AI-Powered Pedagogy: A Critical and Creative Guide for K-12 Teachers

Dr. H. Justin Ballenger chairs the Education Department and is an Assistant Professor of STEM Education in the Division of Professional and Continuing Studies at Morehouse College. In this role, he develops educators, policy experts, and education researchers. 

He also serves as Co-PI for the Atlanta University Center (AUC) Computer Science Ecosystem and is a research fellow with the Morehouse Black Men’s Research Institute (BMRI). Previously, Dr. Ballenger was Co-PI for the NSF - Institute for African American Mentoring in Computing Sciences (IAAMCS) and Research Lead for the NSF-National Data Science Alliance (NDSA). 

Dr. Ballenger's work focuses on pre-service teacher development and broadening participation in STEM. He leads initiatives to support pre-service teachers, expand research infrastructure, and foster collaboration in AI integration and STEM education, especially among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Having served on faculty advisory teams for the White House Office of STEM & Technology Policy and NASA Transform to Open Science (TOPS), he is committed to empowering future educators and STEM professionals through innovative strategies and partnerships.

She received a B.E. Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and an EdD in Higher Educational Leadership from Clark Atlanta University. She is an Assistant Professor at CAU and is the Program Director of Graduate Teacher Education and Director of Educational Technology and Innovation. As an authority on STEM Equity and Curriculum and Program Design, she has led teams to exceed school and state standards by providing Professional Development & Training on STEM Integration and culturally relevant pedagogical practices. Among her accolades, she was selected as a Smithsonian Science Mentor, UNCF Faculty Fellow, and was recognized by the White House Initiative as an HBCU Scholar. She has presented at conferences including the Computer Science Teachers Association, the Educational Justice Conference, Georgia Educational Technology Conference, and the W.E.B. Du Bois Data Science Symposium. She is co-author of the blog “Chalkboards to AI” for the National Science Teacher Association and she was also invited by Google to provide talks and insights to Educators on Generative AI and its responsible utilization in the classroom. Her innovative applications for using robotics, coding, drones, design thinking, and artificial intelligence contribute to her research in STEM equity.

Dr. Valeisha Ellis is an Associate Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education at Delaware State University. Prior to becoming a professor, she was a K-5 Special Educator and District Reading Specialist. She has experience in curriculum and instruction, reading, special education and STEM teacher education. Dr. Ellis’ research interests include integrating science and reading instruction, reading and science student achievement, effective models of establishing and maintaining P-12 school and community partnerships, Artificial Intelligence pedagogy, Data Science & Computer Science Ecosystems, effective pre-service field and clinical models for teacher education, and multidisciplinary education research.