Wright State Gets $2.5M Grant to Teach AI in Rural Ohio Schools
The U.S. Department of Education awarded Wright State University $2.5 million to integrate artificial intelligence education into teacher training programs and rural school systems across Ohio and Kansas.
The four-year grant, funded through the Department's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, supports a project called "Strengthening American Competitiveness with AI Education." Wright State is partnering with Kansas State University and the University of Florida on the initiative.
Who Benefits
The funding targets two groups: current students training to become teachers and graduate students in Wright State's Instructional Design and Learning Technologies master's degree program, housed in the School of Education and Leadership.
The project also includes a component where three Wright State students will be selected to help develop curriculum, create AI tools, and gain hands-on teaching experience.
What Gets Built
Wright State will create professional development for educators beginning this summer, focused on using AI tools in classrooms and understanding core AI concepts. The university aims to establish what it calls a "through-line" - offering AI literacy earlier in school, deepening those skills in college, and preparing graduates for careers shaped by AI.
Cogan Shimizu, assistant professor of computer science at Wright State and the project's lead, said the work addresses how AI is spreading across industries. "Students won't just learn how to use AI, but also how AI systems work, how to reason about them and their behaviors, when they can be trusted and when they are the best tools for the job," he said.
A Different Technical Approach
The project uses neurosymbolic AI, which combines neural systems like large language models and machine learning with symbolic systems such as knowledge graphs and expert systems. This approach is intended to reduce errors that can occur with AI-generated outputs.
Faculty from Wright State's College of Engineering and Computer Science will provide technical expertise, while the College of Health, Education and Human Services will focus on teacher preparation and instructional methods.
Wright State Provost Jim Denniston said the award "underscores Wright State University's commitment to workforce-driven education and innovation and reflects the university's leadership in artificial intelligence education and applied research."
For educators looking to understand how AI fits into teaching, resources like AI Learning Path for Teachers provide structured approaches to building these skills.
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