New Perspectives in Science Education

AI Governance and Strategy Implications for K-12 Education: Global Guidance from a Canadian Context

Peter Holowka, University of Calgary West Point Grey Academy (Canada)

Abstract

Primary and secondary education has transformed significantly in recent decades, shifting digital technology from a peripheral novelty to an essential pedagogical infrastructure. During the COVID-19 pandemic and in the years following, cloud computing and ubiquitous access to learning resources online have escalated. A nearly constant connection to cloud computing resources has also facilitated the wide adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This paper outlines the evolution of educational technology infrastructure in Western Canadian K-12, including the foundations for the proliferation of AI. This paper will also discuss emerging AI governance challenges in education. As IT systems evolve, the challenges for contemporary leaders in education and technology are shifting from questions about the execution of initiatives to the long-term implications of those initiatives, both intended and unintended. In addition to the binding legal considerations of AI use within the K-12 context, determined by legislation such as the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act, leaders must be similarly attentive to more nuanced and less clearly defined challenges, such as viability, sustainability, stakeholder perceptions, and cultural shifts. This paper will explore these complex global issues relating to AI governance within K-12 education, as these foundational and structural topics continue to have an increasing impact on student learning in the classroom and beyond.

Keywords: AI Governance, K-12, Strategy, Cloud Computing, Education

References:

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