Leveraging Tech & AI to Enhance Students' Executive Functioning Skills

Outline

Session Structure:
Introduction to Executive Functioning Skills (10 minutes):

Overview of executive functioning: skills involved in controlling thoughts and goal-directed behavior (e.g., goal setting, time management, problem-solving).
Discuss Dr. T.L.E. Brown’s 2005 framework on executive functioning, including the categories: activation, focus, effort, emotion, memory, and action.

Importance of executive functioning skills for student success.
AI Tools Demonstration (20 minutes):

Live demonstration of AI-powered tools such as CoPilot, Magic School AI, and School AI to enhance executive functioning.

Examples of how these tools help students manage tasks, improve focus, plan projects, and regulate emotions.

Showcase real-world classroom examples where AI is used to develop skills like goal setting and task initiation.

Hands-On Activity (30 minutes):

Participants break into small groups to explore AI tools.
Each group works on a scenario where they apply AI tools to help students enhance one specific executive functioning skill, such as time management or emotion regulation.

Guided exploration of AI tool interfaces, focusing on user experience and student interaction.
Discussion and Sharing (20 minutes):

Groups present their findings and insights from the hands-on activity.
Open discussion on strategies for integrating AI into classrooms.

Share potential challenges and solutions for using AI to develop executive functioning skills in diverse learning environments.

Conclusion and Key Takeaways (10 minutes):

Recap of the role of executive functioning skills in student success.

Final thoughts on how AI can serve as a powerful tool to support these skills.

Provide participants with resources, including AI tools and lesson plans, for further exploration.

Materials Needed:
Laptops/tablets for participants.

Access to AI-powered educational tools (set up prior to the session).

Sample lesson plans or templates for incorporating AI into classroom activities.

Evaluation:
Participants will complete a feedback form to assess the session’s effectiveness and offer insights for future workshops.

Supporting research

Diamond, A., & Ling, D. S. (2016). Conclusions about interventions, programs, and approaches for improving executive functions that appear justified and those that, despite much hype, do not. Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 18, 34–48.

Meltzer, L. (Ed.). (2018). Executive function in education: From theory to practice (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Best, J. R., & Miller, P. H. (2010). A developmental perspective on executive function. Child Development, 81(6), 1641–1660.

Paniagua, F. A., & Hughes, J. (2018). Technology-enhanced learning and executive function development in children: Evidence and future directions. Educational Psychology Review, 30(3), 899-922.

Blair, C., & Raver, C. C. (2015). School readiness and self-regulation: A developmental psychobiological approach. Annual Review of Psychology, 66(1), 711–731.

Zelazo, P. D., Blair, C. B., & Willoughby, M. T. (2016). Executive function: Implications for education. NCER 2017-2000. National Center for Education Research.