OxyTalks "On Tap" AI & Society: Future-Proofing K-12 schools

This event is part of a new speaker series OxyTalks “On Tap” starting with the topic of AI and Society, in partnership with Occidental College Dean's Office, the Library, and Center for Research and Scholarship.

As AI fundamentally reshapes work and society, K-12 schools face an urgent need for systemic modernization. In this session, Assistant Professor of Computer Science Joel Walsh will be in conversation with colleague Elizabeth Ruff, an English teacher at Garfield High School, to engage parents, students, and educators about what it could look like to "future-proof" K-12 schools.

Walsh will explore the concrete curricular and pedagogical shifts required to ensure every graduate understands the potential and technical limitations of AI, transforming them into savvy, responsible users or producers of technology. Prof. Walsh argues that while the K-12 curriculum must improve technical literacy, it is also essential to reaffirm and develop our uniquely human capabilities.

Joel Walsh is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department at Occidental College. His research is at the intersection of artificial intelligence and educational technology. He was formerly a machine learning software engineer and a high school mathematics teacher at Locke High School and the USC Hybrid High School in Los Angeles. He regularly collaborates with teachers and curriculum coaches in LAUSD and other districts across the country.