Featured Post from University of Delaware

Cultivating justice and joy through critical AI use in the K-12 Classroom

University of Delaware expert explains how to use AI critically, purposefully and joyfully in the classroom this school year

Sep 9, 2026

3 min

Inspired by her middle school social studies teacher, University of Delaware Associate Professor Stephanie Smith Budhai has always believed that a classroom should be a space where students feel valued and nurtured. As a seasoned educator, she has helped teachers create these spaces using technology to support students in meeting learning outcomes, developing their skills and growing their confidence.

Now, Budhai is mentoring overwhelmed teachers to reclaim the classroom as a nurturing environment for all students. Her book, "Critical AI in K-12 Classrooms: A Practical Guide for Cultivating Justice and Joy" with co-author Marie Heath of Loyola University Maryland, supports teachers and students as they navigate the complicated interactions of AI, education and justice.

Budhai answered pressing questions about the already popular book.

How would you describe the central message or takeaway of this book?

"I believe that classrooms should be joyous spaces where all students feel heard, valued, seen and loved. Dealing with powerful technologies that exacerbates the biases and harms of society such as AI can impact teachers’ ability to nurture such spaces. Thus, this book was written to provide a practical guide for teachers and students as they navigate the complicated interactions of AI, education and justice. It is our duty as educators not to dismiss the technology altogether, but to help teachers take a critical lens, as they use AI for teaching and learning."

What inspired you to pursue this line of research?

"Before writing this book, I had already published 8 books and over 80 practitioner articles around technology, equity, teacher education and leadership. There had been other books that were quickly published about AI, but none focused on the harms of AI, how teachers could come to understand how AI really works and use it in ways that do not harm students."

What are some of the key ways that K-12 teachers can cultivate justice and joy through AI?

"In the book, we have many examples of how to cultivate justice and joy. For example, in chapter 3, we provide strategies for teachers to build an equity-mindset while supporting students in developing a critical consciousness around AI technologies, which are inherently biased. In chapters 4 and 5, we provide framing for using culturally-sustaining, abolitionist and fugitive pedagogies in designing curricula and learning activities that include the just use of AI technologies. And, in chapter 6, we provide teachers with myriad personal, professional, pedagogical and participatory actions they can take when using AI for teaching and learning."

How could this work impact schools, teacher education programs and the broader public?

"This work was created to support K-12 teachers, and many teachers have already shared how it has impacted them. K-12 teachers can immediately put the strategies and learning activities that we suggest in the book to use. We also situate AI in longer histories of technology injustice and provide accessible content on understanding how AI works through a critical algorithmic literacy perspective. Teacher education programs can use this work as they prepare teachers to navigate the complicated intersections of teaching, AI and justice. For the broader public, we also include content on justice-centered community activities and projects that are focused on critical AI."

About Stephanie Smith Budhai

Stephanie Smith Budhai is an associate professor in UD’s College of Education and Human Development, specializing in educational technology. Her interdisciplinary research and practice lies at the intersections of technology, equity and civic engagement, across myriad K-16 settings. She has published 10 books on teaching and digital technologies. Among other professional appointments, she serves as the Chair of the Information Technology Council for the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education and is on the Board of Directors for the Civics of Technology.

To speak with Smith further about AI in K-12 education, reach out to MediaRelations@udel.edu.

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2 min

Experts on Hurricane Preparedness, Public Health and Community Recovery

When hurricanes threaten communities already facing social and economic challenges, the need for effective disaster preparedness and response becomes even more critical. University of Delaware disaster research experts can discuss the challenges communities face before, during and after hurricanes, including Hurricane Isaias and its potential impacts across Alabama, Mississippi, the Florida Panhandle and other parts of the northern Gulf Coast. The following experts from UD's Disaster Research Center are available to discuss the public health consequences of hurricanes, disaster preparedness and community recovery. Sarah DeYoung, associate professor of sociology and criminal justice, can discuss the needs of refugee and immigrant communities before, during and after disasters, including challenges accessing information, assistance and essential resources. She worked for several years with refugee and immigrant communities in southern Alabama through a grant-funded project. Jennifer Horney, professor of epidemiology, can discuss the public health consequences of hurricanes and other disasters, including evacuation decisions, the risks posed by inland flooding and the challenges communities face during recovery. She was part of the public health response to Hurricane Harvey and can discuss how communities still recovering from major storms may face additional challenges when another hurricane threatens the region. Jennifer Trivedi, associate professor of anthropology, studies how disasters affect marginalized communities. She can discuss how disasters compound existing challenges for people struggling to meet basic needs, particularly when flooding disrupts housing, transportation, food access and other essential services. Tricia Wachtendorf, co-director of the Disaster Research Center, can discuss the social impacts of hurricanes and inland flooding, including evacuation, preparedness, community response and recovery. She can also discuss how storms that are not the most powerful can nonetheless cause significant damage and disruption. To reach these experts directly, visit their ExpertFile profile and click on the "contact" button. Interested journalists can also contact MediaRelations@udel.edu.

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1 min

How should journalists cover politics when democracy is at stake

Political coverage often centers on the president, but according to the University of Delaware’s Dannagal Young, journalists can sometimes provide more meaningful coverage by focusing more on democracy and less on the commander in chief’s every movement. Young calls this approach “democracy-centered reporting.” Instead of treating every presidential announcement or provocative statement as the central event, democracy-centered reporting asks how political actions affect democratic institutions, constitutional principles and Americans’ ability to exercise their rights as citizens, Young says. Young, professor of communication and director of UD’s Center for Political Communication, says “access journalism” has an important role, but an overreliance on access can also make political leaders the organizing principle of coverage. In moments when executive power is expanding, she argues, journalists should consider whether their coverage is inadvertently amplifying the power they are trying to scrutinize. Young can discuss: • How journalists can cover presidents without making the president the center of every story • The benefits and risks of access journalism • How coverage of political conflict affects public understanding of democracy To arrange an interview with Young, visit her profile and click on the "contact" button. Interested reporters can also send an email to MediaRelations@udel.edu.

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1 min

Public health risks after a major flood

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