Part I

Introduction

In this series, we explore the roles teachers can play in shaping AI technologies to meet the needs of their classrooms and communities.  Today’s educators are navigating extraordinary challenges—the youth mental health crisis, the profound impacts of poverty, systemic inequities, and the eroding support for public education. They shoulder the weight of preparing students—whether in the most under-resourced urban environments or the most affluent settings—for an increasingly complex and  uncertain  future.

Yet, by shifting from fear to agency, teachers can actively influence how AI supports learning, fosters equity, and enhances student well-being—ensuring solutions truly meet the challenges they face.

Now, more than ever, we must slow down and refocus our attention on our enduring commitment to addressing the complex challenges in education that only humans can solve. These are challenges we’ve shaped, and they demand our creativity and determination to overcome.

While the solutions to education challenges lie within us, technology, when used responsibly, offers transformative support. AI can empower teachers to personalize learning, identify barriers, and create equitable opportunities for students. It can also reveal hidden patterns, challenge outdated assumptions, and inspire innovative approaches to teaching and collaboration.

However, technology must always serve the human purpose—enhancing the educator’s role, amplifying student potential, and fostering deeper connections. Used responsibly, AI can help us reveal hidden possibilities, challenge old assumptions, and inspire us to explore new ways of connecting and collaborating. Our goal is to harness these tools , not to replace human interaction, but to make us more human.  To deepen compassion, strengthen relationships, and build a more equitable and inclusive educational landscape. Together, we can use these tools to create solutions that center humanity at every level, building bridges we hadn’t yet imagined.

The Codesign Collective is a space for this work. Leanlab Education’s Codesign Collective brings together hundreds of educators from around the country. The Codesign Collective is a cohort of innovation-oriented educators who are committed to advancing the role of evidence-based edtech in K-12. Over three sessions, we’re collaborating with teachers to create the wisdom needed to complement AI’s capabilities. We’re co-creating strategies that put teachers at the center of edtech efficacy and implementation, ensuring solutions are not only innovative but deeply rooted in authentic, human-centered approaches.

This is the story of how teachers from around the country, Leanlab, and the 228 Accelerator are cultivating the collective wisdom we need for a future we can shape—together. 

Methodology: equityXdesign and Codesign

At the heart of our work is the equityXdesign framework, an approach that reimagines how we tackle systemic inequities in our schools and communities. It’s paired with codesign, a collaborative process that invites diverse voices to create meaningful solutions together. When combined, equityXdesign and codesign serve as complementary engines for equitable change—moving us from concept to action in a way that centers those most affected by our decisions.

equityxdesign & Cede Power

One of the foundational principles of equityXdesign is to cede power. This means recognizing  that equitable change isn’t just about shifting policies; it’s also about reshaping relationships. True transformation requires us to try on new ways of being—ways that may feel unfamiliar but are necessary for growth.

By creating new, flexible identities that blur the lines between teacher and researcher, we invite innovation. When these traditional roles become permeable, we open doors to new possibilities, ideas, and relationships. It’s a process that requires vulnerability and a willingness to let go of fixed roles. By doing so, we allow for a deeper focus on what truly matters: the human being at the center of our work.

Codesign as a vehicle for change

Codesign complements this work by actively involving teachers in the process of developing solutions. It’s not only about hearing teachers’ voices; it’s about amplifying them and ensuring they shape the direction of new tools and strategies. Codesign creates a shared space where power is distributed more equally, fostering an environment where genuine collaboration thrives.

Together, equityXdesign and codesign redefine what it means to create change. They challenge us to let go of rigid structures, prioritize human relationships, and embrace new ways of thinking, doing, and being. In this series, you’ll see how these methodologies shape  AI’s integration into education while fundamentally  reshaping our understanding of who gets to lead the way forward.

What We Did in the Session: What Would James Baldwin Say? 

In celebration of writer and activist James Baldwin’s 100th birthday, we grounded this exercise in Baldwin's enduring wisdom, connecting his powerful insights from the past to today’s technological realities, specifically AI in education.

To inspire this discussion, we presented the following prompt to ChatGPT-4o:

“Based on the 1963 article, A Talk to Teachers, what would James Baldwin say about AI and emerging technologies? Provide eight quotes, each at least eight lines long.”

ai-generated quotes inspired by baldwin

The AI's response was both profound and thought-provoking. Here are excerpts from two of the quotes it produced:

"The revolution of the machine will be no different from the revolutions of the past if it leaves the most marginalized further behind. AI’s potential for justice is real, but so is its potential for deepening inequality. If the creators of this technology do not confront their biases, they will create systems that replicate, and even amplify, existing structures of power. The promise of AI must be the promise of all progress: to serve those who have been most wronged, not just those who can afford it. If it fails to do so, AI will not be the harbinger of a new era but merely the next phase of an old, unyielding oppression."

"AI, like any tool, reflects the hand that wields it. If that hand is corrupted by racism or greed, so too will be the machine's purpose. The real question is not whether machines can think, but whether they can think with justice. A society that has failed to address its own historical biases cannot expect to program them out of its creations. We cannot hide behind the guise of technological progress while perpetuating the same moral failures. If AI is built on the same foundation of inequality, it will merely become another force to maintain the status quo. In this, technology becomes not a savior but a mirror—a reflection of our deepest flaws."

This exercise allowed us to juxtapose Baldwin's moral clarity with AI's emerging role in education. What would have been a rigorous academic task five years ago was performed in less than five minutes—thanks to AI. But this speed also raises critical questions: Are we moving too fast to consider the ethical implications? Are we creating spaces for AI to challenge inequity, or are we simply perpetuating old biases?

Using Baldwin’s voice as a guide, we opened up a powerful dialogue on how AI can either be a tool for justice or a mechanism of existing oppression. The session allowed educators to explore both the promise and peril of AI, and to reflect on their role in shaping its impact on education.

Modeling the Empathy Interview: Technologies for Transformation

At the core of equityXdesign and codesign is the commitment to make the invisible visible. This means identifying inequities and courageously discussing the power dynamics that influence relationships and decision-making. Given the inherent power hierarchy between teachers and researchers in the context of the Codesign Collective, this approach was vital.

To disrupt this dynamic, we intentionally flipped the script: we began by publicly interviewing the researcher. This unconventional start modeled the empathy interview tool, reinforcing that the goal is not just to collect information but to see the person. By shifting the focus to understanding and human connection, we sought to cultivate a more equal relationship and deeper engagement.

Once this demonstration was complete, we had teachers pair up and conduct empathy interviews with each other. This encouraged vulnerability and  helped establish a foundation for trust and collaboration in exploring AI’s role in education.

Here are some of the insights that emerged:

• AI Gaps in the Classroom: One teacher expressed concern about the potential gap in AI literacy among both students and educators. They highlighted the need for better understanding and support to ensure AI is used effectively and equitably.

• Misuse of AI: Another teacher pointed to specific examples of potential AI misuse, such as AI-generated quotes attributed to James Baldwin and a recent AI-generated student article about the Florida school shooting. These incidents underscored the ethical considerations and risks associated with AI in the classroom.

• Data Privacy and Urgency: One teacher voiced a pressing concern about the lack of urgency in addressing data privacy issues. They noted that AI could be weaponized in ways that harm students if privacy protections aren’t strengthened.

This exercise not only surfaced valuable insights but also deepened our understanding of the complexities educators face as they navigate AI’s potential and pitfalls. By modeling empathy and prioritizing human connection, we began to lay the groundwork for more meaningful and equitable AI integration in education.

Conclusion: Teachers as Empowered Researchers

As we closed the co-design session, it was clear that the insights gathered through empathy interviews laid a strong foundation for the work ahead. Teachers, now empowered as researchers, became not just participants but vital sources of intelligence. They were charged with uncovering the knowledge that lives within the relationships and interactions of the classroom itself.

Using the same empathy interview approach, teachers will return to their classrooms to source new ideas and understand how these emerging technologies are being received and metabolized in everyday practice. This approach centers educators as active agents of change, ensuring that AI integration is informed by the lived experiences of those on the frontlines.

Stay tuned as teachers bring these fresh perspectives back to the Codesign Collective, helping us shape the next steps for AI in education with equity and authenticity at the forefront.

The Codesign Collective is accepting new members. K12 educators are invited to join and help shape the future of education through codesign research.

About the Author

Caroline Hill is the founder of 288 Accelerator, an organization that provides training, community, and more for K12 educators and leaders who wish to become agents of equity. 288 Accelerator partners with Leanlab Education to codesign and deliver community programming for the Codesign Collective at quarterly convenings. Caroline brings more than 20 years of experience in public education, education innovation, management consulting, and engineering to her work.