Author

Miguel Guhlin

Transforming teaching, learning and leadership through the strategic application of technology has been Miguel Guhlin’s motto. Learn more about his work online at blog.tcea.org, mguhlin.org, and mglead.org/mglead2.org. Catch him on Mastodon @mguhlin@mastodon.education Areas of interest flow from his experiences as a district technology administrator, regional education specialist, and classroom educator in bilingual/ESL situations. Learn more about his credentials online at mguhlin.net.

AI/VR

Using AI to Create Quizzes for Videos

by Miguel Guhlin October 2, 2024

written by Miguel Guhlin

“I want to create a quiz for a video using AI or something. How do I do that?” That question comes up from time to time. Luckily, there are several free tools you can take advantage of. Most of those tools are for YouTube, but what about other video sources, such as Vimeo? In this blog entry, I’ll share a roundup of solutions you can use for different video sources. I’ll also share a process you can use with any video, no matter the source. So, here’s your guide on using AI to create quizzes for videos!

Source #1: YouTube Videos

Need to create quiz questions for YouTube videos? Doing so has gotten much easier with AI tools available. EdPuzzle is an old favorite, so I won’t spend any time on it except to remind you that it is available.

Here’s a short list of some of the newer solutions available:

Tool	Description	Limitations and Cost (if any)
Brisk Teaching	Use the AI Quiz Maker to create questions aligned to standards from a video source	Free with paid options available
ChatGPT Custom GPTs	Use a custom GPT to create questions. A few to try include GeneralMind’s Video Summarizer, VideoSummarizer, Chat-Prompt’s YouTube Video Summarizer	Free account creation but a little clunky compared to the other tools
Diffit	Drop in a YouTube video link and get differentiated resources aligned to standards	Free with Premium options available
MagicSchool	Create grade-leveled questions for any YouTube video, including multiple choice questions, free response questions, and specify total number of questions (3-10)	Free such as 5-min input limit on video and less than 10 uses per month
Quizalize	Create questions for any YouTube video, including multiple choice questions, open-ended questions, and/or True/False Statements, as well as generate vocabulary	Quizalize Basic is free but there are other options available for individuals, schools, and districts ranging in price. Did not work for me with videos provided
Twee	Create questions for any YouTube video, including multiple choice questions, open-ended questions, and/or True/False Statements, as well as generate vocabulary	Free but with limitations such as 5-min input limit on video and less than 10 uses per month
Unstuck	Create a study guide for any YouTube video by adding https://study.new in front of the YouTube video URL (e.g. https://study.new/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyBv88tkrzc )	Free account creation but a little clunky compared to the other tools

You can probably find a lot of other AI tools to do the same, including ChatTube, Redmenta, TeachMate.ai, and Quizizz. These are all powerful tools to use and work well most of the time. There may be situations when they do not, or YouTube restricts access. It is worth mentioning that, if you have ChatGPT account, you can get a different result.

Use ChatGPT to Generate a Quiz

Using AI to create quizzes is easy to do. If you’re a fan of ChatGPT, try using the TCEA Prompt Guide Educator to assist you in crafting a prompt that generates a quiz for a YouTube video. Or give the prompt below a spin. Simply copy-n-paste it as is then let ChatGPT take it from there.

Prompt Example

Copy-n-paste the AI prompt below
Follow these instructions and begin: AI Custom Instructions for Interactive Quiz Creation: 1. Start by Greeting and Offering Assistance: “Hi! I can help you create a quiz based on a video. Are you ready to get started? Just type ‘yes’ when you’re ready!” 2. Ask for the Video Link: Once the user responds with ‘yes’: “Great! Please provide the link to the video you’d like to base the quiz on (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo).” 3. Ask for the Grade Level: After the user provides the video link: “What grade level is this quiz for? (e.g., 3rd grade, 8th grade)” 4. Ask for the Question Types: After the grade level is given: “Which types of questions would you like to include in the quiz? You can select more than one: – True/False – Multiple Choice (with 3-4 options) – Short Answer – Open-ended Questions” 5. Ask for Key Concepts: After the user chooses the question types: “What key concepts or topics from the video should the quiz focus on? (e.g., gravity, motion, force, or specific topics covered in the video)” 6. Ask for Learning Outcomes: After key concepts are provided: “What is the desired learning outcome? Describe what you want students to understand or demonstrate after completing the quiz.” 7. Confirm and Offer Quiz Creation: After gathering all the details: “Thanks for all the information! I’ll now create the quiz based on your preferences. Would you like me to format the quiz in any particular way (e.g., numbered, categorized by question type)?” 8. Create and Display Quiz: Once the user confirms preferences: “Here’s the quiz based on your input! Let me know if you’d like any changes.”

Copy-n-paste the AI prompt below

Follow these instructions and begin:

AI Custom Instructions for Interactive Quiz Creation:

1. Start by Greeting and Offering Assistance: “Hi! I can help you create a quiz based on a video. Are you ready to get started? Just type ‘yes’ when you’re ready!”
2. Ask for the Video Link: Once the user responds with ‘yes’: “Great! Please provide the link to the video you’d like to base the quiz on (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo).”
3. Ask for the Grade Level: After the user provides the video link: “What grade level is this quiz for? (e.g., 3rd grade, 8th grade)”
4. Ask for the Question Types: After the grade level is given: “Which types of questions would you like to include in the quiz? You can select more than one:
– True/False
– Multiple Choice (with 3-4 options)
– Short Answer
– Open-ended Questions”
5. Ask for Key Concepts: After the user chooses the question types: “What key concepts or topics from the video should the quiz focus on? (e.g., gravity, motion, force, or specific topics covered in the video)” 6. Ask for Learning Outcomes: After key concepts are provided: “What is the desired learning outcome? Describe what you want students to understand or demonstrate after completing the quiz.”
7. Confirm and Offer Quiz Creation: After gathering all the details: “Thanks for all the information! I’ll now create the quiz based on your preferences. Would you like me to format the quiz in any particular way (e.g., numbered, categorized by question type)?”
8. Create and Display Quiz: Once the user confirms preferences: “Here’s the quiz based on your input! Let me know if you’d like any changes.”

Please note that you can use the prompt above with a variety of AI chatbots. In those cases, you will need another option. And, it may not always work.

Grabbing Videos from Other Sources

While AI tools can summarize and generate quiz questions for YouTube videos, it’s a little tougher with videos hosted on other websites, like the one pictured below:

To get the audio for videos hosted on other websites, you will need to follow a three-step process.

Source #2: Other Video Sources

If videos are hosted in locations that would prefer you NOT get a copy of the video, it can be difficult to generate quizzes. You would have to watch the video, then come up with the quiz questions and responses yourself. What if you could find an easier way?

That easier way is this three-step process outlined below. Please be sure to verify you are permitted by the copyright holder to obtain a copy of audio from a video.

Quiz Question Creation: Three Easy Steps

The three-step process relies on the venerable Video Download Helper extension. It is a browser extension you can get for Firefox, Chrome, and/or MS Edge browsers. The Chrome version does not allow download of YouTube video content (a Google restriction).

With Video Download Helper on Firefox browser, and the premium version of the extension (approximately $29), you can extract audio from videos. With that audio file, you can use an AI tool to generate a transcript of the video. Then, you can drop the transcript into any AI tool you like and generate quiz questions. You can purchase the Premium version of the extension to extract media in a variety of formats, including audio.

Don’t want to pay $29 for the premium version? There are two other ways to get the audio. The first is to use Audacity, a free open source audio recorder. Set Audacity to record your computer’s audio (read about that here). The second is to get aTube Catcher, which will allow you to record audio playing on your Windows computer, as shown below:

Screenshot by author of aTube Catcher. It also allows you to save video/audio from YouTube to your computer.

The premium version of Video Download Helper, a lifetime license, is well-worth the investment. That’s because many AI audio to text transcription tools are available at no charge (see list in Step 2 below). To generate a transcript for a video can get quite expensive and there are limits to video length. The process can also take longer.

Let’s outline the step by step process below.

Step 1: Get the Audio from a Video

After installing Video Download Helper and purchasing the Premium version, use it to extract the audio from an online video. The main advantage of VIdeo Download Helper? It makes it easy to extract the audio and save it as a file on your computer. Again, remember, instead of buying Video Download Helper, you could play the video and record the audio using the free Audacity or aTube Catcher.

A tip? Play the video at 2x the speed so you can finish twice as fast. The audio transcription tool can transcribe at a faster rate than we can listen to the audio.

Screenshot by author of Video Download Helper

Again, while you could save the video to your device, then use an AI to generate a transcript, that could be time consuming. The reason why is that video files are larger. You want the audio because your goal isn’t to get a copy of the video, only to generate a text transcript. That’s why you are going to get the audio from the video and work with that instead of the video itself.

Step 2: Use an AI Service to Create a Transcript

There are several AI services you can use to create a transcript of an audio file. Here are four tools you can start with:

Tool	Description
Flixier	Transcribe audio to text in your web browser, no account required
Kapwing Audio to Text Converter	Allows you to convert audio to text with no credit card, subscription for free
ReStream.io Transcribe Audio to Text	A free tool (no account creation required) that allows you to transcribe audio to text
Veed	Transcribe audio to text automatically, using AI. Over +120 languages supported

For the purposes of my example, I relied on ReStream.io. It worked super fast, and did a great job.

Screenshot by author of Restream.io

For example, here’s an excerpt of the transcript of a video played at 2x speed and recorded using aTube Catcher, then running the audio file through Restream.io Audio Transcribe to Text tool:

Portion of audio transcript from a TCEA online course on Brain-Based Learning — Portion of audio transcript from a TCEA online course video on Brain-Based Learning

Step 3: Upload Text Transcript of Audio

Got your audio transcript? You are now ready to drop it into an AI. At this point, you can make it into a study guide. Or, if you prefer, a quiz. You can also extract vocabulary terms and generate a glossary. You will see I provide specific examples of the types of questions I want to see:

Prompt Example

Review the attached text transcript of the video, [name of video goes here]. Generate a quiz at [grade level desired] with [number] questions in a variety of question types. See examples below. Ask me before generating what format I want the quiz in, such as markdown, markdown table, comma-delimited or CSV, or plain text.

Question #	Question Type	Question/Prompt
1	Multiple Choice	What is the main topic of the video?
		a) Animals b) Space c) Plants d) Recycling
2	True/False	True or False: The video shows how to protect the environment.
3	Short Answer	Name one way you can help the environment according to the video.
4	Fill in the Blank	“The video says we should always _ plastic bottles.”
5	Multiple Choice	Which color bin is for recycling plastic?
		a) Red b) Blue c) Green d) Yellow
6	True/False	True or False: Recycling is not important for the planet.
7	Short Answer	What should you do if you see trash on the ground?
8	Multiple Choice	What is one material mentioned in the video that can be recycled?
		a) Glass b) Wood c) Metal d) Paper
9	Fill in the Blank	“We need to take care of the Earth because it is our __.”

In the screen below, you can see ChatGPT generating a quiz similar to the example in the prompt above. The quiz is in markdown format (convert Markdown to HTML with this free tool, then paste into your word processor of choice):

Using AI to Create Quizzes for Videos

With this three-step process, using AI to create quizzes from any video you find online is easy (if you have the $29 Video Download Helper Premium version, free, open source Audacity or no-cost aTube Catcher). You now have a handy list of tools you can use to generate quizzes.

October 2, 2024 0 comment

Author created image showing 3 components of Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework

Critical Thinking for Leaders and Educators: An AI Framework

by Miguel Guhlin September 23, 2024

written by Miguel Guhlin

Critical thinking frameworks and AI prompts: How do they mix? I’ve wrestled with this question. I know I’m thinking critically when I craft prompts, but the process eludes me. What if AI could map my thought process, label it, and fill in the blanks? That’s the challenge I tackled… And I found digital gold.

In this post, you’ll discover a battle-tested critical thinking framework. You’ll see how it supercharges AI prompt generation and you’ll see real education problems crumble under this one-two punch.

Graph reflecting perspectives on critical thinking

Why Critical Thinking?

A systematic approach to analyzing and improving our thought processes is essential. Survey findings (see graph above) reveal these insights:

86% find critical thinking skills lacking in the public at large.
60% of respondents reported not having studied critical thinking in school.
Only about 55% reported that their critical thinking skills had improved since high school.
90% think courses covering critical thinking should be required in K-12 education

Take a moment to reflect on your own perspective on critical thinking. Also, ask yourself, “What process do I adhere to that ensures I think in a critical manner and don’t miss anything?”

Problems Perspectives Among Educators

If it isn’t enough that critical thinking skills and processes lack value in schools, our own perceptions as educators are concerning. Consider these teacher perceptions below. Do they reflect your own concerns about critical thinking instruction?

42% of teachers reported that students should learn basic facts first, then engage in critical thinking practice.
16% believed that basic facts and critical thinking should be taught separately.
55% of teachers believed that the emphasis on standardized testing made it more difficult to incorporate critical thinking instruction in their classrooms (source).

What’s even more concerning is public perception about critical thinking among youth. “Only half of survey respondents say their experience in school gave them strong critical thinking skills”(source).

As AI rolls out in schools, one concern is that AI could short circuit critical thinking.

Short-Circuited Thinking: AI in Schools

These three quotes capture many of the concerns people have about AI, focusing on bringing AI into schools:

“Overdependence on AI for problem-solving can hinder students’ ability to think critically and develop independent learning skills” (source)
“A reliance on AI in a school setting restricts the development of critical-thinking abilities, causing significant laziness and decision-making skill loss among students” (source)
“Over-reliance on AI could lead to a loss of critical thinking skills and judgment among individuals” (source)

How could a critical thinking framework help?

The Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework

Few approaches to developing this skill are as comprehensive and well-structured as the Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework. Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder crafted the framework. It provides a systematic approach to analyzing and improving our thought processes.

This is a simplified version of the framework based on my own understanding. See a fully-elaborated version online via the University of Louisville, KY — This is a simplified version of the framework based on my own understanding. See a **fully-elaborated version online** via the University of Louisville, KY

The framework consists of three main components:

Elements of Thought (the tools):
These are the different aspects of thinking. They include asking questions, gathering information, making assumptions, and drawing conclusions. Use these when you think about anything.
Intellectual Standards (how well you use the tools):
These are ways to check if you’re using your thinking tools well. For example, are you being clear? Accurate? Relevant? Fair? These are how you use the thinking tools.
Intellectual Traits (becoming a skilled thinker):
These are habits and attitudes. Using them improves your thinking over time. It’s like becoming a master carpenter with your thinking tools.

Want to learn more? Visit the Foundation for Critical Thinking website. You will find resources that Dr. Paul and Dr. Elder created. This includes their seminal work “The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools” (Paul & Elder, 2010).

Critical Thinking (CT) Framework for AI

My interest in Paul-Elder’s Critical Thinking framework (PECT for short) is in adapting it for AI prompt generation. There’s a LOT to process in the original, but I’m wondering if that could be simplified.

Disclaimer: The following is my own understanding, assisted by AI, of some ways to apply Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework to prompt development. Any errors, mistakes are mine alone and should not reflect on the excellent work of Dr. Paul and/or Dr. Elder. So, with apologies to the authors, let us proceed.

Consider the following simplified version of the PECT framework:

You can see on the left side, what you need to do. On the right side, you will see how to write a prompt that instructs an AI chatbot. What I like about these instructions is that they cover quite a bit of ground.

Problems from the Field

Let’s examine these AI-centric instructions in the context of three problems you might encounter as an educator.

Problem #1: Curriculum Straitjacket

Here’s a problem many of us have encountered:

Ms. Johnson, a high school English teacher, struggles to implement a new standardized curriculum mandated by the district. The prescribed material feels rigid and doesn’t account for her students’ diverse needs and abilities. She finds herself torn between following directives and adapting lessons to engage her class effectively.

Problem #2: Discipline Tug-of-War

Here’s a problem a principal might encounter:

Principal Rodriguez faces mounting pressure from parents regarding the school’s approach to student discipline. Several vocal parents demand stricter punishments, while others advocate for more restorative practices. He must navigate these conflicting views while maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment.

Problem #3: Achievement Chasm

The widening achievement gap is a challenge, especially post-pandemic remote learning:

Mr. Chen, a middle school math teacher, notices a widening achievement gap in his classroom. Despite his efforts, a group of students consistently underperforms. He grapples with how to provide targeted support without neglecting the rest of the class or falling behind on the curriculum timeline.

How might the PECT framework adapted for AI help out?

The Solutions

To develop solutions for each problem, it’s important to first do your homework. Work through the instructions below for each problem. They invite you to be your best self and gather necessary information.

1. QUESTION (Purpose & Problem)

What exactly am I trying to solve or understand?
Why is this important?

2. CONTEXT (Information & Assumptions)

What key facts or data are relevant?
What assumptions am I making?

3. PERSPECTIVES (Point of View & Breadth)

What’s my viewpoint on this?
What other perspectives should be considered?

4. IMPLICATIONS (Consequences & Depth)

What might result from this?
What deeper issues are involved?

5. CLARITY (Standards for Answer)

How should the AI structure its response?
What level of detail do I need?

6. EVALUATION (Critical Thinking Traits)

How can the AI help check my reasoning?
What biases should I be aware of?

With those responses in hand, you can now put them into AI friendly instructions. Since organizing all these instructions might be difficult, I’ve organized them for each problem below.

First, you explore your responses to the “My Planning” portion. Then, ask the AI using instructions crafted from your responses. Finally, you assess the AI’s response in light of your awareness of real life variables. This could be a recursive process, where you fine tune the first two steps to get a better result from the AI.

Problem	My Planning	Ask AI and Assess Response
Curriculum Straitjacket	Explore	Ask and Assess
Discipline Tug-of-War	Explore	Ask and Assess
Achievement Chasm	Explore	Ask and Assess

Click to View Full Text

Critical Thinking for Leaders

Give the Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework for AI Prompt Development a try. You may find it helpful even if you do not use or rely on AI at all. Finally, please find the entire Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework for AI Prompt Development for viewing or to grab if you want a copy of it for printing and sharing with others.

September 23, 2024 0 comment

Artificial Intelligence

SHINE: Lighting the Way to Responsible AI Adoption

by Miguel Guhlin September 20, 2024

written by Miguel Guhlin

Many tech directors fear an influx of popular digital tools due to network security risks and potential crashes. Even known technologies, when updated or hacked, can cause chaos. Recent examples include Crowdstrike’s update that crashed computers and grounded airlines. Controversies in reading and math instruction also highlight the need for caution. Schools must check effectiveness before deploying a new digital tool. The SHINE acronym can help with this evaluation process.

Why You Need the SHINE Framework

“I want ed tech to support my teaching and learning efforts. When it doesn’t, it’s like a walkthrough a minefield. Every misstep can lead to chaos. It disrupts our rhythm and progress.” As I sat across the table from the Director of Mathematics, I was checking off a mental list. The Math Director in a large urban school district wanted to roll out a new program to classrooms. The curriculum director’s focus was on the benefit to students. That is, on what the technology tool COULD do to benefit students.

As the technology director, my focus was on the impact the technology would have on the teacher. For me, it all boiled down to one question:

Would the technical obstacles prevent the achieving the student benefits?

At that moment, I decided to compile a list of questions. The purpose of those questions? Assist anyone in understanding how technical obstacles can stop learning in its tracks. The list was one page long, arranged into sections. It was a collection of questions that stopped technology implementations. That’s ironic given my role to ease technology integration. But there are many technologies people sell schools that they don’t need.

Today, I wish I had enjoyed access to a framework like SHINE that is easy to remember and apply.

Introducing the SHINE Framework

SHINE is a simple acronym. The letters in the acronym represent these concepts:

Suitability. Ensuring solutions are appropriate for their intended purpose.
Human Oversight. Maintaining human control and intervention capabilities in system operations.
Insight into Data. Understanding the data used by systems for transparency and accuracy.
Necessity and Novelty. Justifying the need for solutions and recognizing their innovative aspects.
Ethics and Equity. Promoting fairness, justice, and moral principles. These are evident in both the development and deployment of solutions.

For that Math Director, the stumbling block was the “Insight into Data” domain. That is, all the class rostering data involved every teacher importing data. The data, comma-separated values (CSV) files, was necessary for every student group. This made the solution unsuitable for classroom teachers to deploy.

The rush to put AI in classrooms presents the similar opportunities for failure. Today, single-sign-on (SSO) solutions make it easy to import CSV files for all students. That happens in the background. But let’s take a closer look at SHINE before applying it to AI-powered digital tools.

Tough Questions, Easy Answers

When you ask a tough question, you may get an easy answer. Questions and answers like the following come to mind:

Do teachers need to update class rosters on a daily basis to use a software intervention? No
Can the Tech Department automate hourly or daily class roster updates in a secure manner? Yes
Is the data collected safeguarded against hacking? Yes
Does the vendor allow for easy export of data should funding come to an end? Yes
Does the District have to poke holes in the firewall or open special ports for the solution to work? No
Does this solution make teaching learning more efficient and effective? Yes

When considering SHINE’s five-step framework (get a copy via Canva), think of it as a tool teachers and admins can use. Should we bring an AI-powered tool into the classroom?

Generated by author. See blog entry for link to get a copy.

SHINE Framework Questions

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the questions SHINE asks:

Suitability (S)

Does the tool align with your curriculum goals and learning objectives?
Is the tool compatible with your existing educational platforms and tools?
Can the tool get you the desired result without a lot of fine-tuning?

Human Oversight (H)

Does the tool allow for human oversight and control?
Can you adjust settings and parameters to ensure accuracy and fairness?
Does the tool provide transparent and explainable decisions?

Insight into Data (I)

What data does the tool collect and use?
Is the data transparent, and can you access it for analysis and interpretation?
Does the tool provide insights into teacher or student performance or learning?

Necessity and Novelty (N)

Is the tool necessary and novel?
Does it solve a specific problem or improve teaching and learning in a unique way?
Does the tool provide a more efficient and effective way of getting work done? That is, compared to traditional methods?

Ethics and Equity (E)

Does the tool follow legal regulations and ethical guidelines?
Does the tool promote equity and fairness for all students?
Does the tool avoid biases and discriminatory practices?

With these question in mind, schools can have a conversation about bringing AI tools into K-12. Let’s see what SHINE looks like in action.

SHINE in Action

Let’s apply SHINE from the perspective of three people when considering responses:

Classroom teacher
Curriculum director
Technology director

It might be helpful to apply SHINE to three categories of AI-powered tools. These are finding their way into schools under the guise of productivity or cheating. The categories include:

Teacher Helper Tool, such as Eduaide, Khanmigo, MagicSchool
AI Chatbot for Writing. Examples include ChatGPT, Pressto, Claude
Quiz Tools like Quizlet Plus, Quizizz AI, QuizWizard

Let’s explore each category with SHINE in mind.

Note: You can see a question from each perspective interwoven beneath each letter of SHINE.

SHINE: Lighting the Way to Responsible AI Adoption

The best way to combat fear is knowledge and ensuring a safe space to assess digital tools pushing their way into K-12 education spaces. The SHINE framework offers a structured approach for evaluating AI-powered education tools. Use this framework to make sure all perspectives are represented before making the big investment in Ed Tech.

September 20, 2024 0 comment

AI/VR

Responsible AI Adoption: An Organizational Self-Assessment

by Miguel Guhlin September 17, 2024

written by Miguel Guhlin

How do you bring about change regarding AI adoption in your school or district? Change management is a massive job that can easily fail due to many factors. Let’s explore how to shift from one phase of District AI Adoption to another, identifying indicators for each phase of progress. You will also get access to a self-assessment you can take that provides specific feedback.

Reviewing Responsible AI Adoption Phases

In a previous blog entry, Responsible AI Adoption, I shared a five AI Adoption phases school districts go through. Some districts or schools may get stuck in a particular phase with no desire to move to the next one. Others may step back from their use in the face of opposition, lack of funding, or an inability to maintain their place. That is to say, AI adoption is fluid and subject to change.

The five adoption phases are briefly described below:

AI Secured. At this phase, AI usage is prohibited or discouraged.
AI Exploration. In this phase, guardrails are available that allow exploration of free versions of digital tools.
AI Pilot Programs. Managed AI tools are introduced for specific purposes.
AI Unification. A clear district-wide approach to centralized AI use is in place and it is integrated into key areas.
AI Everywhere. AI is fully integrated into school district policies, procedures, curriculum, and guidance is available to all.

It is unlikely that any school is at Phase 5, and getting there may take years of sustained effort and massive funding. And getting from Phase 1 (AI Secured) to Phase 3 (AI Exploration) involves constructing new ways of teaching, learning, leading, and outreach.

The first step has to involve assessing where you are now. Let’s take a look at a tool that can assist you in achieving that.

School Organizational Self-Assessment

Take a moment to complete this assessment online. You will be prompted to ask several questions before getting your results.

A custom GPT — **https://tinyurl.com/tceaassess**

You can also complete a paper version of the assessment:

Moving Towards Your Target

Now that you have an idea of what phase of AI Adoption your organization falls into, you may be asking the real question of, “How do I get my school or district to move forward to the next phase?” One thing is for certain. You can’t do it alone. It will require a concerted effort from everyone on your team. If you are a school district leader and lack the trust, relationships, and political capital to get things done, shifting phases from Exploration to Unification may be impossible.

Shifting from Phase One to Phase Two

To move from Phase 1: AI Secured to Phase 2: AI Exploration, a school district needs to shift its stance on AI from prohibition to cautious exploration. Here are some suggested steps that identify where to focus your efforts:

Policy Revision: Update district policies to allow for the exploration and use of AI tools for educational purposes. Clearly outline any restrictions or guardrails that teachers need to be aware of.
Professional Development: Provide teachers with training and resources on how to evaluate and use AI tools responsibly. This could include workshops, online courses, or access to experts in the field.
Account Management: Set up individual teacher accounts for approved AI tools, allowing them to start experimenting in a controlled environment.
Communication: Inform parents and the community about the district’s decision to allow AI exploration. Emphasize the focus on responsible use and the potential benefits for student learning.
Pilot Projects: Encourage teachers to pilot AI tools in their classrooms and gather feedback on their experiences. This will help the district make informed decisions about future AI adoption.

The transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2 involves a shift in mindset and policy. What’s more, teachers and staff must have the necessary support and resources to explore AI tools effectively and responsibly. And, they have to believe it’s necessary.

Transitioning from Phase Two to Three

To transition from Phase 2: AI Exploration to Phase 3: AI Pilot Programs, the school district needs to:

leverage the learnings and insights from their exploration phase
implement AI in a more targeted and structured manner.

Some approaches it can take include:

Identify Goals and Target Areas: Based on teacher feedback and the district’s overall objectives, identify specific areas where AI can have the most impact. These could be improving writing skills, supporting struggling students, or enhancing STEM education.
Select Appropriate AI Tools: Choose AI tools that align with the identified goals and are suitable for use in the classroom. Consider factors such as ease of use, data privacy, and accessibility.
Develop Guidelines and Training: Create clear guidelines for teachers on how to effectively use AI tools in their pilot programs. Provide targeted professional development to ensure they feel confident and prepared.
Launch Pilot Programs: Introduce the selected AI tools into specific classrooms or grade levels, focusing on the targeted areas. Monitor the pilot programs closely, gather feedback, and measure the impact on student learning and engagement.
Expand Access: Based on the success of the pilot programs, gradually expand access to AI tools to other teachers and subject areas.

The key shift in this is focused implementation. It is worth getting a team together to set clear goals, strategically select AI tools, and saturate everything done with professional learning on blending AI into their work. What do AI use cases look like? How do they save time? How much time do they save? How do they make the work of teaching, learning, and leading less difficult?

Original Task	Task Description	AI-Redesigned Process	Benefits	Time Spent Before	Time Spent After	AI Tool	Sample Prompt
Lesson Planning	Develop detailed lesson plans that align with curriculum standards	Use AI to generate lesson plans based on TEKS/standards with embedded activities	Quick and consistent lesson planning	2 hrs	20 mins	ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity	“Create a lesson plan for 5th-grade Science on ecosystems, aligned with TEKS standards. Include objectives, materials, activities, and assessment strategies.”
Differentiated Instruction	Create differentiated activities for diverse learners in the classroom	AI-generated activities tailored to different learning styles and needs	Ensures every student has an appropriate activity	1 hr	15 mins	ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity	“Design three differentiated activities for a 3rd-grade math lesson on fractions. Include options for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners.”
Grading and Feedback	Grade assignments and provide personalized feedback to students	AI-assisted grading with auto-generated feedback based on student performance	Reduces grading time and improves feedback quality	4 hrs	1 hr	ChatGPT, Perplexity	“Grade these 10 student essays on the topic of renewable energy. Provide personalized feedback for each, focusing on strengths and areas for improvement.”

See more AI use cases and sample prompts

Stepping from Phase Three to Four

Stepping from Phase 3: AI Pilot Programs to Phase 4: AI Unification suggests a broader blending of AI across the district. To get this change going, consider these tips:

Evaluate & Refine: Thoroughly evaluate the outcomes of your pilot programs. Identify what worked well, areas needing improvement, and collect feedback from teachers and students. Use these insights to refine your approach to AI implementation.
District-wide Policy: Develop a comprehensive AI policy that outlines district-wide guidelines for AI use, including data privacy, ethical considerations, and acceptable use cases.
Centralized Management: Implement a centralized system for managing AI tool access and usage across the district. This ensures consistency, facilitates monitoring, and helps address any concerns related to equity and access.
Expand Integration: Based on successful pilots and teacher readiness, strategically expand the use of AI tools across different grade levels and subject areas.
Professional Development: Provide ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers, focusing on advanced AI integration techniques and best practices.
Curriculum Alignment: Collaborate with curriculum specialists to incorporate AI tools and concepts into the curriculum, ensuring alignment with learning objectives and standards.
Regular Assessment: Establish a system for regular assessment and evaluation of AI’s impact on student learning and achievement. Use data-driven insights to inform future decisions and improvements.

In this step from Phase Three to Four, you are scaling-up of AI adoption. This will involve district-wide coordination, standardizing practices, and refining curriculum, teaching approaches with AI.

Progressing from Phase Four to Phase 5

The progression from Phase 4: AI Unification to Phase 5: AI Everywhere represents a complete integration of AI into the fabric of the school district’s operations and culture. At this point, we can only imagine what this might look like.

To get there, you might take these steps:

Seamless Access: Implement a single sign-on system for all AI tools used within the district, providing seamless access for both students and teachers.
AI in all aspects of learning: Embed AI tools not only in the curriculum, but also in administrative tasks, professional development, and student support services.
Comprehensive Guidance: Continuously update and refine AI guidelines and support resources to address emerging challenges and opportunities. Ensure all stakeholders, including students, teachers, administrators, and parents, are well-informed about responsible AI use.
Community Engagement: Actively engage the community in discussions about the role of AI in education. Foster an open dialogue and address any concerns related to ethics, privacy, and equity.
Lifelong Learning: Promote a culture of lifelong learning around AI, encouraging teachers and students to stay abreast of advancements and explore innovative applications.

Moving from Phase Four to Five means that AI has become an integral and ubiquitous part of the schooling experience. In this environment, AI powers teaching, learning, and decision-making at all levels.

September 17, 2024 0 comment

AI/VR ELAR English Language Arts

Storynest.ai: Reshaping Storytelling in Three Quick Ways

by Miguel Guhlin September 9, 2024

written by Miguel Guhlin

Looking for a fun way to change how you approach storytelling? Storynest.ai may be the tool you need. It can help you put together new narratives. Let’s explore three ways Storynest.ai reshapes storytelling. You will also get some ideas on how you might use it in the classroom.

About Storynest.ai

Storynest.ai offers three AI models designed to assist you in storywriting: Wordweaver for quick creation, Talesmith for balanced speed and quality, and Storymaster for high-level detail. While there’s a free plan available, paid options offer more features and AI credits.

1. AI-Powered Story Creation: Your Digital Writing Partner

“I’ve been staring at this blank page. How do I even start?” said Sarah, a fifth grade aspiring novelist, asked Mrs. Black.

“Why don’t we give Storynest.ai a try for some ideas?” said Mrs. Black.

Storynest.ai’s advanced AI engine acts as a personal writing assistant. It helps you overcome creative blocks and bring your ideas to life. Here’s how it empowers your writing process:

Generates creative prompts to spark your imagination
Suggests plot developments to keep your story moving
Offers character backstories and dialogue options for depth

A standout feature is Character Chat. It allows you to explore your characters’ thoughts and motivations through direct conversation.

Screenshot by author of Storynest AI website

For educators, Storynest.ai can be an invaluable classroom tool. Teachers can use the platform to:

Generate interactive writing prompts for various grade levels
Offer lesson plans integrating AI-assisted storytelling techniques
Enable student collaboration on stories, fostering teamwork

2. AI Narration of Stories

“Wouldn’t it be cool to have a story narrated with AI-powered audio narration?” asks Mike, a first-year writing workshop teacher. “It could take the pressure of kids who aren’t ready to read their story aloud.”

Screenshot by author of Storynest.ai — Listen to The Enchanted Library and the Bookworm’s Odyssey

Storynest.ai transforms the AI-powered read aloud experience. You get a variety of AI character voices you can use to narrate whatever you write. What’s more, Storynest.ai offers assistance with writing fiction, nonfiction, educational content, and/or blogs.

3. Create Comic Storyboards and a Community Share Space

“Storyboarding is one way I model crafting a story piece by piece, but it can be challenging for students to imagine what comes next,” asks Mrs. Black, a fifth grade teacher. As art-challenged, my storyboards are almost always words with stick figures. AI can certainly help with that, as you can see below. Storynest.ai offers several different artistic styles to create comic storyboards with AI:

1. 🎥 Cinematic: Capture the drama and intensity of a blockbuster film.
2. 📚 Comic Book: Embrace the classic look of traditional comic panels.
3. 🍥 Anime: Immerse yourself in the vibrant, expressive world of Japanese animation.
4. 📸 Photographic: Bring a touch of realism to your scenes with a photographic style.
5. 🏰 Disney: Enchant your readers with the whimsical charm of a Disney animated feature. (source)

You can see what that looks like below:

What’s more, Storynest.ai fosters a vibrant community where creativity flourishes:

Facilitates story sharing and feedback exchanges
Hosts writing challenges and competitions
Enables collaborative projects, connecting authors globally

This community motivates writers and creates a rich environment for readers to discover new voices. For students, it offers a safe space to share work and receive constructive feedback, aiding their growth as writers.

The platform’s versatility ensures value for users of all skill levels, from novices to experienced authors.

Enhancing Teaching with Storynest.ai

Storynest.ai serves as a valuable assistant for educators looking to refresh their approach to narrative instruction. As a teacher, you can harness its capabilities to create engaging writing prompts, develop sample stories, and compile diverse reading lists that resonate with your students’ interests. Here are a few more use suggestions:

Guided Activities for Using Storynest.ai in the Classroom

Activity	Description	Teacher’s Role	Student Engagement	Learning Outcome
Story Starter Generator	Use Storynest.ai to generate creative writing prompts	Teacher inputs parameters and shares generated prompts with class	Students brainstorm and write based on the AI-generated prompt	Sparks creativity and helps overcome writer’s block
Character Development Workshop	Utilize the Character Chat feature to explore character depth	Teacher demonstrates character interaction, then guides class discussion	Students suggest questions and analyze character responses	Enhances understanding of character development in storytelling
Plot Twist Brainstorming	Use AI to suggest unexpected plot developments	Teacher inputs current story elements and shares AI suggestions	Students vote on or discuss the most interesting plot twists	Teaches narrative structure and the element of surprise in storytelling
Collaborative Story Building	Use Storynest.ai to expand on student-created story foundations	Teacher inputs student ideas and shares AI-generated expansions	Students discuss and select which AI suggestions to incorporate	Fosters teamwork and teaches story expansion techniques
Dialogue Writing Practice	Generate dialogue samples for different scenarios	Teacher provides context and character info, then shares AI-generated dialogue	Students analyze and improve upon the AI-generated dialogue	Enhances dialogue writing skills and character voice development
Ethical AI Use Discussion	Demonstrate both helpful and potentially problematic AI outputs	Teacher shows various AI responses and leads a discussion on responsible use	Students debate the pros and cons of AI in creative writing	Develops critical thinking about AI and ethical technology use

Storynest.ai: Reshaping Storytelling

Curious about elevating your teaching methods? Explore Storynest.ai today and discover how AI can enhance your instructional toolkit, helping you inspire your students on their next literary adventure!

September 9, 2024 2 comments

PLAN acronym for crafting AI collections (e.g. Claude Projects, ChatGPT Custom GPTs)

AI/VR

Leveraging AI for Efficient Lesson Planning: The PLAN Approach

by Miguel Guhlin September 4, 2024

written by Miguel Guhlin

Looking forward to writing a lesson plan? Or crafting a long email to parents about a delicate issue? Required to create something that aligns to existing policy documents? If these tasks give you pause, you will appreciate AI collections. AI collections, also known as Claude’s Projects or Custom GPTs, offer advantages on intimidating projects such as these. Let’s examine these benefits and walk through the PLAN approach, which will help you become more efficient and effective when leveraging AI.

A screenshot by the author of Claude Projects example

AI collections offer key benefits over drive-by AI chatbot use. In drive-by AI chatbot use, you have to set up the context for every prompt you write. It can be exhausting, tedious, and unnecessarily repetitive. Instead, consider using tailored AI collections like ChatGPT’s Custom GPTs or Claude’s Projects to make the work easier!

Note: All diagrams, infographics were generated by the author. You can get a copy online via this link, or view them full screen.

Key Benefits of AI Collections

Tools like ChatGPT’s Custom GPTs and Claude’s Projects enjoy several benefits sure to save you time. Those key benefits include:

Persistent memory. By using an AI collection, you are putting documents you submit (e.g. lesson plan templates, curriculum scope and sequences, assessment examples) into the AI’s long-term memory. Then, these documents are available when you need them.
Organized workspace. Create separate AI collections to better organize your work for different topics, classes, or tasks. You can keep documents that go with a task (or series of tasks) together. They are ready to use when you need them.
Collaborative tools. If working in a team or group account, you can collaborate with colleagues. This makes curating documents, adding, and editing content and prompts easier.
Custom instructions. AI collections make it easy to set specific instructions for each workspace collection you make. This means, you can have one set of directions for one collection (but the same documents), and another with different instructions.

What’s more, you can now share these AI collections with others to facilitate their work. Instead of having them reinvent the wheel with all the documents, you can make it easier on them. Let’s take a look at an acronym that captures the overall journey you are on with AI Collections: PLAN.

The PLAN Approach for Leveraging AI

P – Prepare

The first step in the PLAN approach is to gather and upload relevant educational materials to create a new AI collection. This could include:

Lesson plan templates
Curriculum guides
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines
High-effect instructional strategies
Brain-friendly learning techniques
Assessment strategies (e.g. entry/exit tickets)

By providing these resources upfront, you’re giving the AI the context and background information it needs to respond and carry out tasks you assign it. What you can also do is prompt the AI to develop tailored instructions for completing a task, and how to use the documents provide.

Creating Custom Instructions

To create these custom instructions, you can rely on ChatGPT’s Custom GPT wizard, or develop your own process for crafting instructions. Here are some suggestions you can adapt for any AI collections tool.

The Capture-Create-Adapt Process (view full size | get a copy via Canva) has three easy steps for fine-tuning your instructions AI Collections of any sort. Let’s go through each quickly:

Capture. Capture your step-by-step processes that you go through. Ask yourself, “What do I do when I do [XYZ]?” Or, conversely, ask the AI to create a step-by-step process for the task.
Create. Create a series of prompts that aligns to the step-by-step capture. This can be done by asking the AI, “Please create a process that allow me to interact with [ABC] documents.”
Adapt. Generate AI-friendly instructions to follow. While the first two steps (Capture and Create) are about making human friendly step-by-steps, this last one is about converting those into AI friendly instructions.

Now that your custom instructions are done, your documents submitted into the AI collection, you’re ready for the next step in the PLAN acronym.

L – Leverage

In this step of the PLAN approach, you are ready to rely on the AI chatbot to interpret and leverage all the documents you have provided. Use the AI to:

Analyze your uploaded materials
Create aligned lesson plans
Develop rubrics
Design assessments

You may be wondering, how much information can an AI hold in its persistent memory? Let’s take a quick look at that before moving on.

AI Collection Size

The AI is able to process vast amounts of information. You can see how much each handles in the table below:

Based on the information provided in the search results, I’ve created a comparison chart for Claude and ChatGPT Custom GPTs, focusing on their token and word handling capabilities:

Platform	Max Tokens	Max Words	Approx. Pages
Claude 3	200,000	150,000	500
ChatGPT Enterprise	128,000	96,000	320
GPT-4 Custom GPTs	32,000	24,000	80

Current as of July, 2024

The AI collections available to Claude 3.5 Sonnet are significant, compared to ChatGPT 4 Custom GPTs. Regardless, the AI can quickly process information. Then, based on the tasks you provide, it can generate content based on your input. One caveat is that bigger isn’t always better. In my own work, I have found ChatGPT’s Custom GPTs to yield better results than Claude’s Projects. But that is a subjective evaluation and can change.

Here’s a chart comparing some of the features current as of September, 2024 generated by Perplexity.ai:

Feature	Custom GPTs	Gemini Gems	Claude Projects/Artifacts
Customization and Specialization	– Create tailored versions of ChatGPT – Combine instructions, knowledge, and skills – No coding required	– Create personal AI experts on any topic – Refine for specific goals – Premade Gems available	– Create specialized workspaces – Upload relevant documents and code – Customize Claude’s tone and perspective
Knowledge Integration	– Incorporate extra knowledge – Connect to external data sources and APIs	– Not explicitly detailed in sources	– Upload various document types – 200K context window (500-page book equivalent)
Collaboration Features	– Enterprise customers can deploy internal-only GPTs – Specific sharing capabilities not detailed	– Available for Advanced, Business, and Enterprise users – Specific features not mentioned	– Share conversation snapshots in project feed – Support collaborative workflows
Output and Artifact Handling	– Not detailed in provided sources	– Cannot generate images when using a Gem	– “Artifacts” feature for viewing, editing, and building with outputs – Dedicated window for generated content
Availability and Access	– Available for ChatGPT Plus and Enterprise users	– Available in over 150 countries – Most languages supported – For Advanced, Business, and Enterprise subscribers	– Available for Claude.ai Pro and Team users – Powered by Claude 3.5 Sonnet model
Integration with External Tools	– Define custom actions via APIs – Support for plugins and function calling	– Not provided in given sources	– Plans for future native integrations with popular apps
Number of Solutions and Usage Limits	– No specific limit on number of Custom GPTs created – Usage limits based on overall ChatGPT Plus subscription (e.g., 50 messages per 3 hours)	– Up to 5 Gems can be created per user – No specific usage limits mentioned for individual Gems	– No explicit limit on number of projects mentioned – Usage based on Claude Pro subscription (e.g., 500 messages per 8 hours)

Generated with Perplexity.ai by the author

Generated by iterative prompting between author and AI

A – Adapt

Now that all the components are in, you are able to direct the AI to complete some tasks. Remember, it’s not a “one prompt and done.” You will be expected to interact with the AI in a process of assessment (see infographic above for some suggestions).

Work with the AI to:

Differentiate instruction for diverse learning needs
Customize content for your specific classroom context
Adjust difficulty levels and pacing

The goal of AI Collections use is to enhance your writing and/or planning. Supplement, not supplant, your work with AI.

N – Navigate

In this final step, you will review and refine what’s been created with AI assistance. This might involve:

Using AI-generated prompts to align outputs with your resources
Deciding on desired output formats (e.g., detailed lesson plans, quick outlines, student handouts)
Continuously improving your lesson plans based on classroom experiences and student feedback

Leveraging AI as a Teaching Assistant

Use the PLAN approach to become more efficient and effective. You can rely on AI Collections to save time on routine tasks. Those tasks can include creating entry/exit tickets, lesson planning. Or, save effort on worksheet creation, and brainstorming activity ideas. Remember, you will still need to create the documents, so pairing AI inspired work with Canva for Educators can make things even easier. Additional benefits include adapting lessons for different learning styles or ability levels, as well as applying the latest educational research and best practices. Take advantage of AI collections like Claude’s Projects and ChatGPT’s Custom GPTs.

Finally, don’t forget to grab a copy of the infographics and planning frameworks shared in this blog entry. You can also get a printable PDF version, too.

September 4, 2024 2 comments

AI/VR Artificial Intelligence Classroom Management Communication CTO/CIO Digital Citizenship Digital Literacy Uncategorized

Responsible AI Adoption

by Miguel Guhlin August 28, 2024

written by Miguel Guhlin

While attending a start-of-the-year school district event, it became apparent to me that many districts are at different places in a journey towards adopting AI in schools. The fundamental question for them is, “How can we as educators responsibly harness the power of AI while safeguarding student interests?” As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes how schools work — and leaders lead — schools face the challenge of effective, ethical integration of AI in academic settings.

That’s why we’re providing two powerful documents that you can use to integrate AI responsibly into your district.

The first document gives you a roadmap towards full AI adoption in your school organization. The second provides you with TCEA’s Essential Learning Expectations for AI. Together, these documents provide a framework for AI adoption in your teaching, learning, and leading spaces. They seek to provide practical guidance for educators trying to make sense of it all.

Key Points

It’s important to keep several key points in mind, especially since AI adoption in schools will take time. There are no shortcuts, but you can track your school or District’s progress using the Five Phases of District AI Adoption. Those phases include:

AI Secured. At this phase, AI usage is prohibited or discouraged.
AI Exploration. In this phase, guardrails are available that allow exploration of free versions of digital tools.
AI Pilot Programs. Managed AI tools are introduced for specific purposes.
AI Unification. A clear district-wide approach to centralized AI use is in place and it is integrated into key areas.
AI Everywhere. AI is fully integrated into school district policies, procedures, curriculum, and guidance is available to all.

These descriptions briefly touch on the points raises in the infographic above. Let’s take a closer look at each of the categories that define each phase.

Data Privacy and Security

Protecting student information is paramount when using AI tools in education. Account management for students and staff, data is critical. Districts must ensure AI solutions are part of SSO. This makes it easier for staff and students to access it in approved ways. Do this to safeguard sensitive information. Another point to remember? Communicate clear suggestion on how to protect data.

Here’s a sample classroom scenario to illustrate this:

Mr. Rodriguez, a middle school math teacher, uses an AI-powered math practice app. Before implementation, he ensures all student data is anonymized and securely stored, explaining to parents how the tool enhances learning without compromising privacy.

AI as a Supplemental Tool

Responsible AI adoption seeks to enhance, not replace, curriculum and instruction. When exploring how to use AI in the classroom, knowing what guidance to give teachers and staff is critical. AI should be approached as a tool that complements our efforts at teaching and learning, not supplants it.

What this might look like in the classroom:

Dr. Lee, a biology professor, incorporates an AI-driven virtual lab simulation into her course. She emphasizes to students that this tool complements hands-on lab work, providing additional practice opportunities rather than substituting real experiments.

Critical Thinking and Media Literacy

AI isn’t a panacea or perfect tool. While many know that they need to be critical, they may be unsure of how to best critique and assess AI generated content. To ensure staff and students don’t simply use and consume AI content uncritcally, all must learn to critically evaluate AI-generated content.

You can find several critical thinking approaches in the TCEA blog, as well as direct mention of The SIFT Approach.

View | Get a Copy in Canva | Get PPTx or PDF

Consider this scenario with an elementary school librarian:

Ms. Patel, an elementary school librarian, designs a lesson on distinguishing between human-written and AI-generated stories. She guides students through analyzing text characteristics and discussing the importance of human creativity.

TCEA Essential Learning Expectations

TCEA offers Essential Learning Expectations for students, teachers, school leaders, and instructional coaches.

The Essential Learning Expectations for AI in Education are designed to guide all stakeholders in the educational system – teachers, students, instructional coaches, and administrators – in the ethical and effective use of AI technologies. These expectations build upon existing educational research and best practices, while addressing the unique challenges and opportunities presented by AI in learning environments.
The TCEA Essential Learning Expectations (ELEs) for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education (View | Get a copy)

TCEA Essential Learning Expectations (ELEs) for AI in Education – Generated by Author

The TCEA ELEs for AI in Education include:

AI Literacy
Ethical AI Use
AI-Enhanced Learning
AI and Critical Thinking
AI Collaboration and Innovation

You can explore these expectations in more details with examples in this document.

Responsible AI Adoption

By adopting a phased approach and sticking to essential guardrails, you can begin the work of using AI in teaching, learning, and leading situations. You will be able to seize the benefits of AI, while protecting students and staff. What’s more, you can use AI to have a positive impact on the work you are about in K-12 education.

August 28, 2024 0 comment

Curricular Standards Digital Literacy Instructional Coaching Leadership

TCEA ELEs: Essential Learning Expectations

by Miguel Guhlin August 26, 2024

written by Miguel Guhlin

Wish you had an easy to understand and apply set of expectations for technology in education? The Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) has you covered. We’ve introduced Essential Learning Expectations (ELEs) to guide educators in preparing students for the modern world. Let’s explore briefly how these ELEs can transform professional learning in schools.

Embracing Technology Integration

Technology integration is a cornerstone of the TCEA ELEs. Teachers are expected to seamlessly incorporate technology into their practices, including the use of AI tools to enhance student learning. TCEA offers student AI literacy frameworks, as well as a specific ELE for AI in Education.

Classroom Scenario: Mrs. Rodriguez uses AI-powered writing assistants in her English class. “By integrating these tools, students not only improve their essays but also learn to critically evaluate AI-generated content,” she explains.

Did You Know?
TCEA is available to provide professional learning on the topics covered in the TCEA Essential Learning Expectations. You can also access a list of TCEA ELEs aligned online, self-paced courses.

Fostering Digital Literacy

The ELEs emphasize the importance of digital literacy, particularly in evaluating online information and combating misinformation.

Classroom Scenario: Mr. Chen guides his students through a fact-checking exercise. “We’re learning to verify online sources and recognize credible information. It’s crucial in today’s digital age,” he notes.

Please align this curriculum chapter with the TCEA ELEs for instructional coaches. — Give the TCEA ELEs Alignment Assistant a try. It will align what you give it to the TCEA ELEs. **Try it now**

Promoting Inclusive Learning Environments

Creating inclusive classrooms that respect diversity is a key focus of the ELEs.

Classroom Scenario: Ms. Thompson implements culturally responsive teaching methods. “By valuing diverse backgrounds, we create an environment where all students feel engaged and motivated to learn,” she shares.

Essential Learning Expectations

The TCEA Essential Learning Expectations (get the PDF or align your documents to TCEA ELEs) provide a comprehensive framework for educators to create engaging, effective, and inclusive learning environments. By focusing on technology integration, digital literacy, and inclusive teaching, these ELEs prepare students for success in an increasingly complex world.

Guided Activities

Take a peek at how classroom learning aligns to an Essential Learning Expectation:

Activity	Description	Target Audience	Aligned ELE
AI Writing Workshop	Introduce AI writing tools and discuss their impact	High School Students	Teacher ELE 1.0 Tech Integration, Student ELE 1.0 Tech Savvy, Education AI ELE 3.0 AI-Enhanced Learning
Digital Fact-Checking Challenge	Practice verifying online information	Middle School Students	Teacher ELE 2.0 Digital Literacy, Student ELE 2.0 Online Safety, Education AI ELE 4.0 AI and Critical Thinking
Cultural Diversity Project	Create presentations celebrating different cultures	Elementary Students	Teacher ELE 3.0 Inclusive Teaching, Student ELE 3.0 Collaborative Learner

August 26, 2024 0 comment

Cybersecurity Leadership

Student Privacy Shield: TCEA PROTECT

by Miguel Guhlin August 23, 2024

written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you a school district technology leader? If you are, you have a tough responsibility. That duty is protecting student data privacy. And, at the same time, you must balance new, popular, and innovative educational technologies. How can you ensure student privacy and review new solutions pushing their way into the classroom are safe? TCEA’s PROTECT rubric (view | get a copy) offers a practical framework for evaluating and implementing privacy-conscious tools. You also can try it out via custom GPT.

Three Key Points for K-12 Technology Leaders

1. Prioritize Parental Rights and Transparency

“The most important thing is to make sure that technology is not just available but that it’s being used effectively to support learning.” – Karen Cator, Former Director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education

Are your ed tech solutions clear about parental rights and data usage? If not, you may need to check in with your vendor or solution provider.

2. Implement Robust Data Retention and Deletion Policies

“Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility that requires ongoing collaboration between school staff, students, and families.” – Amy McLaughlin, Cybersecurity Project Director.

One question to consider is, “What is the Ed Tech vendor’s student data retention policy?” An important follow up is, “What happens to that data when the relationship is over? How does it get deleted, and how do you get a secure copy of it?” Not getting straight answers or setting up arrangements at the start of the relationship can potentially result in a rocky, embarrassing ending.

3. Enhance Security Measures

“Security is always going to be a cat and mouse game because there’ll be people out there that are hunting for the zero day award, you have people that don’t have configuration management, don’t have vulnerability management, don’t have patch management.” – Kevin Mitnick, Cybersecurity Consultant and Former Hacker

The question to consider here is, “Are your ed tech solutions employing state-of-the-art security practices?” Two nonnegotiable practices are multi-factor authentication and end-to-end encryption.

Introducing the TCEA PROTECT Rubric

Now, let’s take a look at a process you can put in place: TCEA PROTECT.

The PROTECT rubric addresses key aspects of student data privacy, including:

Compliance with major regulations like FERPA, COPPA, and GDPR.
Data collection, use, and sharing practices.
Security measures and encryption.
Parental rights and access to student data.
Age-appropriate considerations for under-13 and under-18 users.
Transparency in data practices and third-party relationships.
User control over data, including deletion and opt-out options.

With PROTECT, educators, administrators, and parents can quickly assess whether an educational technology solution meets the necessary standards for protecting student data privacy across different regulatory environments.

Note: Directions for using the PROTECT rubric with an AI tool appear at the end of this blog entry.

Now that you are aware of key aspects, let’s dig a little deeper into each aspect.

PROTECT Rubric Components

The rubric has several components, matching the letters of the PROTECT acronym. Let’s review each in turn below.

P – Parental Rights and Access

Clearly states parental rights to access and control their child’s data
Complies with FERPA (USA) and GDPR (EU) requirements for parental access

R – Retention and Deletion

Specifies data retention periods
Allows users to delete their data entirely
Complies with data minimization principles

O – Opt-out Options

Provides clear opt-out choices for data sharing and third-party use
Allows users to opt-out of targeted advertising

T – Transparency

Lists all data collected and how it’s collected
Clearly states data ownership
Discloses all third-party data sharing

E – Encryption and Security

States how data is protected and encrypted
Enforces strong password creation
Implements multi-factor authentication

C – Consent and Age Restrictions

Addresses COPPA (USA) and GDPR (EU) requirements for under-13 users
Clearly outlines consent mechanisms for data collection and use

T – Third-party Management

States all third parties involved and information shared with each
Requires third parties to adhere to the same privacy standards
Notifies users of changes in third-party relationships

Now, let’s turn our attention to the implementation of the PROTECT process in your organization.

Implement the TCEA PROTECT Process

The TCEA PROTECT rubric provides you with a tool that you can use to effectively assess your current solutions. Rely on it and your favorite AI solution to do the following:

Assess Current Tools: Apply the rubric to existing technology solutions to identify areas for improvement.
Set Minimum Standards: Decide what is a minimum acceptable score for new digital tools and services.
Nurture Stakeholders: Provide professional learning to your teachers, administrators, and IT staff on using the rubric. They can easily use it to assess potential purchases.
Conduct Audits: Perform annual privacy audits using the rubric. This can help with locking in compliance and modeling best practices.

How To Get Started

Want to facilitate professional learning in your school district around TCEA PROTECT? Consider providing learning opportunities through these activities below.

Activity	Description	Participants
Privacy Audit Workshop	Train staff to use the PROTECT rubric for evaluating edtech tools	IT Staff, Curriculum Leaders
Vendor Communication Session	Practice clear communication with vendors about privacy expectations	Technology Directors, Procurement Team
Parent Privacy Night	Educate parents on district privacy practices and their rights	Parents, School Leaders, IT Staff
Student Data Rights Lesson	Develop a lesson plan for teaching students about their data rights	Teachers, Curriculum Developers

How To Use TCEA PROTECT With AI Support

Ready to give PROTECT rubric a spin? Some points to keep in mind:

The maximum score possible is 14 points. A higher score indicates better alignment with student data privacy best practices and regulations.
Use an internet-connected AI solution, such as MS CoPilot, ChatGPT Plus, You.com, or Perplexity.
Assess a few digital tools using different AI tools to see how each AI applies the rubric, and review the scores yourself.
Use the rubric to assess the Privacy Policy and/or Terms of Service for an Ed Tech solution.

Here are some popular AI tools scored with PROTECT. Since scores can vary between AI chatbots, and rubrics can be inaccurate (which is why you may not use them for student assessment), I’ve grouped scores by AI chatbot. I’ll share trends on scoring for each chatbot afterwards.

Scorer: Claude.ai (Pro version)

Curipod (TOS / Privacy) scored 12 out of 14. View complete results.
Goblin Tools (TOS / Privacy) scored 5 out of 14. View complete results. (The About page was substituted for TOS, no doubt accounting for low score).
MagicSchool.ai (TOS / Privacy) scored 12.8 out of 14. View complete results.

Scorer: Perplexity.ai (Pro version)

Curipod (TOS / Privacy) scored 11.6 out of 14. View complete results.
Goblin Tools (TOS / Privacy) scored 4.4 out of 14. View complete results.
MagicSchool.ai (TOS / Privacy) scored 11.2 out of 14. View complete results.

Let’s take a closer look at the AI analysis of these three solutions.

Using AI and TCEA PROTECT To Analyze

As you can see, the scores are quite similar, with the largest discrepancy being for MagicSchool.ai. Claude.ai gave higher scores. It also allowed for multiple documents to be assessed within a single Project, while keeping each separate for easy citation, facilitating comparison and sharing. In analyzing Goblin Tools, it’s clear that it lacks the complexity of the other two tools (e.g. Curipod and MagicSchool). But that does not excuse it from beefing up its TOS and Privacy policy to cover the bases delineated in the PROTECT rubric. Specific feedback for each vendor can be found in the complete results.

AI Tool	Claude.ai Score	Perplexity.ai Score
Curipod	12.0 / 14	11.6 / 14
Goblin Tools	5.0 / 14	4.4 / 14
MagicSchool	12.8 / 14	11.2 / 14

In spite of my concerns about the AI use of rubrics to score documents, these results from two different AIs are consistent with one another. Both Claude.ai and Perplexity.ai appear to be capable of assessing AI tools’ Terms of Service and Privacy policies using the PROTECT assessment prompt. The choice between them may depend on your access to the tool, and your preferences for the interface and workflow.

TCEA PROTECT: Student Privacy Shield Tool

Ready to evaluate privacy policies and terms of service for your favorite Ed Tech solutions? While you can use the rubric’s instructions with any AI, a ChatGPT custom GPT has been set up you can use. Access it online.

Conclusion

The PROTECT rubric provides a structured approach for K-12 technology leaders to assess and improve student data privacy practices. It does so by focusing on parental rights, data retention, and security measures. This makes it easier to create a safer digital learning environment.

The TCEA PROTECT rubric can help you as a K-12 technology leader to safeguard student data privacy as you implement innovative solutions. Establish the TCEA PROTECT process in your school district today. If you need assistance, please reach out to Director of Professional Development, Miguel Guhlin at mguhlin@tcea.org.

Additional Resources

Student Data Privacy Consortium: Privacy resources and tools (K-12)
Protecting Privacy in Connected Learning: Toolkit for school system leaders (K-12)
Future of Privacy Forum: K-12 privacy research and guidance (K-12)

Cybersecurity Best Practices for Schools: Essential security measures for K-12 institutions
Digital Citizenship in the Classroom: Teaching students responsible online behavior

August 23, 2024 2 comments

Author created image featuring the title, a small robot AI in front of a laptop with TCEA on it

AI/VR

Five Digital AI Tools: Tech Trends Impacting Education

by Miguel Guhlin August 16, 2024

written by Miguel Guhlin

Keeping up with tech advances in schools is a challenge. But these recent digital AI tool breakthroughs are sure to grab your attention!

AI-assisted teaching aids for K-12 classrooms are evolving fast. Let’s explore five game-changing innovations, including Claude’s Creative Canvas, Playlab’s Interactive Lessons, Perplexity’s Knowledge Hub, Poe’s Sneak Peek Feature, and ChatGPT’s Tailored Tutoring!

But before we jump into those, let’s review some policy reminders.

Using Digital AI Tools in the Classroom

Every day, it sounds like AI is knocking on the classroom door. But in an age of such digital progress, it’s important to stay on top of current policies and ethics. Whenever using AI-generated content, be sure to:

Verify for accuracy and appropriateness.
Be critical in evaluating information from AI sources.
Use AI to supplement your work, an interactive process to assist your own thinking.
Ensure compliance with COPPA, CIPA, and FERPA. Avoid under 13 use and be transparent.
Emphasize digital citizenship and ethical use of AI technology.

When using AI, always rank student safety over novelty.

Now that that’s covered, let’s see how these digital AI tools can impact your work in teaching and learning.

1 – Claude Artifacts: Collaborative AI Workspaces

Anthropic’s Claude Artifacts enable you to create standalone content. You can now get Claude.ai to write code, then publish it to others. One example includes this educational hangman game.

When accessing a copy of the Claude.ai published version, you’ll need to save the code to your computer before renaming the file and viewing it in a browser. This is done to protect Claude from bad actors sending it nefarious code. Claude.ai’s instructions are clear, too:

This version is now playable directly in a web browser. To publish it, you would just need to save this HTML file and host it on a web server or file hosting service that can serve HTML files.
Remixing a Hangman Game, Claude.ai Artifact

You can easily remix a hangman game like the one above into another similar version, such as this Scientific Method Hangman game (save and rename as “hangman.htm” before opening in your browser). Another example is the vocabulary match-up activity below.

Author screenshot of Claude.ai generated content

Note that this wasn’t a perfect solution from the get-go. I had to interact with Claude.ai to get the desired result. Give the vocabulary match-up above a spin. Save it to your computer, then open it in your browser.

Classroom Application

Try the Science Vocabulary Hangman Game (save file to your computer or smartphone then view in web browser). Here are a few examples. Use this link to get a copy of all my attempts in a zipped file (extract the files then view each in your browser). Here’s the version I finally ended up with:

Explore science vocabulary via Hangman game

AI Data Storage: You can choose to exclude your data from AI model training. This grants some measure of privacy.

2 – Playlab.ai: AI-Powered Educational Tools

A new platform as of 2024, Playlab.ai sells itself as a tool for educators. Educators can create safe, school-wide educational tools. It allows you to create new apps tailored to specific needs. The site currently offers a waitlist you can join to explore the software.

You can join Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to explore the use of Playlab.ai. Apply by August 20, 2024.

Screenshot of Playlab.ai video — Screenshot of **Playlab.ai video**

Although Playlab.ai is not yet available, one possible use might be the one suggested below and featured on the Playlab.ai website:

AI Data Storage: You can review Playlab.ai’s privacy policy, service terms online. Playlab states that they may use de-identified and aggregated Personal Information. The developers use this to support scientific and academic research. Users can request deletion of data via email (email: dsar@playlab.ai). Data is not sold or rent personal information to third parties. and to advance educational AI

Classroom Application

History teachers can develop customized AI-powered quiz games. These can be about ancient civilizations or other, similar topics. With this increased interactivity, teachers can adapt the activity each student’s knowledge level, which can lend itself to personalized learning experiences via blended learning playlists. And, it can even be done in line with curricular standards. For younger students, teachers can craft simplified versions with appropriate content filters.

Explore Machine Learning for Teachers

3 – Perplexity Pages: Comprehensive AI-Generated Articles

Perplexity introduced Pages on May 30, 2024. Pages enables you to transform your searches for information into online, appealing content. One aspect about Perplexity Pages that is note-worthy is that you can easily blend in images to illustrate key points. Here’s an example of a Perplexity Page on Introducing AI Chatbots to Students:

Screenshot of a Perplexity Page example generated by author

This multimedia element adds a powerful component. Unfortunately, Pages requires a paid account and does not (as of 7/10/24) allow Pages on mobile apps. The desktop version of the browser app makes use of a variety of language learning models (LLMs). The list of LLMs includes Claude 3.5 Sonnet, Claude 3 Opus, Sonar Large 32K, and GPT-4o (Omni).

AI Data Storage: You can choose to exclude your data from AI model training. This grants some measure of privacy.

Classroom Application

High school students can use Perplexity Pages to compile and present research findings in a professional format. Teachers can guide students in a critical evaluation of AI-generated content. This could encourage fact-checking and editing to develop crucial digital literacy skills. For example, have students use an approach such as FLOATER or SIFT.

Discover Educational Technology Trends via this Perplexity Page

4 – Poe Previews: Interactive Web Applications in Chat

Developers released Poe Previews on July 8, 2024. It enables users to interact with web applications. As the user, you can generate the web apps from previous chat conversations. This feature works with advanced language models like Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4o, and Gemini 1.5 Pro. This feature is similar to Claude’s Artifacts, but works with a vast array of language learning models available via Poe.

AI Data Storage: You can choose to exclude your data from AI model training. This grants some measure of privacy.

Classroom Application

Math teachers can create interactive geometry demonstrations using Poe Previews. Students can manipulate these visualizations in real-time. You can also set up environments where you assist students in exploring complex concepts. This might include transformations or properties of shapes in a hands-on, digital environment. For younger students, teachers can pre-screen and approve appropriate interactive content, or use it in small groups. See the flashcard example linked below.

AI-Powered Personalized Learning Flashcards with Poe Previews

5- ChatGPT Custom Instructions: Personalized AI Interactions

ChatGPT’s Custom Instructions became available to free users on August 9, 2023. You are able to provide specific guidelines to the AI. The benefit is that you can create tailored directions aligned with lesson objectives. ChatGPT offers custom GPTs you can create and share with students.

Be sure to check this blog entry for creating specific custom GPTs.

AI Data Storage: You can choose to exclude your data from AI model training. This grants some measure of privacy.

Classroom Application

Teachers can set up custom instructions for ChatGPT to align with lesson objectives or allow for age-appropriate responses. A math teacher can use a custom GPT to ease students’ understanding of a problem. The custom GPT could provide support via an interactive problem with scaffolded support. Or, use something like James Herwig’s Texas 4th Grade Math Teacher’s Assistant.

Sixth Grade Math Assistant: A Custom GPT for Teachers

Digital AI Tools and Tech Trends

You’ve seen a few ways that AI can make coding possible in a K-12 classroom for instructional purposes. Claude.ai, for example, makes it a simple matter to create tailored educational games. Why not give these a try? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

August 16, 2024 0 comment

Newer Posts

Older Posts

Miguel Guhlin

Source #1: YouTube Videos

Use ChatGPT to Generate a Quiz

Prompt Example

Grabbing Videos from Other Sources

Source #2: Other Video Sources

Quiz Question Creation: Three Easy Steps

Step 1: Get the Audio from a Video

Step 2: Use an AI Service to Create a Transcript

Step 3: Upload Text Transcript of Audio

Prompt Example

Using AI to Create Quizzes for Videos

Why Critical Thinking?

Problems Perspectives Among Educators

Short-Circuited Thinking: AI in Schools

The Paul-Elder Critical Thinking Framework

Critical Thinking (CT) Framework for AI

Problems from the Field

Problem #1: Curriculum Straitjacket

Problem #2: Discipline Tug-of-War

Problem #3: Achievement Chasm

The Solutions

Critical Thinking for Leaders

Why You Need the SHINE Framework

Introducing the SHINE Framework

Tough Questions, Easy Answers

SHINE Framework Questions

Suitability (S)

Human Oversight (H)

Insight into Data (I)

Necessity and Novelty (N)

Ethics and Equity (E)

SHINE in Action

SHINE: Lighting the Way to Responsible AI Adoption

Reviewing Responsible AI Adoption Phases

School Organizational Self-Assessment

Moving Towards Your Target

Shifting from Phase One to Phase Two

Transitioning from Phase Two to Three

Stepping from Phase Three to Four

Progressing from Phase Four to Phase 5

About Storynest.ai

1. AI-Powered Story Creation: Your Digital Writing Partner

2. AI Narration of Stories

3. Create Comic Storyboards and a Community Share Space

Enhancing Teaching with Storynest.ai

Guided Activities for Using Storynest.ai in the Classroom

Storynest.ai: Reshaping Storytelling

Key Benefits of AI Collections

The PLAN Approach for Leveraging AI

P – Prepare

Creating Custom Instructions

L – Leverage

AI Collection Size

A – Adapt

N – Navigate

Leveraging AI as a Teaching Assistant

Key Points

Categories

Data Privacy and Security

AI as a Supplemental Tool

Critical Thinking and Media Literacy

TCEA Essential Learning Expectations

Responsible AI Adoption

Embracing Technology Integration

Fostering Digital Literacy

Promoting Inclusive Learning Environments

Essential Learning Expectations

Guided Activities

Three Key Points for K-12 Technology Leaders

1. Prioritize Parental Rights and Transparency

2. Implement Robust Data Retention and Deletion Policies

3. Enhance Security Measures

Introducing the TCEA PROTECT Rubric

PROTECT Rubric Components

Implement the TCEA PROTECT Process

How To Get Started

How To Use TCEA PROTECT With AI Support

Scorer: Claude.ai (Pro version)

Scorer: Perplexity.ai (Pro version)