This story first appeared on 5 On Your Side's website.
ST. LOUIS — Recently, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released its first statewide guidance on artificial intelligence in schools.
One St. Louis charter school has already been piloting AI tools.
Just last month, Gateway Science Academy presented at Missouri's annual charter conference, speaking to hundreds of teachers. The topic was about the growing impact of artificial intelligence in the classroom.
5 On Your Side went inside Gateway Science Academy to see how AI is shaping teachers and students.
On an early Wednesday morning, the sound of the bell signaled the start of a new day at Gateway Science Academy.
In one of the social studies classroom, students learned new lessons. Their minds grasp new information and new technology.
Eighth grader Hayden Ramey said, "With using AI so far, I have gotten a more imaginative way of thinking with that."
At Gateway Science Academy, AI is no longer a stranger. Some students see it as a personalized helper.
"I think is most helpful, it gives our students a chance to think outside the box," added Ramey.
Eighth grader Matthew Nehre shared, "If I'm stuck on what to write about, I can just ask it like an example of something that would be accurate in that time period in social studies or like how to write my thesis statement."
Teachers have become students, too.
The enhanced technology is new for 8th grade social studies teacher Shaun Ballman.
Ballman said, "I think if you talk to any teacher in America right now they'll tell you that AI usage is one of our top concerns for students and so a way that we've been getting ahead of that is teaching students how to harness and leverage AI for their own educational benefit."
Noah Devine, Executive Director of the Missouri Charter Public School Association, knows the power of AI.
"AI is here, it is here to stay. It's the question now for educators is how are you going to use it well and what are you gonna allow kids access to do that," noted Devine. "I do think our Department of Elementary and Secondary Education here in the state of Missouri is doing a really nice job of leaning into the future of AI and AI education."
Devine pointed to the needed guardrails for AI use.
Gateway Science Academy is using an AI platform called MagicSchool.
"Students can enter into a chat room with their specific, I call it a consultant, with my classroom so they can bounce ideas off of this consultant," shared Ballman.
Ballman uses MagicSchool to strategize and personalize.
He explained, "It gives me a number of good ideas as it pertains to project based learning as it pertains to how to structure a debate assignment in our social studies classes, how to structure historical writing assignments. It gives a number of different creative ideas that as a teacher, you know, we're stretched thin sometimes."
5 On Your Side reporter Justina Coronel asked, "What are the safeguards in place?"
Ballman responded, "So something that we've done with MagicSchool is that teachers themselves can go in and set the parameters for a chatbot, for example, I can put into the coding, 'Don't give students the answers. Let them work it through themselves.'"
Eighth grader Coletta Quain-Terry added, "At first I was a little bit hesitant because a lot of students like to use AI to cheat, but using MagicSchool, it like helps me form the ideas. It doesn't just give me the answer."
Every time that bell rings, Ballman is reminded that each new day is another chance to learn something new.
"Once I got into utilizing the technology, I saw the benefits. I saw more importantly the benefits for our student and any teacher will tell you. That's what we're focused on. Anything that benefits our students, we're all for it," shared Ballman.
