Creating Human-Centered AI Learning Paths for Teachers

In October, I had one of those pinch-me moments in my career: I was personally invited to collaborate with the National Education Association (NEA) Micro-credential Team to write new AI micro-credentials for educators. What an honor and what an experience!

We gathered at the Hyatt Regency in Louisville, Kentucky,  and here’s your fun fact of the day: if you’re pronouncing it with three syllables like Loo-ee-ville, just know the locals will lovingly correct you. It’s simply: Lou-vul. Two syllables. No more. (You’re welcome.)

Being there felt like stepping into something bigger than myself.  It was a moment where years of advocacy, collaboration, and professional curiosity all intersected. I was reunited with several colleagues from the NEA AI Task Force, which instantly made the room feel like home. There is comfort in seeing familiar faces who share the same fire for this work. But there was also excitement in meeting new collaborators: educators who are integrating AI into their classrooms with courage and creativity, as well as talented micro-credential writers and assessors dedicated to building professional learning that truly honors teachers.

And leading the charge was Brandy Bixler, the NEA Micro-credential Guru. (Yes, that’s my official title for her.) Her expertise, clarity, and heart drove the entire process. She knows every detail of how these learning pathways must come together and guides us with equal parts precision and patience. I learned so much simply by being in that room with her and with this team.

What I Learned Behind the Scenes

Before this experience, I understood what it meant to design professional learning as I’ve lived that world for decades. But micro-credentials? They take it to a completely different level. They require a perfect blend of crystal-clear competencies, authentic evidence, alignment to standards, and assessable performance indicators. All while ensuring the experience doesn’t become burdensome or disconnected from the realities of educators.

This isn’t a quick task or a template you simply fill in. It’s a thoughtful, layered journey ensuring every step respects educators’ time, their professional expertise, and their desire to grow in ways that truly impact their classrooms and schools. Micro-credentials are both an art and a science, demanding strong pedagogy, thoughtful equity considerations, and a deep understanding of the students and communities educators serve.

The work isn’t finished yet, but the anticipation is real. We are hopeful these micro-credentials will be available to educators in Spring 2026. Knowing the heart, expertise, and intention behind this work makes me incredibly proud. Educators deserve professional learning that fuels their confidence with AI, not “training” that feels like checking the box for compliance.

The Heart of the Work

And here’s the irony I kept thinking about the entire week: this is AI work that absolutely requires humans. Not just as users or supervisors but as the architects. The process depended on meaningful, sometimes tough, conversations. We navigated moments of healthy disagreement, and we celebrated breakthroughs with laughter and shared understanding. We leaned on our lived experiences as educators: the classroom stories, the student moments, the challenges we’ve walked through that no data set could capture.

AI can analyze patterns, generate text, and support instruction.  But AI cannot feel the weight of a teacher trying to differentiate instruction for 28 students with 28 unique needs. It can’t understand what it means to hold a student’s story, to build trust with a family, or to advocate fiercely when the system falls short. Only humans carry that.

That’s why every decision we made during this process felt personal. Every piece of progress came from real human connection and a shared passion for strengthening the profession rather than automating it. We didn’t want micro-credentials that simply teach educators how to use AI. Instead, we wanted professional learning that would help them maintain agency, critical thinking, and equity while doing so.

This team showed up to protect the humanity of education and to ensure AI becomes a tool that enhances teaching rather than replacing the authentic learning relationships that are the foundation of our work. If the conversation didn’t feel right, we paused and re-examined it. If the language lacked clarity or fairness, we rewrote it. If something would make the experience more burdensome for educators, we redesigned it altogether.

That level of care is what educators deserve. It’s what students deserve. And it’s what will keep the heart of teaching beating, no matter how fast technology advances.

Pride, Gratitude, and Forward Momentum

I left Louisville feeling energized, seen, and even more passionate about the direction we are heading together. This collaboration reminded me just how important this work is and how many brilliant educators are committed to helping teachers thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

I am grateful to have contributed to meaningful pathways for educators to build their AI literacy with confidence, clarity, and purpose.