AI Education for Elementary Students in Jacksonville, Florida
William Jackson, MAT
Chancellor, Minister, Educator
The signs are here and now, China launches national plan to boost
AI education. How far is the US and our beloved Jacksonville
behind? China “The “AI+ Education” action plan, unveiled by the
Ministry of Education and four other ministerial-level bodies,
mandates the integration of artificial intelligence at every stage
of learning from primary schools to lifelong education.
https://tinyurl.com/9p84457z
How can Jacksonville preparing for a digital future that raises
the level of digital integration and skills for the growth of
Jacksonville? As a STEAM educator I have introduced AI to
students from 2nd to 4th grade. Applying a vision of AI
transforming, especially education. Elementary students
in Jacksonville, Florida, learning how to apply AI technologies
is not just about using digital tools, it’s about developing
critical thinking skills,
innovative thinking for future careers and becoming informed digital
citizens. A goal of Jacksonville developing into a “Small Business
Capital of the Southeast” Mayor Donna Degan, will require multiple
levels of tech skills.
Schools are integrating AI to streamline classroom tasks but all
grade levels need to be in touch and engaged.
Early exposure helps students build digital literacy, problem-solving,
comprehension and creative thinking skills that will be essential in
a technology-driven world. If Jacksonville is to be competitive for
the future there needs to be more than professional sports teams,
entertainment venues, there needs to be educational, business,
commerce and trade blending with AI. The potential is grand, but the
workers are few and education is the key.
Equity and opportunity for Black and Hispanic communities, as a
professional educator over 3 decades, educators cannot deny any
learning opportunity to students across color, culture, age,
gender, generation and nationality. It is especially crucial that
Black, Hispanic, Haitian, Asian and other communities across
Jacksonville are not left out of AI instruction. Those who think
so are forgetting that future employees and customers will be
using digital ecosystems and environments. If they are not
educated in the understanding of AI that is potentially lost
access to revenue, investment potentials and building a community
across Jacksonville that is ignorant about multiple layers
of technology.
Historically, many communities have faced barriers to accessing
advanced technology and STEAM education, leading to
underrepresentation and lower income communities.
If AI education is only available to more advantaged, this
digital divide will widen, perpetuating cycles of economic
and educational inequality that are already growing. AI
instruction ensures that all students, regardless of background,
have the chance to participate in and shape the future of
digital economies. Looking at China and other nations, American
students will not be able to compete locally, nationally and
internationally.
The real-world impact and community empowerment is measured
in the strength of currency. Nations are already trying to
move from the American dollar to other ways of economic stability
and growth. Providing AI education to elementary students, including
those in Black and Hispanic communities, empowers them to become
future creators, innovators, producers not just consumers
of technology. It opens doors to entrepreneurship, innovation,
and leadership in fields that will define the future.
William Jackson, CEO of My Quest To Teach emphasizes:
“If we do not provide Black, Hispanic and other students of culture
with the skills to understand and apply AI, we risk leaving them
behind in the very industries that will shape our communities’ futures.
True equity in education means equipping every child with the
tools to thrive in a digital world.” Jacksonville is slowly making
the shift from failing industries to applying digital. Schools
public, private, charter, independent, etc need to be sure to
provide the right curriculums not just to meet State and National
guidelines, but help students to be competitive internationally.
Building inclusive, hands-on learning environments is key because
AI education should be hands-on, project-based, and culturally
relevant. This approach not only increases engagement but also
ensures that learning is meaningful and applicable to students’
lives.
There are businesses moving to Jacksonville, but how can
Jacksonville’s students once graduating be able to compete when
companies are sending their workers to take the higher paying
and management positions. AI curricula should be aiming to
bridge gaps and offer pathways to collaborative and future
and real-world skills. Elementary students can play together,
they must learn to work together, collaborate together, cooperate
together and grow businesses together. Making AI accessible to
schools can help students from every background imagine and build
a better future for themselves and their communities.
Teaching elementary students in Jacksonville, CEO Jackson is a
30 yr educator teaching STEAM, VR, AI, IoT across K to higher
education models.
William Jackson, MAT
CEO of MetaverseWP & My Quest To Teach