Virtual Education Grapples with AI: Balancing Innovation, Ethics, and Authentic Learning

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, October 22, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As artificial intelligence continues to redefine how students learn, educators are facing one of the most complex balancing acts in modern history: how to prepare students to use AI without allowing it to replace the learning process itself.

At ICL Academy, a pioneer in virtual education, Head of School Avery McGlenn says that duality—between fluency and integrity—is reshaping every aspect of teaching and learning.

“To me, education is a human endeavor,” McGlenn explains. “An AI tool can enhance learning, but it can’t replace the foundation that only human connection and critical thinking provide.”

McGlenn describes both the benefits and the profound challenges that AI introduces to secondary education. In ICL classrooms, she sees students using AI to interview historical figures, turning assignments into living dialogues that make the past come alive. “It’s a way of accessing learning in new and different ways,” she notes. “We’re on the cutting edge of seeing how this technology can make education more dynamic and engaging.”

Yet she’s equally candid about the concerns. “What we don’t want is for students to bypass their own learning, while simply copying-and-pasting from tools that deliver instant answers,” she says. “The question is—are students still learning, or are they outsourcing their curiosity?”

That question, she argues, is particularly pressing for virtual schools, where educators can’t physically monitor how students interact with AI tools. In response, ICL Academy has adopted a dual-strategy approach rooted in high expectations paired with high support.

ICL’s model utilizes an internal AI chatbot designed around Socratic questioning rather than direct answers, and an “AI Innovator” faculty role focused on training teachers to guide students through ethical AI use. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate AI creatively into their coursework—such as generating humorous images to explain biological relationships—while modeling how to question and verify results.

"AI is transforming education at an unprecedented pace, redefining our role as educators,” says Kirk Spahn, ICL Academy President and Founder. “At ICL Academy, we teach students to harness AI as a powerful tool to accelerate and broaden their learning journey. Yet while AI contains the word 'artificial,' our human role remains profoundly real—to provide the emotional depth, character formation, and contextual wisdom that machines cannot replicate. We ensure facts are enriched with nuance, that tone and purpose are understood, and that learning touches not just the mind but the whole person. AI may be education's greatest tool, but it will never be education itself."

Beyond students and teachers, McGlenn sees a third frontier: parents. “Parents are often the bystanders in this conversation,” she says. “They don’t always know how these tools work or how to help their kids use them responsibly. We have to empower them, too.”

Dayton Hansen, ICL Academy COO, a 20 year veteran of online education, frames the debate as one that’s far larger than technology—it’s about preserving the human core of education. He warns against models that center AI as the “teacher,” replacing educators with “guides.” “We know these tools contain bias and inaccuracies,” Hansen says. “Without a human being there to question and contextualize, learning becomes hollow. Students don’t just need information; they need guidance, boundaries, and the courage to wrestle with hard problems.”

In McGlenn’s view, ethics in AI will never be static—they are, as she puts it, “a moving target.” But she believes schools must lead the way by engaging the technology thoughtfully, critically, and compassionately.

“We want our students to become fluent in AI,” McGlenn concludes, “but never at the expense of their own minds.”

Joseph Itaya
Epicenter Media
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