Education 4.12 - Flipbook - Page 9
| Sunday, April 12, 2026 9
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TUITION
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McDaniel administrators say they
are searching for the endowed professor, as well as a dean for the school of
business and technology, opening in
fall 2027. “We’re investing in the idea
that students more than ever need to
have experience in their chosen field,”
Lilly says.
Notre Dame of Maryland University
took the initiative last year to target an
important segment of AI users – K-12
educators. Realizing that over half of
U.S. adults use AI, yet only one in four
teachers felt very prepared to use it
in the classroom, the university created a graduate-level certificate program
called LEARN-AI.
“Over half of educators indicated
they had no training on AI,” says Ryan
Schaaf, associate professor of educational technology and chair of advanced
programs in the school of education at
Notre Dame of Maryland University.
Karen Sultan, a middle school teacher in Montgomery County who enrolled
in the program, confirms, “One of the
main challenges is that there is a lot of
resistance to AI. Many teachers are not
necessarily tech savvy, and they do not
want to use AI.” By earning the certificate, Sultan says she will be able to
help other teachers to be less anxious
about the technology. “I have been able
to show them some of the AI tools we
have used or learned about in class to
help them start to accept AI.”
Schaaf explains that the program
consists of four courses, 12 credits,
earned during eight-week semesters.
LEARN-AI represents the goals of the
program: Leadership, Education, and
Research in AI for the Next Generation.
“It is a graduate certificate program,
which is short, cost-effective and flexible,” he says.
“My initial goal in obtaining the certificate was to learn more about AI
and how it will impact our schools and
student learning,” says Jon Green, a
middle school principal in Montgomery
County. “Another challenge I envision
is how school systems can proactively
get ahead of the emergence of these
technologies and develop policies and
regulations for their use. Teachers and
students need AI literacy as well as
guidelines on how to use AI effectively
and safely.”
Every assignment in the certificate
program has an AI component that
allows the students to practice how
they can use AI tools ethically, says
Schaaf. “We’re teaching ways to boost
human potential, not replace it. Humans
should always be in charge of their own
education.”
The program welcomed 31 teachers from Montgomery County Public
Schools its first semester. Participants
doubled in the next semester, and they
represent other Maryland school districts. Schaaf anticipates 90 will be
enrolled by fall. “We’re reaching education leaders, central office staff, speech
pathologists, and any people who work
with students on a daily basis,” Schaaf
notes.
Should we reserve a seat for you on
the AI train?
A smart way
to start your
future
Get ahead with
a debt-free:
• Associate degree
• Credit certificate
• Workforce
credential
Get started at
ccbcmd.edu/freetuition
