Mishawaka outlines 'responsible use' approach to generative AI; workshop, policies planned
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Summary
District staff and teachers described classroom uses of generative AI, emphasized student-data protections and monitoring, and scheduled a Google Gemini workshop March 16; second-reading policies on AI use are on the board agenda.
District technology staff and classroom teachers presented an overview of generative AI use in School City of Mishawaka classrooms on Jan. 14 and described a district approach that shifts from a list of prohibitions to a 'responsible use' framework.
Presenter Matt Modlin explained generative AI and used Google Quick Draw as an example of how training data shapes outputs. He and staff emphasized student-data protections and said the district will require vendors not to use student data to train external models. Modlin and teachers described classroom tools including monitored chatbots (SchoolAI), NotebookLM and district-embedded AI in curricular products (IXL, Amira). Teachers from elementary, middle and high school demonstrated practical uses: monitored chatbots for sixth-grade computer science; AI-driven writing feedback to speed teacher review; NotebookLM to limit hallucinations by providing curated resources; and AI-generated audio/podcast tools to support content review.
Staff highlighted an 'AI Trust U' tool within Google Docs that helps students self-report how they used AI for assignments and allows teachers to define acceptable AI use for each assignment. The district plans a Google Gemini workshop for area educators and IT administrators on March 16, in partnership with CDW, and the board has a second-reading AI policy item on tonight's agenda for formal approval at a subsequent meeting.
Speakers noted both the instructional promise of AI and risks such as hallucinations; they stressed teacher guidance, monitoring and clear assignment-level expectations.
