The implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the school setting must go far beyond the adoption of cutting-edge tools or initiatives focused solely on institutional marketing. According to sociologist, researcher, and education and technology expert Daniel Magnavita, the responsible and effective use of AI in learning must be grounded in clear principles, such as alignment with the curriculum, data privacy, and pedagogical intent.

“You absolutely cannot overlook the importance of adhering to the curriculum when working on best practices in the field of artificial intelligence applied to learning. This is a cornerstone,” Magnavita emphasizes.

He also emphasizes that privacy must be guaranteed and thoroughly discussed with the school community, especially in the case of elementary and secondary education. “The rules of the game must be clear, made public, discussed, and amended if necessary. We’re talking about students who are not yet independent, so the responsibility is even greater.”

Another point regarding best practices, according to Magnavita, is the risk of superficial practices, driven more by market trends than by actual educational gains.

“We need to truly demonstrate the institutional maturity and the professionals’ readiness to work with artificial intelligence—not just publicize the fact that the school is using a new technology,” he notes.

When choosing solutions and platforms, the expert recommends looking at the ecosystem as a whole, from the internet infrastructure to the integration with software and services already used by the school. “It doesn’t matter whether you use Gemini, ChatGPT, or something else. What matters is the pedagogical intent. Think about the overall architecture and the pedagogical approach, and implement it as best as possible, prioritizing security and transparency,” he says.

When discussing pedagogical intent, Magnavita emphasizes that it should serve as the guiding principle for any technological application in education.

“The entire teaching-learning relationship is underpinned by intentionality, based on a curriculum and a political-pedagogical framework. What we are experiencing now is an era of trial and error, and educators need to experiment with these tools to discover how they work and how they can improve the teaching-learning relationship,” he argues.

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Inequality of access

According to Magnavita, AI in the educational context is moving in two distinct directions: institutions that already have robust infrastructure and a well-prepared faculty (mostly private schools), and those that still face serious limitations.

“Some schools already have high-quality broadband, up-to-date hardware, and appropriate software, but others are light-years away from that. What I see is a tough battle between those who are able to make full use of artificial intelligence and those who are far removed from this reality, who access the internet only through their cell phones.”

According to the expert, there is an urgent need for a government strategy to ensure high-quality internet access in all schools so that the “gap does not widen.” He cites the example of Piauí, which has developed a significant initiative by incorporating artificial intelligence into the curriculum, but emphasizes that the greatest challenge will be to prevent the widening of inequalities between public and private schools or between school systems with more or fewer resources.

Bett Northeast Conference

Daniel Magnavita is one of the guest speakers at the Bett Nordeste Conference, which will take place on August 27 and 28 in Recife (PE). He will participate in the panel “Implementing AI: What Matters for Schools, ” alongside educational consultant Fernando Trevisani, with Bruno França de Souza, Educational Projects Coordinator at CESAR School, serving as moderator. Register here.

In addition to YouTube,Conexão Bettis also available on major audio platforms, such asSpotify,Deezer,Apple Podcasts,Amazon Music, andGoogle Podcasts, among others, as well as on theEducador21 website.

The talk show is yet another forum for dialogue at Bett Brasil, featuring various experts who offer a different perspective on the most relevant and current topics in the education sector. Turn on notifications on your favorite platform to be notified whenever a new episode is available.

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