Passionate About Learning
Product & Program Strategy | K-12 EdTech | Scalable Customer Education | AI Integration
Mannu K. Sikka
AI Guidance & Integration
The AI Guidance & Strategy section serves as a comprehensive hub for my work in the evolving AI landscape, bridging the gap between high-level vision and classroom-ready execution. This collection merges my published thought leadership from Defined Learning with my hands-on experience in program design and district-wide rollouts. By integrating custom-engineered artifacts and strategic implementation frameworks, I emphasize a human-centered approach that prioritizes ethical use, student agency, and sustainable "quick wins" for educators and leaders alike.
01
The AI "Learning Buddy" Framework
📅 January 2026
This framework transforms AI from a passive tool into a scaffold for higher-order thinking in Grades 3–5. By shifting the focus from "answers" to inquiry, the toolkit empowers students to act as "Word Sleuths" and "Deeper Thinkers" who critique perspectives, analyze context, and connect concepts to personal interests. Strategically designed for equity, the model leverages audio-first workflows to bypass decoding barriers, ensuring that rigorous inquiry and student agency remain at the center of the AI-integrated classroom.
02
Why the Human-in-the-Loop Model is Key to Ethical AI in K-12 Education
📅 November 2025
The Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) model is essential for ethical AI in K-12 education, positioning educators as the critical "experts" rather than just users. By focusing on output oversight, ethical control, and system refinement, this framework ensures that AI serves as a supportive co-pilot that enhances pedagogical judgment without replacing the vital human connection in learning.
03
The Prompt Engineer: Shifting Student Roles in AI-Powered Project-Based Learning
📅 January 2026
This article reframes AI from a potential "shortcut" to a bridge for mastery within Project-Based Learning (PBL). It outlines how positioning students as prompt engineers and "learning architects" allows them to offload lower-order tasks to AI, freeing them to engage in high-order critical thinking, iterative refinement, and deep metacognition.
04
How to Build BetterPrompts!
📅 April 2026
This student-facing guide introduces Grades 3-5 learners to prompt engineering through a 4-Step Blueprint. Using a construction analogy, it teaches students to define The Expert, The Job, The Work Site, and The Finish to build "sturdy" prompts. The artifact demonstrates this framework with a practical example, showing how to craft targeted AI requests that are engaging and age-appropriate.
05
AI Quickstart Teacher's Guide
📅 October 2025
This professional development guide provides a strategic roadmap for educators to integrate AI responsibly by framing it as a "helpful assistant" rather than a replacement for teacher expertise. It outlines critical safety and compliance rules—including data privacy, human oversight, and transparency—to align with state policies. Additionally, the resource offers practical, prompt-based strategies to enhance lesson differentiation, assessment, and student agency.
06
AI Technology Instructional Design
📅 October 2024
This AI Technology Instructional Design Plan provides a scalable, three-phase framework for a district-wide Year 2 implementation of AI technology. The plan outlines a strategic roadmap—moving from Foundational Alignment and Deepening Integration to Expansion and Innovation—to build instructional capacity for 35,000 students. By prioritizing human-centered AI literacy, ethical practices, and data-driven success metrics, this artifact demonstrates a comprehensive approach to fostering sustainable innovation and measurable ROI in educational technology.
