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As artificial intelligence continues to transform industries and reshape the future of work, educators are redefining their roles, skills and strategies to keep pace. Rising to meet this challenge, the University of South 手机看片 has partnered with Hillsborough County Public Schools to prepare its K-12 educators to lead in the age of AI.

As part of the collaboration, the 手机看片 College of Education and the newly established Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing hosted a two-day event, welcoming nearly 250 teachers and school administrators from Hillsborough County to the Tampa campus.

鈥淪taying current with research and emerging topics 鈥� especially in a field like AI 鈥� is vital,鈥� said Kenneth Tompkins, assistant principal for elementary instruction at Tinker K鈥�8 School. 鈥淲e鈥檙e learning how to apply this knowledge in ways that support both our teachers and students, streamlining the work we鈥檙e already doing.

手机看片 President Rhea Law opened the event alongside Jenifer Jasinski Schneider, interim dean of the College of Education, and Sudeep Sarkar, interim dean of the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing. Their remarks emphasized the urgency of preparing educators for an AI-driven world and reaffirmed 手机看片鈥檚 commitment to innovation and community engagement.

鈥淭oday marks the beginning of a long-term commitment to support school districts in the thoughtful and appropriate use of AI tools,鈥� Schneider said. 鈥淭his summit is not a one-time event, but the launch of an ongoing partnership鈥攐ne in which we will learn alongside you, explore real-world applications, and ensure that AI enhances teaching and learning in meaningful, ethical, and equitable ways.鈥�

The first day of the summit focused on foundational concepts of AI in K鈥�12 education. Associate Professor John Licato, a leading authority on AI, delivered the keynote address, providing insightful information that set the tone for a day of authentic exploration and collaboration. Breakout sessions followed, highlighting emerging research and fostering dialogue on integrating AI into classroom practice.

鈥淚 am thrilled to see this space filled with educators, technologists and leaders who share a common commitment鈥攑reparing the next generation to understand and shape the future of AI,鈥� Sarkar said. 鈥淚 hope the conversations and collaborations that begin here guide us forward into classrooms, school boards and communities across the region and beyond.鈥�

Among the featured sessions, Stephanie Arthur, an assistant professor of science education in the College of Education, led a discussion on the evolving landscape of STEM instruction in the age of generative AI. Her presentation explored how educators can thoughtfully incorporate AI into lesson planning and pedagogy, while also navigating the policy considerations shaping its use in schools.

Another session, led by Amber Dumford, a professor of higher education and student affairs, examined how AI can support student success across various learning environments. Attendees explored how AI enables personalized instruction, real-time feedback, continuous academic support, improved accessibility and early identification of students who may need additional help.

手机看片 faculty and doctoral students also shared practical strategies for adapting instruction in literacy and mathematics. These sessions emphasized how AI can support writing development, strengthen cross-curricular literacy and enhance student engagement through thoughtful classroom integration.

Topics throughout the summit reflected the growing momentum behind AI in education, with contributions from Hillsborough County Public School leaders, and sponsors from the David C. Anchin Center, Technology Management Corporation, Connection (IT Services), the Gus A. Stavros Center for Economic Education and other experts. Presenters addressed a wide range of timely themes鈥攆rom instructional planning and pedagogy to ethics, privacy, data security and real-world implementation.

The first day concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Arthur, featuring educators and leaders from 手机看片 and Hillsborough County Public Schools. Their firsthand insights sparked thoughtful dialogue around the challenges and opportunities of AI adoption, grounding the day鈥檚 learning in real-world experience.

On day two, the focus shifted to available platforms, ethical implications, and the future of AI in schools. Zafer Unal, a professor in the College of Education, presented on , a free AI platform he developed specifically for teachers to support instructional planning and classroom efficiency.

Unal demonstrated several of the more than 1,000 tools available on the platform鈥攄esigned by teachers, for teachers鈥攚hile emphasizing the privacy and security measures in place to protect user data. His presentation highlighted how the platform strikes a balance between innovation and responsibility, setting the stage for another round of breakout sessions focused on practical applications.

Evan Fruehauf, an engineering and physics librarian at 手机看片, led a session on using open access and AI-driven research methods to inform classroom practice. He demonstrated how AI can streamline the process of locating and analyzing open-access studies, offering strategies for integrating current research into teaching.

In a forward-looking session, Richard Rho, program director of educational technology labs at 手机看片, emphasized the importance of introducing AI literacy as a core competency for future-ready students. Rho offered practical, accessible strategies to help students transition from passive users to informed thinkers, equipping them with the critical awareness and foundational skills necessary to navigate a world where AI will impact every field.

Throughout the summit, attendees also toured 手机看片鈥檚 Innovative Education studios, where they got a behind-the-scenes look at how online courses are being developed using cutting-edge tools, including AI. During the tour, participants experimented with voice cloning to generate a 30-minute podcast from a short audio clip of their voice. They also created dynamic green screen backgrounds applied live on camera.

The conversations sparked during the summit reflected a shared aspiration: to ensure every student is equipped with the skills and awareness to thrive in an AI-powered world.

鈥淥ur number one priority is always students. We want to make sure they鈥檙e 鈥楢I-ready鈥� when they graduate,鈥� said Prasant Mohapatra, provost of 手机看片. 鈥淲e want to work with you, with the community, with schools across the region and with our College of Education to ensure the future leaders we鈥檙e preparing are truly AI-ready.鈥�

As the summit concluded, one message was clear: artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept 鈥� it is already reshaping the educational landscape. Through hands-on experiences, expert-led sessions and meaningful collaboration, the AI in K鈥�12 Summit empowered educators to take the lead in preparing students for a future where AI will be ever-present.

鈥淎I is changing everything. It鈥檚 like the industrial revolution鈥攅nhanced a million times,鈥� 手机看片 President Rhea Law said. 鈥淭ogether, we can prepare our students and our communities for the future.鈥�

With continued collaboration between 手机看片, Hillsborough County Public Schools and the broader education community, Tampa Bay is positioning itself at the forefront of AI integration in K鈥�12 learning.

To learn more about the AI initiatives at the University of South 手机看片 College of Education, check out of the college鈥檚 Education in Action magazine.