EQUAL AI Forum for K-12 Education: Learning and Teaching with AI
Artificial intelligence is changing education, raising important questions about how children learn, how teachers teach, and how to support learning in an increasingly AI-driven world. What happens when students can turn to AI for answers, feedback, and support? How might these tools change the way children think, develop skills, and engage with learning? And how can educators harness the potential of AI while preserving the essential human elements of education?
Join us for a forum bringing together educators and researchers from across Canada to explore these questions. Through two engaging panel discussions, we will examine the opportunities, challenges, and implications of AI in K-12 education, connecting research on children's learning with the realities of teaching and assessment. The forum invites educators, researchers, parents and all those interested in the future of education to consider what it means to be a learner and educator in the age of AI.
Panel 1: What’s happening in children’s learning in the age of AI? (10:00-11:00 am)
How does AI change the way children learn, think, and develop?
Learning is more than finding the right answer. It involves effort, curiosity, problem-solving, and the development of skills over time. As AI tools become more accessible to students, it is important to understand how they may support learning and what might be lost when they make challenging tasks easier. This panel will explore the science of learning, the role of productive struggle in children's development, and the implications of AI for how we understand learning in the classroom. Together, panelists will consider what it means for children to learn in the age of AI and how we can ensure that new technologies support, rather than replace, student learning and development.
Panelists: Lydia Cao, Zachary Hawes, Jim Slotta, Nick Song and Johan Woodworth
Panel 2: How do teachers transform teaching and assessment? (11:00 am-12:00 pm)
How should teaching and assessment evolve when AI becomes part of how students learn?
AI is changing the landscape of teaching and assessment, creating new possibilities for feedback, learning support, and understanding student needs. At the same time, it raises important questions about what should be assessed, how teachers can recognize genuine student learning, and the areas where human judgment remains essential. This panel will explore where AI can make a meaningful contribution to teaching and assessment, which aspects of education must remain grounded in human relationships and professional expertise, and how educators can design learning experiences that promote understanding, critical thinking, and student growth when AI is present.
Panelists: Ava Becker, Okan Bulut, Christine Doe, Feng Ji and Heike Neumann
About the Speakers
Ava Becker
Ava Becker is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alberta whose research explores the intersections of language, migration, and trauma. Her work examines plurilingualism, student voice, and trauma-informed pedagogies, with a focus on creating inclusive learning environments that recognize students’ diverse linguistic resources and lived experiences.
Okan Bulut
Okan Bulut is a Professor at the University of Alberta who specializes in educational measurement, artificial intelligence, educational data mining, and learning analytics. His research looks at AI-powered assessment tools, automated scoring and feedback, and the fairness and quality of digital assessments.
Lydia Cao
Lydia Cao is an Assistant Professor at OISE whose research focuses on artificial intelligence in education, computer-supported collaborative learning, immersive technologies, and knowledge building. Her work examines how technology can support collaboration, inquiry, and student learning.
Becky Chen
Becky Chen is a Professor at OISE. Her research focuses on language and literacy development among bilingual and multilingual children, including reading difficulties and dyslexia, with particular attention to children learning to read in French immersion programs.
Christine Doe
Christine Doe is an Associate Professor at Mount Saint Vincent University. Her research focuses on multilingual learners, language learning needs among newcomers and refugee youth, and the relationship between teaching, learning, and assessment.
Zachary Hawes
Zachary Hawes is an Assistant Professor at OISE whose research focuses on spatial reasoning and STEM learning. His work has contributed to the advancement of elementary mathematics education and to understanding how children develop mathematical reasoning skills.
Eunice Jang
Eunice Jang is a Professor at OISE and Director of the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study. Her research focuses on educational measurement and language and literacy development. She developed AI-powered learning systems, including BalanceAI and APLUS. Dr. Jang organized this forum in support of her SSHRC Partnership Grant Application: EQUAL AI- Keeping Learning Human in K–12 Education under Conditions of Artificial Intelligence.
Feng Ji
Feng Ji is an Assistant Professor at OISE and a Canada Research Chair in Psychometrics and Responsible Artificial Intelligence. His work develops and evaluates quantitative, statistical, and machine-learning methods for educational and psychological research.
Heike Neumann
Heike Neumann is a Teaching Professor at Concordia University whose research focuses on second- and foreign-language writing, language assessment, and English for academic purposes. Her recent work includes how generative AI can support learners in producing personalized, targeted writing feedback.
Jim Slotta
Jim Slotta is a Professor at OISE and holds the President’s Chair in Education and Knowledge Technologies. He researches education, learning sciences, and knowledge technologies, and looks at collaborative inquiry, knowledge building, and technology-rich learning environments, including tools that help students and groups develop and share knowledge.
Nick Song
Nick Song is a Special Education teacher, STEM Teacher, and technology expert at the Eric Jackman Institute of Child Study. He works with his young students to understand and explore the potential of AI in education.
Johan Woodworth
Johan Woodworth is an Assistant Professor at Mount Saint Vincent University who researches educational technology, equity, inclusion, and language learning. His work examines AI-driven tools, adaptive learning systems, and learning analytics, with a focus on their implications for diverse learners and equitable educational experiences.