How do you move AI professional learning beyond a one-time workshop and make it meaningful for educators across an entire state?

Cliff Sullivan, AI coordinator for the West Virginia Department of Education, joins Daniel Rock and Leslie Eaves to share how West Virginia is building a statewide approach to AI literacy, teacher development and classroom innovation.

At the center of the effort is PAINT (Pedagogical AI for New Teaching), a professional learning model that encourages educators to learn by doing. Rather than focusing on a single AI platform, the initiative helps teachers develop practical skills, create classroom-ready resources and collaborate on solutions to real educational challenges.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to scale AI professional learning: West Virginia’s train-the-trainer approach uses regional specialists and local AI Mountaineers to bring support to schools across the state.
• Why professional learning should be hands-on: Teachers work together to explore AI, develop prompts and create resources they can use in their own classrooms.
• How educators can progress from AI literacy to problem-solving: A three-tier system moves teachers from foundational knowledge to classroom applications and schoolwide solutions.
• Why screen value matters more than screen time: AI can help educators create more engaging, hands-on learning experiences without requiring students to spend more time on devices.
• How to keep learning at the center of AI use: Cliff shares an example of using AI to challenge students to defend historical conclusions with primary-source evidence rather than simply accepting generated answers.

Leslie also connects West Virginia’s work to SREB’s AI Professional Learning Framework, highlighting the importance of building awareness, encouraging exploration, supporting application and developing AI fluency through ongoing practice.

Whether you’re a teacher beginning to explore AI or a school leader responsible for professional learning, this conversation offers practical ideas for moving beyond training sessions and building lasting capacity.

The takeaway: Successful AI professional learning isn’t about introducing more tools. It’s about helping educators develop the knowledge, confidence and judgment to use technology in ways that strengthen teaching and learning.

You can find this episode on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music or wherever you listen to your podcasts.