Travel@SamsConnect.com or let Pam know your situation.  We want to be sure your driver is there to meet you when you arrive.  This is going to be a terrific conference!