Teachers explore AI’s role in education at KU summer conference

Fri, 06/06/2025

Justin Leonard

More than 100 Kansas educators gathered at the University of Kansas Edwards Campus last week to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) can reshape education.

The annual Strategies for Educational Improvement Summer Conference, hosted by the KU School of Education and Human Sciences in partnership with the Kansas State Department of Education, focused for the second year on AI in education.

Maggie Mosher, assistant research professor with the Achievement & Assessment Institute, speaks to a crowd of teachers at this year's Strategies for Educational Improvement Summer Conference.

Katelyn Kellerman, a Spanish teacher at Eudora High School, returned to the conference after attending last year. She said the focus on AI helped her build confidence in advocating for AI in education.

“Last year was just so empowering because everything with AI was still so fresh,” Kellerman said.

She uses AI to adapt Spanish texts by proficiency level and generate discussion prompts tailored to her students. She values AI as a tool that saves time without compromising quality but acknowledges that many educators are still uneasy about AI.

“I think we’re doing a disservice if we try and push [AI] off any longer,” Kellerman said. “I came to get some practical tools and tips on how we change the conversation to the power of AI and not the scariness of it.”

Trey Vasquez, AAI Operating Officer, speaks to a crowd of teachers at this year's Strategies for Educational Improvement Summer Conference.

The Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI) has been working to help shift that conversation through podcasts and conferences like this one. AAI guided powerful discussions at this year's summer conference with Maggie Mosher, assistant research professor, and Trey Vasquez, operating officer, leading talks and hands-on sessions throughout the day.

Liz Anstine, a business teacher at Leavenworth High School and the 2025 Kansas Teacher of the Year, said AAI’s sessions offered concrete strategies she plans to bring back to her classroom.

Already using AI to streamline communication and support student creativity, she said she’s shifting her focus toward helping students critically evaluate AI output.

“In the marketing world, you’re going to get left behind if you’re not moving to the faster beat of the drum,” she said.

With new tools and open discussions, Kellerman and Anstine said the conference helped equip them to guide peers and students into the AI-driven future of education.