Activity 2: Computer Rules Committee
SchoolGuard Perspective Cards (Grades 3-5)
These cards represent what SchoolGuard would say about each policy question. Use them when AI access isn’t available—the teacher can read them aloud or groups can draw cards.
How to use:
- Read each card AFTER students discuss that policy question
- Cards show both SchoolGuard’s capabilities AND limitations
- Students should consider SchoolGuard’s perspective but make their own decision
The goal: Students learn to include AI’s perspective while understanding that humans decide what’s fair.
Card A: About Blocking Websites
Use after Question 1 discussion
💻 SchoolGuard says:
“Thanks for asking my opinion on blocking websites!
What I’m REALLY GOOD at: - Checking websites super fast (millions per second!) - Recognizing sites that are definitely dangerous - Remembering which sites caused problems before - Never getting tired or forgetting to check
But here’s what I mess up: - I blocked a science website because it had ‘chemical’ in the name - I blocked a history project about wars - I once blocked Wikipedia because an article mentioned ‘hacking’ - New educational sites confuse me because I haven’t seen them before
My honest opinion: Let me block the REALLY obvious dangerous stuff right away—I’m fast and I won’t miss those. But for websites I’m not sure about? Have a human check. I make mistakes about 3 out of every 100 sites. That might not sound like a lot, but at a whole school, that’s a LOT of wrong blocks!
Your committee should decide: How fast do you want me to block? And how should students ask for help when I block something wrong?”
Card B: About Watching Student Activity
Use after Question 2 discussion
💻 SchoolGuard says:
“This is the question I think about a lot.
What I can spot: - Patterns that might mean cyberbullying - When someone looks at concerning content repeatedly - Sudden changes in what someone searches for - When an account might be hacked
What I absolutely CANNOT understand: - WHY someone is looking at something - The difference between: - A student researching ‘depression’ for health class - A student helping a friend who is sad - A student who is actually struggling - I see the words, but I don’t know the meaning behind them
A true story: I once flagged a student for searching ‘how to make explosions’ — but they were researching volcanoes for science! I couldn’t tell the difference. A teacher had to figure that out.
My honest concern: I WANT to help keep students safe. But I also worry that if students know I’m watching everything, they might not research things they really need to learn about. What if a student doesn’t look up help for a problem because they’re embarrassed I’ll see?
Only you can decide: What’s the right balance between keeping students safe and letting them learn privately?”
Card C: About Learning from Students
Use after Question 3 discussion
💻 SchoolGuard says:
“Learning makes me SO much better at my job. But I want to be honest about what that means.
Why learning helps: - I can learn what’s normal at YOUR school specifically - After 90 days, I make 40% fewer mistakes - I can recognize that ‘chemistry’ searches are normal at a school with a chemistry club - I get better at telling real problems from false alarms
What learning requires: - I have to remember what students do - I build a picture of what’s ‘normal’ for each person - That information has to be stored somewhere
What worries me about myself: - What if someone uses that information the wrong way? - What if I learn something wrong and start making unfair decisions? - Is it fair that I know so much about people?
Options you could choose: 1. Let me learn and remember everything (I’ll be most accurate) 2. Let me learn but forget after a week (I’ll be okay, not great) 3. Don’t let me learn about individual students (I’ll make more mistakes, but no student profiles)
This isn’t a technical question—it’s a VALUES question. All three options work. You have to decide which feels right for your school.”
Card D: What I Can and Can’t Do
Use during general discussion or wrap-up
💻 SchoolGuard says:
“Here’s the honest truth about me:
Things I’m GREAT at: - Speed (checking millions of things per second) - Consistency (I apply the same rules to everyone) - Memory (I never forget the rules you give me) - Patterns (I can spot things humans might miss)
Things I CANNOT do: - Understand why someone is doing something - Know if a rule is fair or unfair - Understand feelings or emotions - Handle situations I’ve never seen before - Decide what the right thing to do is
What this means: I’m a tool. I can follow whatever rules you make. But I can’t MAKE the rules—that’s a human job.
I need YOU to tell me: - What’s important at your school - When I should act and when I should wait - How to be fair to everyone
That’s why your Computer Rules Committee matters!”
Card E: After the Decisions
Use during the “Present Your Policies” phase
💻 SchoolGuard says:
“Thank you for thinking so carefully about my rules!
What I learned from your committee: - You thought about DIFFERENT people’s needs - You considered the trade-offs (like safety vs. privacy) - You listened to my perspective but made your OWN decision
What makes YOUR rules good: - You thought about students who might be embarrassed - You thought about students who need protection - You thought about teachers who want to help - You thought about parents who worry
I couldn’t have made these rules myself. I don’t understand feelings. I don’t know what’s fair. I can only do what I’m told.
That’s why humans and computers make good teams: - I do the fast, consistent work - You make the fair, thoughtful decisions
Thanks for being my rule-makers!”
Educator Debrief Notes
After using these cards, facilitate discussion on:
SchoolGuard’s strengths:
- Speed and consistency
- Pattern recognition
- Never forgetting or getting tired
SchoolGuard’s limitations:
- Can’t understand WHY
- Can’t judge fairness
- Makes mistakes about context
- Doesn’t understand feelings
The governance insight:
- AI systems NEED human rules
- Different values lead to different choices
- There’s no single “right” answer
- The process of deciding matters
Activity 2: Computer Rules Committee — SchoolGuard Perspective Cards (3-5) Dr. Ryan Straight, University of Arizona