"Bridging Tomorrow: FREE Generative Learning AI Education for NYC's Young Students" is a vital citywide initiative dedicated to making AI education accessible to all and closing the digital divide in New York City.
Core Focus and Vision
This initiative is deeply inspired by the philosophy of Keith DeCesare, a Generative Learning teacher at Dos Amigos Elementary. It champions a human-centric approach to Generative Learning, striving to balance technological engagement with the cultivation of essential human capabilities. The goal is to prepare students not just for future careers but for informed and ethical participation in society. Our motto encapsulates this vision: "Imagination leads to creativity, creativity blossoms into thinking, thinking provides knowledge, knowledge results in innovation. Innovation makes us great."
Bridging Tomorrow's roots trace back to a 2011 proposal aimed at democratizing high-bandwidth internet access for NYC Housing Authority residents. Although Google didn't select New York City for its fast-gigabit trial, this visionary proposal laid the groundwork for future projects.
A decade later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we — as parents — conceived "Technology for Tots." This initiative provided tablets with educational software to our young children, their friends, and schoolmates who often lacked access to such resources. Our aim was to ensure technology served as a tool for learning, not just a "babysitter," by guiding children toward high-quality, interactive educational experiences.
As the pandemic subsided and our children returned to school, we expanded our mission to embrace the groundbreaking potential of artificial intelligence, particularly with the rise of consumer-friendly ChatGPT platforms. As parents, artists, and educators, we committed to understanding how AI could be used productively and ethically. This led to the launch of an after-school program at our children's school called "Generative Learning." We utilized Bing Copilot, a relatively safe AI platform, to engage students in creative activities like image generation, storytelling, and collaborative, hands-on projects that leveraged this new form of learning.Bridging Tomorrow's roots trace back to a 2011 proposal aimed at democratizing high-bandwidth internet access for NYC Housing Authority residents. Although Google didn't select New York City for its fast-gigabit trial, this visionary proposal laid the groundwork for future projects.
A decade later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we — as parents — conceived "Technology for Tots." This initiative provided tablets with educational software to our young children, their friends, and schoolmates who often lacked access to such resources. Our aim was to ensure technology served as a tool for learning, not just a "babysitter," by guiding children toward high-quality, interactive educational experiences.
As the pandemic subsided and our children returned to school, we expanded our mission to embrace the groundbreaking potential of artificial intelligence, particularly with the rise of consumer-friendly ChatGPT platforms. As parents, artists, and educators, we committed to understanding how AI could be used productively and ethically. This led to the launch of an after-school program at our children's school called "Generative Learning." We utilized Bing Copilot, a relatively safe AI platform, to engage students in creative activities like image generation, storytelling, and collaborative, hands-on projects that leveraged this new form of learning.
Volunteering our time, we launched Bridging Tomorrow as a participatory budget proposal. Our goal was to provide free, ethically sound AI training for early education. While internet access was no longer the primary digital divide concern, we recognized the urgent need to guide children toward using AI platforms productively for their education, rather than spending countless hours on unproductive activities like endlessly scrolling YouTube or playing addictive games.
Pioneering AI Education at Dos Amigos School
We successfully partnered with Dos Amigos School in the Square to launch a pilot STEM/STEAM Generative Learning program, seamlessly integrating AI into traditional science, technology, engineering, arts, and math subjects. We developed entirely new educational frameworks and ways of understanding the world. Each class and lesson was a new and exciting exploration, branded as "iGentixAI." You can find more details about our ideas and proposals on X or on the iVirtue.com website.
Expanding Our Vision Citywide
With this foundational experience, we are committed to expanding the Bridging Tomorrow initiative. Our aim is to bring our Generative Learning curriculum to other schools and organizations across New York City. We seek to train teachers and foster the ethical, high-quality, and productive use of artificial intelligence, empowering our children with the advantages and opportunities of technologies that will profoundly shape their lives.
Would you like to explore specific aspects of the Bridging Tomorrow initiative, such as the "iGentixAI" framework or our teacher training programs?