Think Forward: Building a Coherent Approach to AI in Education
Saved in:
| Title: | Think Forward: Building a Coherent Approach to AI in Education |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Arizona State University (ASU), Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) |
| Source: | Center on Reinventing Public Education. 2026. |
| Availability: | Center on Reinventing Public Education. Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University. H.B. Farmer Education Building, 1050 S Forest Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281. e-mail: crpe@uw.edu; Web site: https://crpe.org/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 19 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Bezos Family Foundation Gates Foundation |
| Document Type: | Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: | Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Artificial Intelligence, Technology Uses in Education, Public Education, Educational Change, Technological Advancement, Elementary Secondary Education, Futures (of Society) |
| Abstract: | In November 2025, the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) convened a diverse group of policymakers, system leaders, educators, researchers, funders, and technology experts for the Think Forward: Learning with AI Forum in New Mexico. At a moment when rapid advances in artificial intelligence are colliding with longstanding inequities and structural challenges in K-12 education, participants came together to grapple with a shared question: how can education lead, rather than react to, AI-driven change? Through candid discussions and working sessions, the group examined where current AI efforts are falling short and what it would take to build a more coherent, human-centered approach to teaching and learning in an uncertain future. This white paper is the result of those discussions. Participants identified an "efficiency paradox," warning that unguided AI adoption risks making outdated school models faster and cheaper without making them more responsive to students' needs. Instead, participants call for a coherent, human-centered approach that improves current practice while intentionally building toward new models of schooling. Key findings include: (1) Vision must lead tools. Without clear guidance from educators and policymakers, AI development has prioritized point solutions over integrated school design; (2) Coherence matters more than novelty. Sustainable impact requires aligned policies, infrastructure, pedagogy, and technology--not disconnected apps; (3) Human relationships are central. AI should operate in the background to expand capacity, not replace educators or reduce learning to efficiency gains; (4) Policy and investment are critical enablers. Innovation zones, redesigned assessment and workforce models, and sustained learning agendas are necessary to move beyond pilot projects toward system-level change; and (5) Education must address two time horizons at once. Leaders need an "ambidextrous" approach that supports today's students while redesigning systems for an AI-shaped future. Ultimately, this white paper calls on policymakers, funders, educators, and technology developers to move from fragmented experimentation to coherent action--building future-ready schools grounded in equity, learning science, and what makes education irreducibly human. [Additional funding for this report was received from the Cinelli Family Foundation.] |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED678627 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED678627 Name: ERIC Full Text Category: fullText Text: Full Text from ERIC |
|---|---|
| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: ED678627 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Report PubTypeId: report PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
| IllustrationInfo | |
| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Think Forward: Building a Coherent Approach to AI in Education – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Arizona+State+University+%28ASU%29%2C+Center+on+Reinventing+Public+Education+%28CRPE%29%22">Arizona State University (ASU), Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE)</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Center+on+Reinventing+Public+Education%22"><i>Center on Reinventing Public Education</i></searchLink>. 2026. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Center on Reinventing Public Education. Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University. H.B. Farmer Education Building, 1050 S Forest Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281. e-mail: crpe@uw.edu; Web site: https://crpe.org/ – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 19 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: SourceSuprt Label: Sponsoring Agency Group: SrcSuprt Data: Bezos Family Foundation<br />Gates Foundation – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Reports - Descriptive – Name: Audience Label: Education Level Group: Audnce Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Artificial+Intelligence%22">Artificial Intelligence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technology+Uses+in+Education%22">Technology Uses in Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+Education%22">Public Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Change%22">Educational Change</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technological+Advancement%22">Technological Advancement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Futures+%28of+Society%29%22">Futures (of Society)</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: In November 2025, the Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) convened a diverse group of policymakers, system leaders, educators, researchers, funders, and technology experts for the Think Forward: Learning with AI Forum in New Mexico. At a moment when rapid advances in artificial intelligence are colliding with longstanding inequities and structural challenges in K-12 education, participants came together to grapple with a shared question: how can education lead, rather than react to, AI-driven change? Through candid discussions and working sessions, the group examined where current AI efforts are falling short and what it would take to build a more coherent, human-centered approach to teaching and learning in an uncertain future. This white paper is the result of those discussions. Participants identified an "efficiency paradox," warning that unguided AI adoption risks making outdated school models faster and cheaper without making them more responsive to students' needs. Instead, participants call for a coherent, human-centered approach that improves current practice while intentionally building toward new models of schooling. Key findings include: (1) Vision must lead tools. Without clear guidance from educators and policymakers, AI development has prioritized point solutions over integrated school design; (2) Coherence matters more than novelty. Sustainable impact requires aligned policies, infrastructure, pedagogy, and technology--not disconnected apps; (3) Human relationships are central. AI should operate in the background to expand capacity, not replace educators or reduce learning to efficiency gains; (4) Policy and investment are critical enablers. Innovation zones, redesigned assessment and workforce models, and sustained learning agendas are necessary to move beyond pilot projects toward system-level change; and (5) Education must address two time horizons at once. Leaders need an "ambidextrous" approach that supports today's students while redesigning systems for an AI-shaped future. Ultimately, this white paper calls on policymakers, funders, educators, and technology developers to move from fragmented experimentation to coherent action--building future-ready schools grounded in equity, learning science, and what makes education irreducibly human. [Additional funding for this report was received from the Cinelli Family Foundation.] – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2026 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: ED678627 |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED678627 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 19 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Artificial Intelligence Type: general – SubjectFull: Technology Uses in Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Public Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Change Type: general – SubjectFull: Technological Advancement Type: general – SubjectFull: Elementary Secondary Education Type: general – SubjectFull: Futures (of Society) Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Think Forward: Building a Coherent Approach to AI in Education Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Arizona State University (ASU), Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2026 Titles: – TitleFull: Center on Reinventing Public Education Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
