Charting New Frontiers: Thayer’s First AI Summer Institute

 

A Journey Through Tools and Questions
Over two days, participants were introduced to a wide range of generative AI platforms—from ElevenLabs (text-to-audio) to Manus AI (custom AI agents) to NotebookLM (Google’s experimental research assistant). They also experimented with creative tools like Pika Art and RunwayML, testing ways that AI might animate a still photo, design a classroom activity, or summarize a complex text.

• English Department faculty examined how AI might co-create writing prompts, workshop student essays, and even produce podcasts from student notes. Their reflections centered on balancing creativity with critical thinking, ensuring that AI becomes a collaborator rather than a replacement.
   
• History teachers explored AI’s ability to design interactive timelines and simulations, envisioning ways to bring primary sources to life for students.
   
• Science Groups A & B tested AI in lab-based learning—using Claude AI to generate practice problems and hypotheses, while also questioning the limits of accuracy and the importance of student verification.
   
• Visual Arts, HLC, and Athletics worked together on multimedia applications, experimenting with text-to-image platforms and brainstorming how AI might help with portfolio development, highlight reels, and creative storytelling.
   
• World Languages faculty considered translation tools and text-to-audio platforms, noting both their potential for fluency practice and their shortcomings in nuance and idiomatic expression.
   
• AI Governance Group tackled the bigger ethical picture, raising questions about data privacy, bias, and what responsible AI literacy should look like for Thayer students.

The presentations highlighted both excitement and caution—underscoring that while AI can enhance learning, it requires discernment and thoughtful integration.

Faculty Reflections: From Skepticism to Empowerment
For many faculty members, the experience was transformative.

• Gloria Blanco, Upper School Spanish and Yearbook teacher, described it as “truly transformative. Dan and Lydia’s presentation sparked critical reflection, collaboration, and creative momentum. I left inspired, equipped, and empowered.”
   
• Nicki Pardo, Photography, likened AI’s arrival to a seismic shift in her field: “The transition feels as monumental as going from analog to digital photography. The institute replaced fear with curiosity and a newfound sense of agency.”
   
• Denise King, English, admitted she arrived as a skeptic: “AI has been a point of concern for teachers since it came onto the scene. This workshop clarified the value of leveraging AI, showed it’s not just ChatGPT writing student papers, and gave me a road map for introducing it to students. It was one of the best professional development opportunities in my career.”
   
• Kate Hayman, English, appreciated how the facilitators balanced the technical with the practical: “They spoke as teachers first and tech experts second. That instantly endeared them to us. I began to see how AI could serve as a springboard for reimagining lesson plans, refreshing syllabi, or even creating a podcast from student notes.

Building a Responsible Culture

A consistent theme from participants was the importance of using AI responsibly. As Be reminded attendees, “Think not just about whether we use AI—but how and why. Map out moments where AI supports your thinking, reflect on your choices, and consider both outcomes and implications.”

By the institute’s end, faculty had not only gained exposure to tools but also begun developing a shared language for navigating AI’s opportunities and risks—misinformation, bias, privacy, and overreliance among them.
 

Looking Ahead

While AI continues to evolve at breakneck speed, Thayer’s Summer Institute made one thing clear: the future of teaching will not be about adopting every new technology, but about cultivating discernment, adaptability, and ethical leadership.

“This is just the beginning,” Be concluded. “The real work is asking the right questions together—and ensuring that our students graduate not only AI-literate, but ready to navigate a world shaped by it.”