This post gives a flavour of the content I will talk about in the Abu Dhabi Teaching Conference on the 2nd March 2024. Check out the schedule https://adtc2024.sched.com/ I’ll be speaking at 11am GST. Hope to see some of you there so you can discover more and learn some things you can use straight away.

Introduction

In an age where artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept but a present reality, it’s crucial for educators to harness this powerful tool in our classrooms. The key, however, lies not in letting AI do all the work but in using it to enhance the teaching and learning experience. AI needs to work with educators, not a substitute. We, as teachers, are irreplaceable due to the human experience we bring to lessons. In this article, we’ll explore how AI can be effectively integrated into lessons, offering tips and strategies while also highlighting important dos and don’ts.

Using AI as a Collaborative Tool

My mantra is that to be truly useful and empowering, you need to collaborative with AI, not just let it do all the work and thinking! AI should be a digital assistant, helping to streamline tasks, provide a route for some personalised learning experiences, and open doors to innovative teaching methods. Here are some ways I collaborate with AI in lessons:

1. Personalised Learning Paths: I have not explored much with this yet, although my set up with OneNote allows for students to take a unique path through the lesson. AI can be used to analyse student performance and create customized learning experiences. (I tend to analyse data using Excel databases. However, this takes a bit of time to set up a very good and robust one.) This ensures that each student’s unique needs and learning pace are catered to, also allowing you to identify under and over achievers as well as trends to address as a teacher.
2. Virtual Tutoring: AI chatbots can serve as on-demand tutors, offering students extra help with subjects they find challenging. Remember, these bots are there to supplement teaching, not replace it. My personal view is that we can train students how to do this by using learning objectives and/or syllabus references. This works well at a low level (I recommend ChatGPT) so that when I get the limited 1-to-1 time with students I can then work on the more complex and demanding tasks and understanding. It is important to check what the students are producing, with Physics sometimes it can struggle with application of some more complicated formulae.
3. Creative Writing Aids: Use AI tools for brainstorming sessions in creative writing. AI can suggest ideas, but it’s the students’ job to expand and give them their personal touch. Students need to be use good critical thinking skills to make the most of this. This also allows them to put more of themselves into the task.

Tips for Effective AI Integration

• Start Simple: Begin by integrating AI into one aspect of your lesson plan and gradually expand its use as you become more comfortable. Speak to your collogues, bounce ideas off of them as well as sharing experiences.
• Set Clear Objectives: Define what you want to achieve with AI in your classroom. This will guide you in selecting the right tools and methods. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that it sits within the core values of your school. This will ensure that if you are successful that it can be shared and rolled out to other areas.

The Dos and Don’ts of Using AI in Education

Do:

• Do Collaborate with AI: Use AI as a tool to spark ideas and provide basic structures, which can then be built upon and refined. The more you put in the more you get out. Both in terms of content and quality.
• Do Encourage Critical Thinking: Teach students to critically analyse the information and suggestions provided by AI.
• Do Monitor and Guide: Stay actively involved in how students use AI, ensuring they understand its role as an aid, not a replacement for their work. Instruct them when they may use AI in tasks you set. Keep the aims of the lesson in mind, if AI doesn’t take away from them, I would say its ok to use it. For example, if an English lesson is aiming to develop descriptive writing, using AI to create a basic story line that the students can embellish with description would be ok.

Don’t:

• Don’t Over-Depend on AI: Don’t over rely on AI for lesson planning or assessments. The human element is irreplaceable. Although I interact with AI on a daily basis, how much and what I use it for changes all the time.
• Don’t Ignore Data Privacy: Be mindful of the data shared with AI tools and ensure student privacy is always protected. Look to you schools policy and the local data protection acts for the area you live in.
• Don’t Skip Custom Inputs: Avoid using AI tools to generate generic content. The more personalised your inputs, the more tailored and effective the outputs will be. Critical thinking and responding to the outputs are key.

Conclusion As we embrace AI in our classrooms, it’s vital to remember that this powerful technology is a supplement to, not a replacement for, the creativity, empathy, and expertise that educators bring to the table. By thoughtfully integrating AI into our lessons and maintaining a critical eye on its inputs and outputs, we can create a dynamic, responsive, and enriched learning environment for our students. Let’s collaborate with AI to open up new horizons in education, all while keeping our core values and teaching philosophies at the forefront.

Don’t forget to catch me in Abu Dhabi on 2nd March.