BACK TO SCHOOL UF NEWS STORIES
From keeping students healthy during back-to-school season to preparing them for an AI-powered future, University of Florida experts are making an impact in classrooms across the state and beyond. These innovative efforts, from UF-led literacy and AI education initiatives to global teacher training and new approaches to AI in K–12, showcase how research and expertise are shaping the next generation of learning.
How to avoid getting sick during back-to-school season
Jerne Shapiro, a member of the UF Emerging Pathogens Institute, discusses the diseases that surge as students from kindergarten to college flood hallways, lecture rooms and cafeterias. Shapiro, an epidemiologist within the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions, is well-versed in staying safe from infectious diseases in the classroom.
AI in the classroom: What parents need to know
As students return to classrooms, Maya Israel, professor of educational technology and computer science education in the UF College of Education and director of the CSEveryone Center for Computer Science Education, shares guidance for parents and educators on using the technology responsibly in K–12 classrooms.
Third-grade ‘mini researchers’ at UF design AI-based app to improve Florida literacy
Third graders in Florida and UF are creating an augmented reality reading app that makes literacy an adventure. As part of UF’s New Worlds Reading Initiative, the students test games, explore ocean-themed environments, and share feedback to make reading more fun. The AI-powered app will debut this year to help inspire a love of reading in young learners.
Trained in AI at UF, a Bradford County educator helps revolutionize curriculum
Christina Cornwell, a Bradford County professional learning coordinator, journeyed over 4,000 miles to Santiago, Chile, where she joined global educators to explore the future of AI in classrooms. Back home, she’s applying what she learned at UF’s training programs to transform how students in rural Florida experience education.
Opinion: Is this our “Sputnik moment” for AI in K–12?
As AI reshapes every corner of society, UF professor Sid Dobrin argues that the United States stands at a pivotal crossroads, much like after Sputnik did in 1957. With a recent executive order urging AI education and 550+ AI-related bills popping up across 45 states, the call for a unified, nationwide strategy to prepare students for an AI-powered future has never been more urgent.