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Currently, research surrounding transition programs for students entering high school focuses on academic achievement outcomes. However, the prevalence of school shootings in predominantly white, suburban communities shows that students in these often academically competitive schools may need support to help them become more connected to the school community. Antony Farag and Bailey Verdone describe how the Transition Project at Westfield High School in New Jersey, launched soon after the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School, has helped the school build a community of trust, beginning when students enter the school in 9th grade. The program links 9th graders with 11th- and 12th-grade who lead them in discussions about community building. The program has become an integral part of the school, receiving support from teachers, administrators, and the local community.

The arrival of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally different from prior technologies used in educational settings. Educators and researchers of online, blended, and in-person learning are still coming to grips with how to employ current AI technologies in the learning experience, let alone understanding the potential consequences that future and unknown developments in AI will produce. Despite potential risks, AI may revolutionize previous models of teaching and learning, and perhaps create opportunities to realize progressive educational goals. Given the longstanding tradition of using philosophy to examine questions surrounding ethics, ontology, technology, and education, the purpose of this critical reflection paper is to draw from prominent philosophers across these disciplines to address the question: how can AI be employed in future educational contexts in a humanizing and ethical manner? Drawing from the work of Gunther Anders, Michel Foucault, Paolo Freire, Benjamin Bloom, and Hannah Arendt, we propose a framework for assessing the use and ethics of AI in modern education contexts regarding human versus AI generated textual and multimodal content, and the broader political, social, and cultural implications. We conclude with applied examples of the framework and implications for future research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]