Application Materials

There were several questions that we had to answer, but there were two specific questions that we had to answer. Below are the questions and answers crafted primarily by Dhruv Vijay.

11. Please describe the problem statement related to digital citizenship and well-being that your school- or district-based team would like to address in the next 6-12 months. 

This year, we launched the Tech Internship Program to provide technology support for our school community. Through this initiative, we identified a significant gap in our school's digital landscape: the absence of a comprehensive, student-friendly artificial intelligence (AI) policy. As AI technologies like ChatGPT become increasingly prevalent in education, it is essential to establish clear guidelines to ensure ethical, fair, and safe use of these tools.

The lack of an AI policy has led to confusion among students and educators. For example, teachers often emphasize AI guidelines before assignments, and students express concerns about what constitutes appropriate use versus misconduct. Instances of students being "caught" using AI tools, without clear guidelines to frame those incidents, highlight the pressing need for a shared understanding of expectations. In an article in our school’s newspaper, students and educators discussed both the benefits and challenges of integrating AI into classrooms, further underscoring the importance of clarity and consensus in this new domain (see: MVHS Oracle Article).

Our goal is to co-design an AI policy that is not only robust and forward-thinking but also easy to understand and apply. This policy will empower students to use AI responsibly while equipping teachers and administrators with clear guidelines for enforcement. By aligning this effort with our school's strategic goals of fostering digital citizenship and well-being, we aim to create a safer, fairer, and more informed school community.
We will leverage the resources and infrastructure provided by the Tech Internship Program to spearhead this effort. The $1,000 in funding will support materials, workshops, and outreach efforts to engage students, teachers, and administrators in the co-design process. The program's structure also provides a unique platform for collaboration, enabling us to create a policy that reflects the diverse needs and perspectives of our school community.

12. Explain how the main ideas of co-design outlined in the definition above relate to your team and how your team plans to use them in your work.

Co-design is at the heart of our approach to developing an AI policy. We believe that building strong relationships, ensuring inclusivity, and fostering trust are essential for creating solutions that resonate with all stakeholders. Our Tech Internship Program provides a proven model of co-design in action. Through this program, students have collaborated with administrators to address technology-related challenges, demonstrating how collaboration between administration and student can lead to meaningful change.

Our team plans to apply the principles of co-design by creating a partnership between students, teachers, and administrators to draft the AI policy. We will engage diverse stakeholders through workshops, surveys, and focus groups to ensure all voices are heard. This process will allow us to capture the perspectives of students with varied experiences, including those from different extracurricular activities, academic interests, and cultural backgrounds. For instance, our team includes members involved in robotics, water polo, baseball, and Spanish-speaking communities, reflecting the diversity of our school. As we expand the team, we will continue to recruit members from underrepresented groups to ensure the process is inclusive and representative of our campus.

We also recognize that co-design is an opportunity for growth and learning. By involving students and educators in the policy's development, we aim to foster a shared understanding of AI's potential and risks. The result will be a policy that not only addresses immediate concerns but also equips our community with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate future advancements in technology responsibly.

This Challenge provides an ideal platform to deepen our commitment to co-design. Through collaboration with experts and mentors, we will refine our approach and build capacity for sustained engagement in our school community. Our ultimate vision is to establish a culture of shared responsibility for digital well-being, where students, educators, and administrators work together to create a safe, equitable, and innovative learning environment.