Place-Based AI: Grounding Technology in the Real World

Education
Written By Lydia Kumar

Episode 31 of Kinwise Conversations · Hit play or read the transcript

Sunrises and Supercomputers: AI in Rural K-12

Episode Summary: The Shift in Rural AI Leadership

In this episode of Kinwise Conversations, host Lydia Kumar sits down with Steven Priest, Digital Learning Consultant at the Wyoming Department of Education, to dismantle the myth that rural districts are lagging in the AI revolution. Priest, a former agriculture teacher and principal, brings a unique "place-based" perspective to digital transformation, arguing that Wyoming’s high-trust, low-bureaucracy environments have allowed them to outpace national averages in AI policy adoption.

The conversation moves beyond simple tool-use, focusing on the strategic alignment of technology with institutional mission and vision. Priest discusses the critical importance of "human-in-the-loop" frameworks and the development of "durable skills" like critical thinking and adaptability. By bridging the gap between the grounded reality of nature and the rapidly expanding digital landscape, Priest provides a roadmap for superintendents and K-12 leaders to implement AI with intentionality, ensuring that technology serves to enhance the human element of education.

Key Takeaways for K-12 Leaders

  • Agility Over Scale: Rural districts are leading AI policy adoption (56% in Wyoming vs. 31% nationally) because their smaller size fosters high trust and the ability to "fail forward" without excessive red tape.

  • Mission-Driven Adoption: AI implementation must be grounded in an organization’s existing mission and vision; without this strategic anchor, AI becomes a "shiny object" rather than a tool for progress.

  • The "Durable Skills" Currency: As AI handles more technical tasks, the value of human-centered skills—critical thinking, empathy, and adaptability—becomes the primary goal of modern curriculum design.

  • Unplugging to Connect: Strategic leadership in AI includes knowing when to disconnect. "Place-based AI" uses technology as a hook to ground students in their physical reality, fostering a sense of purpose.

  • Teacher Retention through Efficiency: AI’s greatest immediate value may be reclaiming 5-7 hours of teacher time per week, offering a powerful lever for addressing burnout and the educator shortage.

Introduction: From the Fields to the State Department

Lydia Kumar: Welcome to Kinwise Conversations in AI. Today we have Steven Priest. Now, Steven's resume doesn't look like the typical state-level technology director. His journey didn't begin in a server or a computer lab, but it started in the fields. Steven is a former agriculture teacher and the owner of a llama trekking farm, who eventually became a principal and is now the digital learning consultant for the Wyoming Department of Education. Today, we are diving into how those two worlds actually need each other.

Steven Priest: Thanks for having me. I am currently the digital learning consultant with the Wyoming Department of Education. Prior to coming to the WDE, I served as a school administrator here in Wyoming, an instructional facilitator, and a science teacher. All of those really helped form my view and experience with educational technology. My goal has always been to help students prepare for their futures—whatever that future may be.

Place-Based Education: Using Technology as a Nature Hook

The "iPod in the Woods" Strategy

Lydia Kumar: It seems like the through-line in your story is career-connected learning. How did you start integrating tech in a way that didn't feel like it was taking kids away from the real world?

Steven Priest: As an ag teacher, we used iPod touches to have field guides in nature instead of lugging around 15 different books in our backpacks. That was that introduction into nature for students—using the technology to get kids outside and active. Now AI is having an impact on that as well because they have apps where you can identify plants and species.

The Sunrise Assignment

Steven Priest: One of my favorite assignments was that students had to get up on a weekend and watch the sunrise. Usually, they had to take a picture of it so that I knew they did it. They complained at first, but when they came back, they appreciated it. It made that connection to the real world. Technology can give us answers with incredible speed, but place-based anchors give us the connection and tell us why it matters. It gives us that purpose.

Strategic AI Policy: The Human in the Loop

Moving Beyond the "Shiny Object"

Lydia Kumar: As you've developed AI guidance throughout the state, how have you communicated this ethos?

Steven Priest: The biggest thing is that we promote keeping the human in the loop. We strive to build policies and practices with the student at the center to build durable skills. When you're adopting any technology, if it's not related to your mission, vision, and goals, then you're just going after a shiny new object and it's not doing anything for your district.

Aligning Tech with Institutional Vision

Steven Priest: I do workshops with district leaders where we work through a worksheet to help align technology to their goals. It’s really just strategic planning, but centered on technology. The last part of the activity is setting a date to revisit it at least on a yearly basis.

The Rural Innovation Edge

Wyoming’s Surprising Statistics

Lydia Kumar: Do you have any districts who have had a particularly notable approach to AI?

Steven Priest: Wyoming is a really good study case for rural areas. According to Child Trends, only 31% of US public schools have an AI policy in place. But our survey showed that 56% of Wyoming public school districts have their policy in place already. Our rural schools are really on the forefront of innovation.

Why Small Districts Move Faster

Lydia Kumar: What are the strengths of rural education that allow this innovation?

Steven Priest: In rural education, you wear many hats and you have to just get to work. They are willing to give things a try and "fail forward." In a small district, you can talk to your superintendent directly. There's not as much red tape. If something breaks, I can call the business manager and say, "We need to get this taken care of," and they say, "Okay." That trust and relational aspect goes a long way.

The Future of the Workforce and Teacher Retention

Prioritizing Durable Skills

Lydia Kumar: Tell me about your work with the Human Intelligence Movement.

Steven Priest: It aligned with our work on prioritizing human skills—being human in an AI world. We are working on micro-credentials for students to show they have durable skills like critical thinking or adaptability. We want Wyoming employers to see that our students can demonstrate those skills.

Solving the Teacher Workload Crisis

Steven Priest: I'm very interested in the impact of AI on teacher workload and retention. Research shows a potential time saving of five to seven hours for teachers. If we can reduce that workload, does that turn into more teachers staying with the profession? We don't know yet, but there's a lot of potential there.

Hopes and Concerns for AGI

Lydia Kumar: What is your greatest hope or concern right now?

Steven Priest: My greatest hope is that we truly transform education. We can finally personalize and differentiate if we rethink assessment. My concern is: what does the age of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) mean for society? Will job displacement outweigh job creation? AGI is expected in the next five or so years, so it's interesting—and a bit scary—to think about what that future holds.

Guest Bio

Steven Priest is the Digital Learning Consultant for the Wyoming Department of Education and a certified Director of Artificial Intelligence Governance (DAIG). With a background as an agriculture teacher, science educator, and secondary principal, Steven specializes in bridging rural educational needs with cutting-edge technology policy. He is a founding member of the Human Intelligence Movement and a recognized leader in implementing human-centered AI frameworks across K-12 systems.

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