Are you using AI in your lessons? Your students probably are....

To some using Artificial Intelligence [AI], is already part of their daily life and routine... to others it is an alien concept.

I was at a get together with ex-colleagues this weekend where the topic of ChatGTP and AI in schools came up; some are using AI in lots of ways, others had never considered using it to help ease the burden on teacher workload.

According to Teacher Tapp; those mixed findings are in line with the wider teaching population, with 4 in 10 teachers already using AI.

Potential uses for AI in the classroom

Given this blog is about the use of AI, I asked ChatGPT, to tell me the top 10 uses of AI in the classroom, and here is what it said;

1. Personalized Learning: AI can analyze individual student performance data and tailor learning materials to meet each student's specific needs and pace. This helps in addressing individual strengths and weaknesses, fostering a more personalized learning experience.

2. Automated Grading: AI-powered tools can handle routine tasks such as grading assessments, quizzes, and assignments. This allows teachers to focus more on providing valuable feedback and interacting with students.

3. Adaptive Learning Platforms: AI can power adaptive learning platforms that adjust the difficulty of content based on a student's progress. This ensures that students are consistently challenged at an appropriate level.

4. Virtual Tutoring: AI-driven virtual tutors can provide additional support to students, offering explanations, answering questions, and providing extra practice in specific subjects or skills.

5. Data Analysis for Early Intervention: AI algorithms can analyze student data to identify patterns or signs of learning difficulties early on. This allows teachers to intervene promptly and provide targeted support to students who may be struggling.

6. Language Processing for Writing Assistance: AI tools can assist students in improving their writing skills by providing grammar and style suggestions. These tools can help with proofreading and offer constructive feedback.

7. Gamification and Educational Games: AI can enhance educational games by personalizing challenges based on the player's skill level and learning style. This makes learning more engaging and fun for students.

8. Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR): AI can be integrated into VR and AR applications to create immersive educational experiences. This can help students visualize complex concepts and engage with the material in a more interactive way.

9. Smart Content Recommendations: AI algorithms can analyze a student's learning history and preferences to recommend relevant educational content, including articles, videos, and interactive resources.

10. Collaborative Learning Platforms: AI can facilitate collaborative learning by providing insights into group dynamics, helping teachers understand how students work together and identifying areas where they may need additional support.

I was given a warning though; It's important for educators to approach the integration of AI in education with a thoughtful and ethical mindset, ensuring that the technology serves as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, effective teaching practices.

So what's all the fuss about?

The idea that a machine can carry out some of the tasks a teacher has to do is, surely, unarguable, a huge benefit. With a whopping 78% of teachers reporting that they feel stressed we surely have to do something, and I believe the answer is not simply to pay teachers more (although, that would be a good start!). It is this which is getting more and more teachers interested in what they could use it for.

But, there is a concern there. As ChatGPT told us (!), there is a need to use AI in a thoughtful and ethical manner. Does AI make teachers redundant? Or simply act as a tool for teachers to cope with increasing class sizes and the associated expectations on them?

Teachers spend years working out what resources work well with a specific type of class or student, years spent considering the best balance between encouragement and criticism; so much so that for experienced teachers it becomes second nature; can a machine really replace the nuanced approach teachers use when marking or producing a piece of work? What happens to that information that you are adding onto AI? If you are using it to mark student work; how accurate are the results generated on AI?

Students have already embraced this technology (which is no surprise!), the BBC ran the headline "Most of our friends use AI in schoolwork" at the end of October 2023.

Could we be in a situation where a student uses AI to produces a piece of homework, and then a teacher uses AI to then mark it? If a teacher doesn't use AI, it would surely be worse that a student is using AI and then a teacher is taking time to mark it!

In my opinion, anything that can reduce teacher workload, should be given a go.

So what do you think; have you tried using AI in your classrooms yet?

P.S my ex-colleague who uses AI a lot recommends Twee!