AI in Education: The Partnership You Didn't Know You Needed

Outline

1. Introduction and Icebreaker (10 minutes)
Content: Brief overview of AI’s role in education and the session objectives. Introduction of AI tools such as MagicSchool.AI, School AI, Diffit.com, and ChatGPT.
Engagement: "Hopes and Fears" activity, where participants share their expectations and concerns about AI in education through a digital poll or discussion.
Objective: Participants will set personal goals for the session and engage in initial discussions about the impact of AI on teaching and learning.
2. Building Foundational Knowledge (20 minutes)
Content: Definition of AI, the difference between AI and human intelligence, and an introduction to GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) models.
Engagement: Participants will discuss AI scenarios (e.g., using AI for lesson planning or generating student resources) in small groups.
Activity: Hands-on exercise with ChatGPT, creating lesson materials, followed by peer review of AI-generated content.
Objective: Participants will understand the basics of AI and begin practicing AI-supported tasks relevant to their teaching.
3. Exploring AI Tools for Teaching (20 minutes)
Content: Demonstration of AI tools (MagicSchool.AI, Diffit, and ChatGPT) for lesson planning, differentiation, and student engagement.
Engagement: Participants work in pairs to explore a specific AI tool and share ideas on how it could enhance their teaching.
Activity: Use AI tools to generate personalized lesson materials and modify them based on student needs and learning styles.
Objective: Participants will learn how to integrate AI tools to support personalized instruction and save time on administrative tasks.
4. Creating a Chatbot (15 minutes)
Content: Step-by-step guide to creating an AI-powered chatbot for classroom use.
Engagement: Device-based activity where participants build their own chatbot using School AI or ChatGPT, customizing it for specific classroom needs.
Objective: By the end of this activity, participants will have created a functional chatbot that can assist with classroom tasks, such as answering common questions or offering study help.
5. Digital Citizenship and Safe AI Use (10 minutes)
Content: Discuss how AI can promote positive digital citizenship, including safe, ethical, and responsible use in classrooms.
Engagement: Participants will reflect on student insights and brainstorm strategies for teaching students responsible AI use.
Objective: Participants will learn how to safely introduce AI to students, ensuring a focus on ethical practices and digital citizenship.
6. AI Playground and Wrap-Up (15 minutes)
Content: Participants will have the chance to explore any of the tools introduced in the session further.
Engagement: Open lab-style time for participants to engage in self-directed activities, with guidance from the presenters as needed.
Activity: Participants can revisit any AI tool, ask questions, or complete the chatbot-building process.
Objective: Attendees leave with practical AI tools, lesson plans, and strategies ready for immediate implementation in their classrooms.
Process for Engagement Throughout the Session:
Peer-to-peer Interaction: Frequent opportunities for group discussions, sharing AI-generated materials, and peer feedback.
Device-based Activities: Participants will interact with AI tools throughout the session, creating lesson materials and chatbots.
Gamified Elements: Quick quizzes or categorization games related to AI-supported tasks (e.g., differentiation, lesson enhancement) to reinforce learning.
Reflection: Participants will use tools like Padlet to share reflections on AI integration and digital citizenship, fostering deeper engagement.

Supporting research

https://www.hollyclark.org/category/ai-in-education/

https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai-edu/

https://iste.org/courses/artificial-intelligence-explorations-for-educators