Perceptions of Gaggle: A Mixed-Methods Study on Digital Student Monitoring in Lawrence Public Schools

Overview

The use of AI-powered applications to monitor online student activities has grown in K-12 schools across the U.S. Since November 2023, Lawrence Public Schools have adopted Gaggle, an AI - based student monitoring tool. Over a year later, limited understandin g exists surrounding how students—the primary subjects of this monitoring—and other stakeholders perceive Gaggle. Our study aims to explore community perceptions of Gaggle by engaging four key stakeholder groups. We hypothesize that (H1) awareness of Gaggle’s use varies significantly among the groups; (H2) perceptions of its benefits and concerns differ across groups; and (H3) participants who perceive Gaggle as beneficial are less likely to express agreement with concerns about its psychological and trust-related impacts. In December 2024, we conducted a web-based mixed-methods survey using Google Forms, targeting high school students (n=223), parents (n=60), teachers (n=78), and staff (n=22). The survey evaluated participants' awareness of Gaggle, included Likert-scale questions to gauge perceived benefits and concerns, and featured an open -ended question for insights on the tool. The results fully supported H1 and partially supported H2 and H3. Students reported significantly lower perceived benefits and higher concerns than other groups. Qualitative analysis revealed a spectrum of nuanced perceptions, underscoring diverse impacts of student monitoring. Concerns about Gaggle’s effectiveness and accuracy were prominent across all groups, with students and staff expressing strongly negative sentiments. These findings raised critical questions about transparency, privacy, and broader implications of AI monitoring in education and highlighted the need for greater stakeholder dialogue when implementing such tools. The Combinatorial Effects of "Forever Chemicals" on C. elegans' Development and Behavior Cooper Grotzinger Frerichs Shawnee Mission South High School, Overland Park, KS The chemical class, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), first used in the 1940s for ScotchgardTM and TelfonTM has grown to be a chemical class of 12,039 variants. Recently, health concerns linking Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), and replacement chemical Hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (GenX) to developmental toxicity have raised concerns about potential risks to the environment and human health. Unregulated manufacturing, commercial use, and disposal of PFOS and GenX have contaminated drinking, surface, and ground waters globally. In C. elegans, GenX is linked to developmental toxicity, developmental delays, and body size changes, however, little to none is known about the potential developmental toxicity of GenX in combination with PFOS. In this study, Caenorhabditis elegans is used as a model to study developmental defects of a binary mixture. We exposed C. elegans to treatments of PFOS and/or GenX at various concentrations. Developmental toxicity was determined by studying the ∆ Growth and body length with a 95% confidence. We observed a development delay occurring in all treatments. However, especially the mixture sensitivity from L1 - L4 treatment significant reductions in both gradients were shown. At 24 hours, we observed a remarkable sensitivity to show a decrease ∆ in growth after acute L1 exposure in the lower gradient range. This suggests that a binary mixture of PFOS and GenX has varying effects at a range of concentrations. These results revealed the possibility of synergistic or additive effects caused by mixtures. Therefore, it is essential to understand the defects associated with combinations of PFAS chemical class.

Competition history

• JSHS 2025 Category not listed

Resources

• National JSHS abstract book ↗

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