Robert Bosch Stiftung and Stanford University train teacher trainers in the use of artificial intelligence
Stuttgart, January 21, 2025 – Artificial intelligence is already changing the way we learn at school. However, many teachers lack the knowledge of how to use the new technical applications meaningfully in the classroom. That is why the Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, in cooperation with Stanford University, is now training teacher trainers in how to use artificial intelligence. The goal of the new program, “M.E.T.A. - Maximizing Effective Teaching AI - Professional Development and Capacity Building for Teacher Trainers,” is to instruct teacher trainers on how they can use AI to create added educational value and support students in using the new technology responsibly.
“Artificial intelligence will radically change schools,” says Dr. Dagmar Wolf, Vice President Education at the Robert Bosch Stiftung. “Teachers need to start thinking about the opportunities and risks of using AI in the classroom now. There is hardly any time for this in their daily routine. That is why we want to support people in building up knowledge and professionally accompany and train teachers in further education using the train-the-trainer principle. In doing so, we are proud to have Stanford University, one of the world's most renowned research institutions, as a partner.”
Cooperation with the state institutes of Schleswig-Holstein, Baden-Württemberg and Saarland
The Stanford University Accelerator for Learning is an interdisciplinary center that develops scalable educational concepts. For one year, the center's experts train the participating teacher trainers – in-person and in virtual seminars. In six different modules, the participants learn to identify and integrate suitable AI applications into their teaching, which teachers can use to support students individually and optimize learning processes. But ethical issues and European data protection also play an important role.
The program is aimed at in-service training providers for secondary level 1 (grades 5 to 10). “We are very pleased that we were able to get the state institutes from Schleswig-Holstein, Baden-Württemberg and Saarland on board for the program,” says Wolf. The Institute for Quality Development at Schools in Schleswig-Holstein, the Center for School Quality and Teacher Education Baden-Württemberg and the Bildungscampus Saarland provide half of the 30 participating trainers.
The program also aims to create a strong network in which participants can exchange ideas and learn from each other after the project is completed. As multipliers, they will pass on their knowledge about the use of AI in their schools and in their educational environment.