Peer Review

ChatGPT Foundations for K–12 Educators | Common Sense Education

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Reviewed:: Jan 31, 2026 by Faculty Development

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

This training module introduces K–12 educators to the fundamentals of using ChatGPT and generative AI in the classroom. It is a free, self-paced online course that takes approximately 20–30 minutes to complete and awards a certificate of completion. The content includes an accessible explanation of what ChatGPT is, its benefits and risks in education, and best practices for safe, ethical, and age-appropriate use in schools. It is designed to help educators gain confidence and evaluate AI tools responsibly.

Type of Material:

Online Course

Recommended Uses:

In-class professional development
Individual teacher self-study
Staff meeting training
Online teacher workshops

Technical Requirements:

Straightforward requirements make this course easy to use.

Device: Computer, tablet, or smartphone
Internet Connection: Stable internet connection Browser:
Modern web browser (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) Software:
No additional software is required; accessible through the web browser

Identify Major Learning Goals:

Understand what ChatGPT is and how it works.
Explore safe and effective ways to use AI in my classroom.
Learn to identify risks and ethical considerations when using AI with students.
Develop ideas for responsible classroom uses of ChatGPT.

Target Student Population:

University level professors
K–12 teachers and instructional coaches
Librarians and media specialists
Technology leaders
School administrators
Skills training centre

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Basic comfort with web browsing
No prior AI experience required
General understanding of teaching and curriculum

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

The outstanding feature of the course are foundational concepts of AI that are covered.
It allows learners who may not have any knowledge of AI to get a clear understanding even with such a compact lesson.
Learners will appreciate the knowledge check component
It provides practical examples and balanced guidance on benefits and risks. Its flexible design makes it usable in many settings.

Concerns:

While supported by reputable organizations, it offers a simplified overview without deep scholarly references or research citations that some educators may want.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

The material is useful not only educators, but non educators who want to get an understanding of the foundations of AI
Clearly states objectives
Supports efficient learning
Is easy to adopt for PD sessions.

Concerns:

Assessment of outcomes is limited to the certificate of completion—no embedded quizzes to verify deep understanding.
Prerequisite is not required, and may be useful to be stated. This allows learners who may not be computer literate to understand that they can benefit from the material as the aim is for learners to get an understanding of what AI is.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

The design and sequence of each unit is clear and easy to navigate.
The interactivity of the knowledge checks is quite simple.
Very easy to navigate with clear, accessible instructions.
Works well on any device.

Concerns:

While clean and simple, it could be more visually engaging with richer media, interactive elements, or accessibility features like transcripts or alt text details.

Other Issues and Comments:

This is an excellent entry-level professional development module for K–12 educators new to AI.
It provides a balanced, practical, and ethical approach to integrating ChatGPT in teaching.

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