The Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) is set to host its inaugural Riverside County AI Summit next month. The event is designed to gather educators and other school employees to delve into topics surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) in schools.
A press release issued by the RCOE reveals that the summit will occur on Jan. 25, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the RCOE Riverside Conference Center, located at 4280 Brockton Avenue, Riverside, California.
The press release further emphasizes that the summit aims to help educators comprehend the significance and benefits of implementing AI in schools and encouraging students to adopt critical thinking in an increasingly machine learning-oriented world. "Preparing students for a future without the knowledge of how to leverage the power of AI would be doing them a disservice. We want students and educators to have all the tools they need to make an impact on their ever-changing world," said Dr. Edwin Gomez, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools.
According to the same press release, the summit will include speeches by influential thinkers, innovative educators, and technology leaders. While the full schedule is yet to be released due to ongoing additions of speakers and presentations, keynote addresses are expected from Katherine Goyette, Computer Science Coordinator at the California Department of Education, and Dr. Sabba Quidwai, CEO of Designing Schools. Four breakout sessions are also planned: "Legal Considerations for AI in Education"; "Preparing Students for AI Ethics and Dilemmas"; "ARTificial Intelligence and the Arts: Threat, Collaborator or Tool?"; "AI EmpowerED: How AI is Changing the Game."
Dr. Heidi Baynes, Educational Technology Coordinator at RCOE emphasized on the importance of understanding AI's influence across all levels of education during her address in the press release. She said that topics such as personalized learning, curricular integration, and ethical usage should be incorporated into the educational world. "All school employees—from the classroom to the board room and everywhere in-between—should consider attending the conference as all aspects of education are being shaped by rapidly changing tools that will only continue to expand in depth and scope."
The press release concludes with registration details for the summit. The cost per person is $150, with a deadline for registration set for Jan. 19, 2024.