Michigan Virtual AI Lab
Your partners in AI integration
The Michigan Virtual AI Lab serves as Michigan’s leading resource for AI in K–12 education. Our team of AI Strategists combines classroom experience, district leadership expertise, and hands-on knowledge of AI to support schools navigating this rapidly evolving space.
We help educators and school leaders move from AI overwhelm to intentional, responsible use. Through professional development workshops, keynote presentations, policy consulting, and a growing collection of practical resources, our work is focused on one priority: keeping humans at the center of teaching and learning.
- Our resources have received endorsement from the Michigan Department of Education
AI Literacy Resources for Every Classroom
We meet you where you are
Customized AI professional development and consulting for K-12 schools across Michigan
If you’re looking for resources, we have them. And we’ve organized them into three clear paths to help you find what’s most relevant.
Not sure which one fits? You’re welcome to explore more than one or browse our full collection of resources on one page.
Investigating AI (Beginner)
- What is AI? And how could it impact teaching, learning, and school operations?
- What exactly does “AI” mean in the context of education?
- What are the risks we need to be aware of?
Implementing AI (Intermediate)
- How do we integrate AI responsibly and ethically?
- What policies or training do we need for staff and students?
Innovating with AI (Advanced)
- How do we use AI to redesign or rethink learning experiences and systems to close equity gaps?
- What new models of teaching & learning could we prototype using AI?
- How can AI help us personalize learning pathways or increase student agency?
Student AI Literacy Resources
Comprehensive AI literacy materials for students including our Student Guide to AI, classroom-ready lessons, and live student webinars. Help your students become informed, responsible AI users prepared for an AI-driven future.
We meet you where you are
Customized AI professional development and consulting for K-12 schools across Michigan
Workshops & professional development
Hands-on AI training tailored to your district's needs—from introductory sessions to advanced implementation strategies. Delivered in-person or virtually with practical, classroom-ready takeaways.
Keynote presentations
Engaging keynotes for conferences, board meetings, and district events. Our AI Strategists bring real-world experience and research-backed insights to inspire and inform your community.
Policy & strategy consulting
Support for developing AI guidance, policies, and implementation roadmaps. We facilitate task force meetings and help districts build sustainable AI integration plans grounded in ethical best practices.
Practical AI literacy for students & teachers
From free videos and guides to in-depth online lessons, our AI literacy materials make it easy to engage and educate students at every level.
Flexible online AI professional development
Explore AI at your own pace or as part of a district-wide initiative. Our online professional development courses are designed for educators to build confidence and skills in using AI, whether individually or as part of a team. With flexible scheduling and practical resources, these courses are perfect for busy teachers and schools alike.
Pilot opportunities
Through our pilot programs, we collaborate with educators, administrators, and technologists to test innovative tools and strategies in education. These programs offer opportunities to explore new approaches, gather insights, and contribute to meaningful improvements in teaching and learning. By participating, you can help shape the future of education while advancing your own practices.
AI micro-credentials
Our AI micro-credentials are designed for school leaders and decision-makers—like curriculum and technology directors—who want to shape thoughtful AI integration in their schools. Each course offers SCECHs and is open to any educator ready to lead the way in responsible, effective AI use.
Featured resources
Free and comprehensive AI resources developed by the Michigan Virtual AI Lab
Prototype Playground
AI tools and resources that are works in progress. All resources here are in development phases for educational purposes.
AI Integration Framework
Comprehensive roadmap for school leaders across eight key areas of AI integration.
Student Guide to AI
Decision-making framework helping students use AI responsibly and intentionally.
Teacher Guide to AI
Practical strategies and tools for educators integrating AI into classroom instruction.
Admin Guide to AI
Leadership-focused guidance for administrators implementing AI across schools and districts.
AI Literacy Courses
Online courses with SCECHs for educators ready to lead AI integration.
Annual AI Summit
Michigan's premier AI in education conference bringing together 500+ educators.
I need direct support.
You’ve come to the right place. At Michigan Virtual, we offer customized AI training and professional learning because every school and district is unique, and your AI training should be, too.
Work with us to create a customized plan that fits your goals, whether it’s a single workshop or a series of sessions. We’ll design an experience that supports your teachers, engages your staff, and makes AI integration seamless and impactful.
What makes your strategists qualified to guide our district?
All of our strategists are highly qualified individuals with extensive experience and education. But we know the real reason you’re asking. How can they relate to us?
Our strategists come from the classroom–literally. They’ve taught, led, and supported students like yours, and they carry that lived experience into every conversation. When we sit down with your team, we’re not approaching your challenges from the outside looking in. We understand the weight of the work, the pace of the day, and the realities your staff navigates.
So our strategists won’t pitch a one-size-fits-all solution. As a nonprofit committed to serving Michigan’s educators, we show up as partners. People who care deeply about what happens next for your students and your staff. Your goals become our goals, and the outcomes truly matter to us.
Our AI Strategists
Experienced educators helping Michigan schools navigate AI integration with practical, research-backed approaches.
Aaron Baughman
- Co-Chair, MI Statewide AI Steering Committee
- Former Asst. Superintendent
- 25+ Years in Education
Aaron Baughman serves as an AI Strategist for the Michigan Virtual AI Lab, leading statewide efforts to help schools integrate artificial intelligence in meaningful, ethical, and equitable ways. With more than 25 years of experience as a teacher, principal, and district instructional leader—including serving as Assistant Superintendent of Instruction at Northville Public Schools—he brings deep administrative expertise to AI implementation.
Aaron co-chairs the Michigan Statewide AI Steering Committee and works with its subcommittees to create shared frameworks, readiness guides, and practical models for K-12 use. He contributes to key resources such as the AI Integration Guide for School Administrators and supports districts in building capacity, strengthening confidence, and fostering innovation. His work is guided by a belief that AI, when implemented responsibly, can remove barriers, personalize learning, and give every student a fair chance to succeed.
Areas of Expertise:
- District AI Strategy
- Educational Leadership
- AI Policy Development
- Professional Learning Design
- School Administration
- Equity in AI Access
Annie Kim Sytsma
- Dual Master's Degrees
- Ed Tech & Instructional Design
- 13+ Years in K-12 Education
Annie Kim Sytsma is an AI Strategist at Michigan Virtual with over 13 years of on-the-ground K-12 education experience. She holds dual Master's degrees in Educational Technology and Instructional Design, combining deep theoretical knowledge with practical implementation expertise to deliver balanced, ethical, and effective approaches to AI integration.
Annie's background as an English and Psychology teacher, District Technology Specialist, District Intervention Coordinator, and school administrator provides her with comprehensive instructional and operational knowledge across all levels of school systems. She is committed to empowering both teachers and students to grow in knowledge and engage in the meaningful practice of emerging AI technologies—always keeping the human element at the center of teaching and learning.
Areas of Expertise:
- Instructional Design
- Ethical AI Implementation
- English Language Arts
- Educational Psychology
- Technology Integration
- School Administration
Karle Delo
- Top 30 EdTech Influencer 2023
- M.A. Educational Technology
- 14+ Years in K-12 Education
Karle Delo is an AI Strategist at Michigan Virtual with over 14 years of experience in K-12 public education. Her background spans science teacher, instructional coach, technology integrationist, and curriculum director—giving her deep insight into both classroom realities and district-level implementation challenges.
Named one of the top 30 K-12 IT Influencers to Follow in 2023 by EdTech Magazine, Karle designs hands-on workshops and keynote presentations that help educators move from AI overwhelm to intentional, responsible adoption. She leads AI literacy webinars for students and contributed to Michigan Virtual's Student Guide to AI. Her approach centers people over hype—building practical resources that honor the human core of teaching.
Areas of Expertise:
- AI Professional Development
- Student AI Literacy
- AI Ethics & Responsible Use
- Curriculum & Instruction
- AI Integration Best Practices
Featured in
Podcasts, news, and media appearances featuring our AI Strategists
- Podcast
How Students Really Use AI
Make it Mindful Podcast
Karle Delo explores how students are actually using AI and what educators can learn by paying closer attention.
- Podcast
AI Equity, Policy, & Practice
Make it Mindful Podcast
Aaron Baughman dicusses how AI can level the playing field for under-resourced schools when implemented thoughtfully.
- Podcast
Ethics & Challenges of AI in K-12
My EdTech Life Podcast
Expert panel discussing responsible AI adoption, student data privacy, and best practices for teacher training
- Podcast
AI in Education Questions We Need to Answer
The AI Education Conversation
Deep dive into AI's impact on schools, adoption strategies, AI detection, and the role of AI education products.
- News
Northville Schools Embracing the AI Revolution
The Oakland Press
How Aaron Baughman led Northville Public Schools' disctrict-wide AI implementation, getting 250+ teachers using AI tools.
- News
AI Cheating & Trust in Classrooms
Detroit Free Press
Expert perspective on AI detection, building student-teacher trust, and rethinking assessment in the AI age.
- Radio
WWJ Radio Clip: Nikolas McGehee on AI in Education
WWJ
Nikolas McGehee joins WWJ to share insights on how artificial intelligence is shaping teaching, learning, and decision-making in today’s schools.
Think of us as an extension to your team:
We have a limited capacity for schools and districts to purchase a bank of hours with one of our strategists. We can work with you on things like:
- Vision & Leadership: Develop an AI mission statement and success measures with your leadership team. This could include forming an AI council or planning framework.
- Policy & Governance: Define AI guidelines for staff and students. Addressing topics like academic integrity, data ethics, and instructional boundaries.
- Professional Learning: Facilitate more hands-on workshops for teachers and administrators. Options include:
- AI in Practice Labs (co-develop lessons)
- Leadership & AI (strategy, risk, and communication).
- Making Informed Decisions with AI (data)
- Student Voice & Community Engagement: Host student or guardian AI forums to help the community understand how AI fits into learning.
- Implementation & Design Support: Guide a design sprint to identify and prototype AI use cases in instruction, operations, or communications.
- Train-the-Trainer Capacity Building: Prepare a small group of internal champions to sustain professional learning beyond our agreement.
What educators are saying
Feedback from Michigan school districts who've partnered with our AI Strategists
"Outstanding! I loved the ways in which AI can be used and how Michigan Virtual will work with districts to develop an implementation plan. Well done!"
— Muskegon Area ISD, AI Professional Development Workshop
"I am so excited about all of the resources shared with us today. I also love how we got the opportunity to actually use them."
— Durand Public Schools, Hands-On AI Training Session
"Great job! I really enjoyed the day and Karle did a great job showing us a variety of uses with Gemini. I could have spent hours working with you."
— Lapeer Community Schools, AI Tools Workshop with Karle Delo
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about AI professional development and consulting.
The Michigan Virtual AI Lab provides AI professional development for K-12 schools across Michigan. Our team of AI Strategists—Karle Delo, Aaron Baughman, and Annie Kim Sytsma—have delivered over 500 workshops and presentations to more than 19,000 educators statewide. Michigan Virtual's AI resources are endorsed by the Michigan Department of Education as the state's official AI guidance for districts.
Michigan Virtual's AI Strategists are experienced keynote speakers and presenters available for education conferences, district events, and professional development days across Michigan and nationally. They have presented at major conferences including ISTE, SXSW EDU, MACUL, and the annual Michigan Virtual AI Summit. Contact ailab@michiganvirtual.org to book a speaker.
Michigan Virtual offers comprehensive AI resources including: the AI Integration Framework for school leaders, the Student Guide to AI for classroom use, AI Literacy courses and micro-credentials with SCECHs, hands-on workshops tailored to your district's needs, and policy development support. All resources focus on responsible, ethical, and equitable AI integration.
Michigan Virtual's AI Strategists support districts in developing AI guidance and policies through facilitated task force meetings, strategic planning sessions, and ongoing consultation. Aaron Baughman co-chairs the Michigan Statewide AI Steering Committee, which creates shared frameworks and readiness guides for K-12 use. Contact the AI Lab at ailab@michiganvirtual.org to discuss your district's needs.
Yes! Michigan Virtual offers customized AI professional development for educators and administrators including hands-on workshops (in-person or virtual), online courses with SCECHs, AI micro-credentials for school leaders, keynote presentations, and ongoing consulting partnerships. Training covers AI tools for teaching, AI literacy, ethical considerations, and implementation strategies tailored to your school's context.
Ready to bring AI training to your school?
Let's work together to help your educators and students navigate AI with confidence, responsibility, and purpose.