AI in education examined at Costa Rica conference and Mexican classroom debate

Educators from Costa Rica, the United States, Mexico and the United Kingdom gathered in Los Yoses for the National Conference for English Teachers (NCTE 2026) to discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping language instruction. Organized by the Costa Rican–American Cultural Center, the hybrid event runs July 8‑9 and will offer more than 20 hours of certified professional development, including sessions on AI tools, inclusive assessment and global citizenship.

Meanwhile, teachers in Mexico are confronting a surge of student cheating using AI‑generated text. They report that many pupils treat tools such as ChatGPT as a shortcut, producing essays without critical review. Educators are debating strategies to integrate AI responsibly while fostering critical thinking, but detection tools remain unreliable and instances of plagiarism continue to rise.