Experimenting With AI: Activities, Discussions, and Prompts for the Classroom and Beyond (Prepare your learners with AI literacy and integrity.)

As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes our world, educators must prepare learners for the future. In Experimenting With AI, Stacie Chana provides differentiated experiments and adaptable discussion protocols that foster core competencies, critical thinking, and innovation. This guide supports the building of foundational AI literacy for educators and students alike, empowering all learners to apply AI ethically, creatively, and confidently across grade levels and disciplines.

• Acquire in-depth knowledge of how AI developed, how it works, and how it may evolve
• Reflect on the ethical and social controversies surrounding AI and how best to address them in educational settings
• Build foundational AI literacy and develop basic working proficiency with generative tools
• Apply and adapt AI to real-world challenges—from data analysis to creative problem solving
• Customize AI interactions to develop innovative, efficient, and ethically sound solutions

Stacie Chana, EdD, is an educational leader, consultant, and professor who is committed to empowering educators, schools, districts, and organizations to navigate and integrate emerging technologies in transformative ways. As the founder and principal consultant of TechEd Maven Consulting, she supports organizations in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), instructional innovation, and strategic planning to drive meaningful change.
With over two decades of experience in education, Dr. Chana began her career as a high school science teacher before moving into school and district leadership, STEM innovation, and large-scale school transformation efforts. She played a key role in designing a public STEM high school in Chicago and has focused on instructional improvement, professional learning, and AI-enhanced education. Her work is deeply rooted in a commitment to equity, especially for students historically underrepresented in STEM, and reflects a lifelong dedication to optimizing teaching, learning, and student outcomes.
Dr. Chana has been recognized by the AI Show @ ASU+GSV as a 2024 AI Classroom Innovator, one of the 2025 Leading Women in AI and Education, and an EDSAFE AI Ally. She is an active contributor to global conversations on the ethical integration of AI in education.
Her mission is to empower educators so they can empower students to engage with emerging technologies not just as users but as critical thinkers, problem solvers, and creators. Her work continues to champion experimentation, ethical leadership, and the transformative power of technology to advance educational equity and innovation.
Dr. Chana received a doctorate of education in urban educational leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and graduated from the UIC Urban Education Leadership program with a superintendency certification. Her doctoral research in mathematics leadership, teacher collaboration, and student achievement reinforces her expertise in strategic school improvement, leadership development, and equity-driven education.