Gainesville, Fla. — As schools begin the fall semester across Florida, the University of Florida has issued guidance to help parents navigate the growing presence of artificial intelligence (AI) in K–12 education.
Brittany Sylvestri, writing for UF News, reports that Maya Israel, a professor of educational technology and computer science education at UF and director of the CSEveryone Center for Computer Science Education, is urging parents and educators to use AI tools in ways that support learning—and not replace critical thinking.
AI use varies widely across districts, Israel notes. In some regions, AI remains exclusive to teachers, who may use it to develop custom reading materials for younger learners. In others, older students may leverage AI tools for grammar checks, visual aids, or science simulations. In all cases, effective educators ensure AI is just one tool among many, rather than a substitute for student effort.
Prominent tools include platforms such as Canva, for creating infographics and videos, and Google’s Teachable Machine, which allows students to train their own image-recognition models. These tools can enrich project-based learning when used thoughtfully to enhance creativity and understanding.
But Israel cautions against overreliance. Teachers are encouraged to design AI‑enabled activities that prompt reflection and reasoning—asking students to explain how or why AI arrived at its output. Posing questions like “Does that result make sense based on what you know?” helps sustain learning through exploration and dialogue, rather than shortcuts.
Parents, said Israel, understandably worry about AI weakening students’ independent thinking. To address this, educators are encouraged to communicate openly with families about their AI policies and approaches, ensuring that use of these tools reinforces—not replaces—original thinking and creativity.
Source Credit
This article is based on a University of Florida press release by Brittany Sylvestri, “AI in the classroom: What parents need to know,” published August 18, 2025 on UF News.
