Social media is teaching children how to use AI. How can teachers keep up?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how students write essays, practise languages and complete assignments.

- Johanathan Woodworth

Teachers are also experimenting with AI for lesson planning, grading and feedback. The pace is so fast that schools, universities and policymakers are struggling to keep up.

What often gets overlooked in this rush is a basic question: how are students and teachers actually learning to use AI? Right now, most of this learning happens informally. Students trade advice on TikTok or Discord, or even ask ChatGPT for instructions. Teachers swap tips in staff rooms or glean information from LinkedIn discussions.

These networks spread knowledge quickly but unevenly, and they rarely encourage reflection on deeper issues such as bias, surveillance or equity. That is where formal teacher education could make a difference.

Research shows that educators are underprepared for AI. A recent study found many lack skills to assess the reliability and ethics of AI tools. Professional development often stops at technical training and neglects wider implications. Meanwhile, uncritical use of AI risks amplifying bias and inequity.

In response, I designed a professional development module within a graduate-level course at Mount Saint Vincent University. Teacher candidates engaged in: 1. Hands-on exploration of AI for feedback and plagiarism detection; 2. Collaborative design of assessments that integrated AI tools; 3. Case analysis of ethical dilemmas in multilingual classrooms. The goal was not simply to learn how to use AI, but to move from casual experimentation to critical engagement.