AI | Discovery Education

7 Insights About AI from an Award-Winning Technology Teacher

DE Staff — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 20:09:44 +0000

It may sound crazy, but it was a dog named Zelda who cracked the code on teaching AI to five-year-olds.

It all began when Samantha Westerlind, an elementary technology teacher in Cherokee County, Georgia, was contemplating how to best help her young students learn what AI was and how it learns. Concurrently, she and her daughter were also trying to teach their mutt, Zelda, how to sit.

“We just kept giving her the same command, over and over again—sit, sit, sit,” said Westerlind. “And suddenly I realized that training a dog is exactly the same as training an AI, because you give an AI model consistent data and consistent information. It’s just like asking a dog to sit, sit, sit. Eventually it will understand and learn it.”

Good Dog, Good Data: How a Therapy Dog Became an AI Teacher

The experience gave Westerlind an idea. There were therapy dogs at her school, and the counselor who brought them in had mentioned how difficult it was to work with the kindergarten students because they often forgot to practice gentle touch. Could Westerlind use AI to solve this problem?

Westerlind began working with her fourth graders, using micro:bit circuit boards (small programmable devices with an accelerometer that can detect movement along XYZ axes) to build an AI model that could distinguish between good petting (slow, gentle) and bad petting (fast, rough). The students collected movement data, trained the model themselves (making sure they entered enough data to have a 92% accuracy rate), and coded the circuit boards to display a happy or unhappy face depending on the petting style detected.

The kindergarteners and therapy dogs were brought in, and the fourth graders became the teachers and explained the process. The kindergartners wore the micro:bits on their wrists, like watches, and witnessed the happy/unhappy faces in real time. They then adjusted their behavior completely (slowing down if they saw a sad face), with no adult intervention needed.

Westerlind was stunned by the way the kindergarteners self-regulated because the AI gave them real-time, objective feedback. “This session allowed both grade levels to master complex concepts,” she said. “The 4th graders learned about data sets and model accuracy, while the kindergarteners learned that AI ‘knows’ things because we provide it with information over and over again. It moved the technology out of the abstract and into a hands-on experience that improved both digital literacy and student empathy.”

One Teacher. 1,300 Students. A Completely New Approach to AI Education.

Westerlind is doing something rare: teaching elementary students not just to use AI, but to truly understand it. Most recently, she served 1,300 K-5 students, developing cross-curricular programs in coding, robotics, 3D design, virtual reality, and AI. This year she was recognized with a Discovery Education Award for her groundbreaking work bringing ethical, hands-on AI literacy to early elementary students.

“I’ve been an educator for 16 years, and I love what I do,” she said. “I love bringing the world into a classroom in many different forms.”

At right: Samantha Westerlind is celebrated as a 2026 Discovery Education Award winner.

Here are Westerlind’s 8 Insights about AI at the Elementary Level

1. Kids are already using AI, without understanding it.

Westerlind noted that students already understood digital citizenship and knew not to share personal information with strangers online. But the conversational, friendly nature of AI chatbots bypassed all existing knowledge, because it didn’t feel like they were talking to a stranger. It felt like talking to a friend.

“Because AI is so cool, they let their guard down and started giving these AI bots their private information,” she said. Westerlind urges more education, since digital citizenship education hasn’t caught up with AI yet, and young children are the most vulnerable to that gap.

2. Elementary students are more capable than we assume.

A recurring theme is that educators and parents underestimate young children. AI can be overwhelming and confusing to adults, but Westerlind feels that age-appropriate concepts, grounded in the real, physical world, are essential for elementary learners.

3. AI education is being gatekept for older grades. That’s a mistake.

Most district policies and curriculum frameworks start AI education at 6th grade, but Westerlind believes it needs to start much earlier. “It’s so important for the younger grade levels, kindergarten through 5th grade, to have that foundation and understanding,” she said.

4. AI literacy must be built on empathy and ethics, not just functionality.

One of Westerlind’s most compelling arguments is that AI education should start with empathy. This means understanding consequences and caring about outcomes, which leads to more responsible use. The reason the dog-petting project worked well was because kids had a real stake in getting it right and not hurting the animal.

5. There’s a “gatekeeping” problem: teachers say “don’t use it,” while using it themselves.

There’s a contradiction at the heart of current AI policy: schools restrict student use while quietly adopting teacher-facing AI tools. Students notice the double standard, and it breeds either resentment or workarounds.

6. Understanding AI dispels fear.

Westerlind understands that the rapid emergence of AI is frightening to parents. She also feels passionately that understanding AI is the key to dispelling fears, which is why she’s so committed to helping young students better use it responsibly. A great first step in making this happen? Having schools host parent series, so they have firsthand awareness.

7. AI education shouldn’t start with a chatbot prompt. It should start with a question.

According to Westerlind, the dominant model in education right now is tool-first: here is a chatbot, here is how you prompt it, here is what it can do for you. “A student can type in, ‘Make me a unicorn riding a surfboard,’ and it appears, like magic,” she said. But Westerlind insists that curiosity should come first. “It shouldn’t be ‘I inputted a prompt and look, I got something from it.’ It should be, especially for the younger grades, the foundation and understanding knowledge that AI can be so much more.”

Learn more about Discovery Education’s approach to AI

Learn More

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AI in Education Professional Development

Lindsey Davis — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 20:36:01 +0000

Key takeaways

IBM SkillsBuild and Discovery Education provide free, self-paced professional development in AI and cybersecurity to help teachers turn tech curiosity into classroom confidence.
The program offers industry-recognized Credly credentials and practical, "classroom-ready" microlearnings designed to fit into an educator's real-world schedule.
By removing cost barriers to high-quality tech training, this collaboration promotes educational equity and prepares students for the future workforce regardless of their ZIP code.

Why Now: Turning Curiosity into Confidence

Emerging technologies are reshaping how students learn and how teachers teach. Yet for many educators, the biggest barrier isn’t interest—it’s access to clear, practical professional development that fits a real-world schedule. That’s exactly what IBM SkillsBuild, in collaboration with Discovery Education, delivers: free, self-paced PD in AI, cybersecurity, and digital literacy, complete with industry-recognized Credly credentials and classroom-ready applications you can use right away.

“Educators play a critical role in preparing students for the future of work. Through this collaboration with Discovery Education, we’re helping teachers build practical, workforce aligned skills in AI, cybersecurity, and digital literacy that can translate directly into classroom instruction.”

Lydia Logan, Vice President, Global Education and Workforce Development, IBM

IBM SkillsBuild is designed to help you build confidence with emerging technologies without adding stress to your day. Each pathway blends microlearnings, real-world projects, and practical insights you can bring to your classroom.

What you’ll gain:

Free, self-paced PD in AI, cybersecurity, and digital literacy
Industry-recognized credentials via Credly
Classroom-ready lesson ideas rooted in real world applications
PD documentation aligned to your professional growth plans

Choose your pathway (or mix and match):

Artificial Intelligence (AI): Build foundational understanding, explore ethical and responsible use, and uncover classroom applications.
Cybersecurity: Strengthen core concepts, digital safety, and critical thinking around risk and protection—skills students need for life and work.
Digital Literacy: Deepen students’ capacity to evaluate information, navigate media, and use technology responsibly.

Community Impact Through Advocacy: Equity in Action

Access to quality PD is a key part of educational equity. By making these learning experiences free and flexible, IBM and Discovery Education are helping schools bridge the digital divide and expand opportunity—so students, regardless of ZIP code, can benefit from instruction that reflects the skills of today’s world.

“Educators need and want guidance, and that’s why this collaboration offers industry recognized credentials and practical insights. Together with IBM, we are creating a powerful bridge between transformative technologies and the daily realities of K–12 instruction.” — Catherine Dunlop, Senior Vice President, Corporate Partnerships, Discovery Education

This collaboration aims to support more than 100,000 educators over the next two years—multiplying impact from PD to classroom to community.

Innovation Meets Accessibility: PD That Fits Real Life

Short modules you can complete during planning periods, after school, or whenever time allows. Clear steps that help you go from learning to implementation. Digital credentials that recognize your growth.

Here’s how it works:

Access the platform via Discovery Education
Create your educator profile: Choose Educator when prompted.
Verify your email: Enter the verification code to unlock content.
Start learning: Begin with the Discovery Education Pathway or explore AI, cybersecurity, or digital skill courses in the catalog.
Earn your Credly credential: Complete a learning path to receive your digital badge—perfect for PD documentation, evaluations, and career advancement.

“IBM SkillsBuild makes emerging technologies approachable and exciting, helping learners build confidence, creativity, and critical thinking through personalized, practical experiences.”

What Makes This Different: Practical, Portable, Proven

Practical: Content developed with IBM professionals and grounded in real-world use cases, so it’s immediately relevant to your classroom.
Portable: Credly badges travel with you—add them to your portfolio, evaluation artifacts, or resume.
Proven: Built on a collaboration designed to scale access and equip educators with skills aligned to the future of work.

Ideas You Can Use Next Week

AI Vocabulary Sprint: Introduce foundational AI terms using a 15-minute microlearning and a reflective prompt.
Cyber Scenario Walkthrough: Facilitate a quick “spot the risk” activity and connect it to digital safety habits.
Media Checkpoints: Use a digital literacy checkpoint to help students evaluate sources when researching.

Each example aligns with the classroom-ready mindset—small steps, big confidence.

Start Today: Free PD That Moves with You

Your time is valuable. If you’re looking for free PD that’s flexible, credentialed, and classroom-ready, IBM SkillsBuild is ready when you are.

Explore free PD & earn your first credential

Explore More Engaging Resources from Discovery Education

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Unlocking Potential in 2025: A New Era of Discovery Education

Pete Weir — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 19:34:33 +0000

For over 20 years, Discovery Education has empowered educators to inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning. As education evolves—shaping how students learn, increasing demands on teachers, and adding complexity to classrooms—we have evolved too, continuously innovating to meet these changing needs. This year, we’re introducing updates designed to make teaching more effective, engaging, and personalized—ensuring educators have the support they need to create lasting, meaningful learning experiences. And while many of these updates support educators, others are designed for students, nurturing their natural curiosity and joy in learning.

With every advancement, improvement, and new offering we bring, one thing will remain constant: our commitment to being the most trusted learning partner, equipping educators and engaging students to succeed in a dynamic world. We’ve listened closely to students, teachers, school leaders, district administrators, and the broader educational community as they have shared their challenges, celebrations, and concerns, and these meaningful conversations have informed our work for the back-to-school season.

Innovative Tools to Enhance Teaching and Learning

Teachers tell us they spend countless hours on assessments, lesson planning, and differentiation. In fact, 94% of educators seek tools that give them time back to focus on students. We’re helping streamline these tasks with new enhancements in Experience, including:

Personalized Content Recommendations

There are thousands of amazing, standards-aligned resources in Experience. Now, finding the perfect resource for any lesson is even easier. Our new Curriculum Aligned Resources feature allows educators to quickly access handpicked content to enhance their core curriculum. Teachers can also get recommendations based on their unique profile and preferences to suggest relevant resources specifically curated for their classroom.

AI TeacherTool | Assess

Our new AI-powered assessment generator allows educators to create standards-aligned assessments in minutes. Teachers can easily customize by reading level, question type, and Bloom’s Taxonomy—all while leveraging Discovery Education’s trusted, cross-curricular resources.

Improved Integrations

With the new Google Add-on, Discovery Education Experience now integrates seamlessly with Google Classroom, making access to quality content easier and more efficient for educators and students. The new integration offers simplified assignments, more focused access for students, and time-saving workflows for lesson planning.

Enhancing Math Engagement and Support for Educators

Over 90% of teachers believe that personalized instruction can improve learning outcomes, such as test scores, learning retention, and academic performance. As educators work furiously to address declining math scores, we’re making sure they have the right support to differentiate math instruction and drive student outcomes.

Improved Accessibility

DreamBox Math lessons now integrate assistive technology, keyboard navigation, and multiple modalities to ensure all students can engage independently. Learn more about these updates HERE.

Enhanced Engagement

We are rolling out updates to some of the most popular lessons in DreamBox Math to make it easier for students to start, play, and complete lessons successfully. Students will find clearer, always-available instructions, updated scaffolding, enhanced visuals, easier interactivity, and added real-world context for mathematical concepts.

Refreshed Middle School Math Environment

We know that students will feel more engaged and excited about algebra readiness when they can work in an age-appropriate environment. The new middle school environment has a sleek new look and introduces an upgraded lesson chooser, making it easier for students to navigate assignments and personalized lessons. Check out the new middle school experience HERE.

Helpful Curriculum Guide

The new in-product interactive curriculum guide enables educators to explore and align lessons with state standards for targeted instruction. Learn more about the curriculum guide.

Building Future-Ready Classrooms

Students crave access to content that excites and inspires them. And, when educators spark connections showing how daily lessons apply inside of class and beyond, they can make learning meaningful. In fact, 80% of students believe that content that connects to real-world experiences is essential for their day-to-day learning.

Career Connect Available to All Experience Partners

Career Connect brings industry professionals right into classrooms, allowing teachers to request virtual visits from employee volunteers. The feature provides experiential knowledge that reinforces educational concepts as it relates to real-world problem solving and innovation.

New Career resources in Experience will help educators show students the real-world relevance of their daily learning while building career awareness, exploration, and preparedness. These resources provide a strong connection to K-8 instruction, ensuring that career readiness begins early and empowers students to imagine endless possibilities beyond the classroom.

New, Exciting Lessons Across Our Programs

New Experience Lessons: Experience’s vast library of curated educational content continues to grow to meet the needs of modern K-12 classrooms. For back-to-school, educators will find even more instructional resources with an Enhanced Instructional Strategy Library and Model Lessons. Students and teachers will also have access to new K-2 civics lessons, ELA Fix-It Models for middle school, and new DE Original videos for ELA and social studies.

DreamBox Reading Expands to Grade 5: DreamBox Reading’s adaptive engine, already providing personalized reading instruction for PreK-2 students, will now support literacy development for grades 3-5. New lessons include foundational phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies, helping older students master essential reading skills.

More Mystery Science Fun: Mystery Science will feature new resources, including open-and-go lessons and vocabulary supports on topics like matter and water. Plus, we’re updating Anchor Layers on all units.

Get an in-depth look into the exciting updates coming for the 2025-2026 school year!

Watch Engage K-12

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Balancing Human Intelligence with Artificial Intelligence

DE Staff — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 19:33:50 +0000

The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a useful technology with many possibilities has led to questions around how to use AI in the classroom. Educators and students alike are curious about the applications of AI in teaching and learning and recognize the importance of balancing the use of AI with existing (and budding) human skills. Read on to learn more about AI’s potential and consider how to pair this exciting technology with human skills for maximum impact.

Understanding AI's Potential

One overwhelming part of Artificial Intelligence is its seemingly endless potential. There is a wealth of opportunities for AI use, but at its center, AI should be viewed the same way we consider other technology—as a support for human work. When considering implementation in the classroom, AI can support both educators and students, and should be introduced thoughtfully. For example, generative AI can help create thought starters and inspiration for projects, or it can help refine work in the later stages of a project. While it may not be immediately obvious to educators as to how and when to introduce AI into their classrooms, starting with a clear list of options for AI use is step one. By considering practical, and ethical, uses of AI, educators will then be prepared to take advantage of its supportive uses, and pass those learnings on to their students.

Emphasizing the Importance of Human Input

Technology evolves to assist humans in working faster and more efficiently, and its use should be filtered through the lens of how it can support and pair with human efforts, not replace them. The same way a word processing program helps speed up writing long reports, AI should be viewed to work and think faster, not a way to stop thinking. Generative AI can help someone gather information, but without human analysis, reflection, and fact-checking, the information can be rendered useless. Dr. Tim Hudson, Chief Learning Officer at Discovery Education, explains in his new eBook on AI, “Regardless of whether students are analyzing an AI-written article, or an article written by a human, they need to have the skills to assess the validity of that content and respond appropriately.” AI can be a great time-saver in the research and information-gathering process, but it can’t replace human judgement when it comes to analysis of results or steps for editing and presenting these results.

Education frequently adopts new technologies to enhance learning experiences for students and assist educators in efficient lesson planning. AI is the latest addition to a growing collection of technology tools educators may consider adding to their classroom practices, and like any new tool, its implementation calls for consideration and support.

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