Want your art creations to sparkle? You may find yourself reaching for an AI digital art tool to create content. But which should you reach for? AI art tools are at a premium. For educators on a tight budget, paying $10-$30 a month for access is too much. Even for those who want to “freshen up” their digital newsletters, the cost may be too high. Let’s take a quick look at a few solutions that are free to start out using. But first, let’s take a look at how to create a prompt.
Update: This blog entry now includes how to generate amazing art with Canva’s Magic Studio and AI Apps. Scroll down to see more. If you have Canva for Education or a Pro account, you may NOT need some of the other AI Creator tools listed, except for variety.
Crafting an AI Art Prompt
When generating art with AI, having a good prompt is a must. Working to perfect your prompt and including details will ensure that your generated AI art matches what you’re looking for. Some suggestions for prompt writing:
Describe the content of the image
Describe the subject
Add relevant details
Describe the form and style
Define the composition
Additionally, using adjectives and involving other AI tools, like Claude.ai, can aid you in prompt-making. With that in mind, I decided to use a standard prompt to test out several AI art generators. I consulted Claude to help me. Since I like owls, here’s my prompt and the prompt generated by Claude in response:
Screenshot by author, Claude.ai
Test Prompt Text: “An oil painting portrait of a large wise grey hooded owl with intelligent yellow eyes emerging from darkness, covered in an intricate arcane robe embroidered with ancient Norse runes and symbols glowing with power. The owl’s feathers and robe flow abstractly in dramatic volumetric lighting and misty atmosphere, rendered in an abstract expressionist style with thick gestural brushstrokes and paint textures.”
Although still under wraps, you can request Leonardo.ai access. My experience involved a short three-minute wait. Then, I logged in with my Google Workspace for Education account.
Screenshot by author, Leonardo.ai
This beautifully designed website features inspiring images. Some points shared during the welcome guide:
The featured models highlight various image generation styles. Select one and begin creating images with it yourself.
Use text, image prompts, or image-to-image to create new 2D images.
Explore features like Leonardo Alchemy and Prompt Magic v2.
Post-process your images with features that include upscaling, unzooming, and background removal.
Struggling to come up with prompt ideas? Toggle from Image Generation to Prompt Generation.
You can see that Leonardo.ai’s interface is quite rich:
Screenshot by author, Leonardo.ai
From start to finish, the text prompt appeared within two minutes. I turned the images generated into an animated GIF:
Animated GIF of images created by Leonardo AI with a prompt by the author
I loved Leonardo’s AI art creations. You might see these gracing the cover of a class anthology on fantasy writing.
Microsoft Bing’s Image Creator has been my go-to for AI art based on text prompts. It relies on DALL-E to do the heavy lifting. It’s also easy to use, and it’s fast. While previous AI art creators took up to two to three minutes, Bing Image Creator generates in seconds.
This lightning-fast AI art generator offers one image in response to the prompt. You can see they have a simple interface that lets you get started quick:
Screenshot by the author: NightCafe Home Page
Here’s their stunning creation:
But Wait, There are TWO More!
#6 – Canva Magic Studio
If you’ve read about Canva Magic Studio, you know that it can’t be left out of the pack. It offers so much more capabilities for AI-powered art generation that rival all the tools shown above. Let’s take a quick tour of what’s possible.
Canva’s Magic Media, a tool in the Magic Studio and also known as “text to image,” offers the best image generation. You can choose from multiple styles. What’s more, Canva’s Magic Media generates FOUR images to the standard one or two that other apps render. Take a look:
You get over 400 credits that renew monthly, so you can generate a lot of images with Canva’s Magic Media. But it isn’t the only AI-art generator you get access to. Here are a few more creations from DALL*E, Google’s Imagen, and Mojo AI. Of these, Mojo AI provides 75 credits when you register for free, but expends 4 credits to generate two images. Of course, I found Mojo AI’s creations to be the best of the second bunch, but unable to match Canva’s Magic Media.
Here’s a video of the process I went through to generate these (about 8 minutes):
If you haven’t explored LEAP, you definitely need to give a hard look. While it only allows 10 free uses, the images appear realistic, like this one below:
Of course, you can also get an output like this one:
Assessing AI Art
Want to assess AI-generated art? Consider the points these authors make:
Assessing the artness of AI-generated images continues to be a challenge within the realm of image generation. Most existing metrics cannot be used to perform instance-level and reference-free artness evaluation.
Source: Chen, An, Lyu, Luo, Learning to Evaluate the Artness of AI-generated Images via ArXiv
Another important consideration? Copyright. Did you see the ruling from DC District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell? Judge Howell ruled:
United States District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell ruled on Friday that AI-generated artwork can’t be copyrighted, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter. She was presiding over a lawsuit against the US Copyright Office
Copyright law has “never stretched so far” to “protect works generated by new forms of technology operating absent any guiding human hand,” U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell found.
How do you propose to address the use of AI art in your classroom or workplace?
These AI art generators are terrific, and there are even more out there. As you might imagine, these are a boon to any student author looking for a quick cover for a book or publication. You can easily combine images like this with others to get incredible results. These tools are especially attractive to writers who can’t draw well. Which one do you plan to try first?
Featured Image: Owl generated from author’s prompt using Microsoft Bing Image creator
The weeks before school gets out for any break are probably not the best time for deep learning or introducing new content. Students (and the teachers) are already thinking about being out and dreaming of what they will do during the break. But what can we do to ensure learning is still happening? Well, it’s a great time to create a variety of quizzes for reviewing content introduced throughout the year and to practice discussion skills while working in teams. To make these tasks easier, let’s explore a variety of AI tools for making quizzes.
This is by far my favorite AI tool for making quizzes, especially if I want to quiz students using a particular platform. QuestionWell will create the questions and export them to the following platforms: Quizizz, Kahoot, Canvas, Schoology, Moodle, Gimkit, Blooket, Quizlet,Google Forms, Google Slides, Blackboard, Microsoft Forms, Socrative, and Microsoft Word. You currently can’t do this with Google Bard, ChatGPT, or Microsoft Bing. Start by identifying the topic, content, and grade level. If you have text you want questions based on, you can provide it, but it isn’t necessary. In the free version of QuestionWell, you can create a multiple-choice quiz with 20 questions. Once the questions are generated, select which ones you want to include in the quiz. Then, choose the export destination. Voila!
MagicSchool
Screenshot by Emily Horn: MagicSchool.AI Home Page
MagicSchool is an excellent interface that gives you the benefit of identifying the grade level target for your audience. It’s a solid AI tool for making quizzes. Granted, you could easily put it in your prompt, but no need to do that with MagicSchool. MagicSchool offers a lot of tools, which is great for folks who aren’t interested in learning how to create effective prompts. I chose the Multiple Choice Assessment Generator tool. For my quiz, I selected 5th grade, identified 10 questions, and shared the prompt in the description area. The quiz questions were neatly generated to the right of the prompt with an answer key following. I was impressed with the questions and layout on the first try.
Using Major AI Assistants
ChatGPT, Claude, Bard, and Perplexity Logos
Not all AI assistants are created equal. While one may be phenomenal on a particular task, it might falter and really miss the mark on a completely different type of task. So, when creating a quiz, try your prompt on several different AI assistants. I wanted to try out the top AI tools to see how they fair for making quizzes. Here is an example prompt that I used and the first results generated by four different AI assistants. I reviewed the first response to the prompt below; I did not ask it to regenerate a response. My goal was to find a tool that creates the best product on the first try.
The Results
Prompt: Create a 10-question multiple choice quiz on [SUBJECT]. For each question, there should be four answer choices. Create an answer key that identifies the correct answer but also gives a sentence for each wrong answer as to why it is wrong. SUBJECT = Christmas traditions
Claude: Overall, Anthropic’s Claude did an excellent job as an AI tool for making quizzes. Instead of giving me a sentence for each wrong answer explaining why it was wrong, it gave me a sentence that shared why all three wrong answers were wrong. It wasn’t necessarily poorly done, but it didn’t exactly follow my explicit prompt as written.
ChatGPT: I ran the prompt in 3.5 and 4. With GPT4, it didn’t surprise me that it produced the format exactly as I asked in my prompt. The quiz questions were given first with an answer key following the quiz, which is convenient if I want to copy/paste into another program and keep questions and answers separate. When I ran the prompt in GPT3.5, it intermingled the answer key with the quiz. Out of the two, I would opt for ChatGPT Plus (4) as an AI tool for making quizzes if I have a choice.
Bard: I like Bard, but I was disappointed with the results. It stopped in mid-sentence on question 9. And, of the nine questions produced before stopping, answer choice “A” was the correct answer for seven of them. If I were giving this to my students, I would need to do additional work to randomize the answers and produce additional questions.
Perplexity: Perplexity did the nicest job out of these four AI tools when it comes to making quizzes. It generated the quiz first with the answer key at the end. If I were using this with my students, it would make it easier to copy/paste to a Google Doc or other medium for sharing without needing to pull out the correct/wrong answer information with each question.
Which Should You Use?
If you want to write your prompt and use an AI assistant to create your product, I recommend ChatGPT4 or Perplexity. These two would require the least amount of edits and work on your part. I was surprised to notice that there were a lot of questions common across the tools, though some were unique. However, if you want an excellent interface where you don’t have to create or tweak prompts, you will find QuestionWell and MagicSchool to be great options. Which AI tool will you try for making quizzes? Tell us and share your prompt in the comments below!
I’m blown away by the speed at which AI is advancing and by what AI can do. There seems to be a new AI tool out every minute! While I think it’s all very exciting, and I am eager to explore, learn, and try new AI tools, I recently realized one massively important thing: I don’t really understand AI. Do you find yourself to be in the same boat? I mean, I enjoy using AI tools daily. But how does AI work? What are its limitations? Am I using it in the best ways possible? If you’re asking yourself similar questions, here are a few free AI courses that might interest you. Let’s take a look.
This free AI course, led by Andrew Ng, an internationally recognized AI leader, is a three-hour introductory course on generative AI. According to the website, you will:
Learn what generative AI is
Discover what it can and cannot do
Explore how to use it in your own world/business
Debunk misinformation about generative AI and think through how to use this technology best
Learn best practices for learning and explore whether or not generative AI would be useful
The course is broken into three weeks. Each week covers one hour of material through two lessons composed of several videos. Each lesson ends with a quiz and additional reading is provided each week. The course slides are downloadable, even if you don’t enroll in the course, but you must submit your email to download them.
Access Google’s free AI course in English, Spanish, French, Indonesian, Italian, or Portuguese! You can take the course at your own pace, or you can join a public classroom if you prefer a live instructor. In this introductory AI course, Google lists four main objectives:
Define Generative AI
Explain How Generative AI Works
Describe Generative AI Model Types
Describe Generative AI Applications
Considered to be a microlearning course, it consists of a 22-minute video, required reading, and ends with a quiz. Plus, you earn a badge upon completion! By the end, you’ll be able to explain what Generative AI is and how to use it.
Want to dive deeper into the world of prompting? Then this is the free AI course for you! This is a short, one-hour class designed for beginner to advanced users. Led by Isa Fulford and Andrew Ng, DeepLearning.AI states that in this course you will:
Learn prompt engineering best practices for application development
Discover new ways to use LLMs, including how to build your own custom chatbot
Gain hands-on practice writing and iterating on prompts yourself using the OpenAI API
If you’re interested in these objectives, you’ll want to hurry and sign up to get the course for free! It’s only free for a limited time. Here is a video with Isa and Andrew explaining this AI course:
Ok, so this isn’t like the other free AI courses. It’s more like fifty little courses in one. This comprehensive guide by Rundown.AI offers a plethora of tutorials on everything from ChatGPT job interview prep to analyzing data with ChatGPT and so much more. It is truly a wealth of knowledge. It also offers the following four databases. I highly recommend checking this one out!
This free AI course is self-paced and offered online through December 31, 2024. But you will need to click Learn More to see when there is a session available. This introductory seven-week course is a bit longer than the others, requiring around 10-30 hours per week, depending on how quickly you work through it. It is recommended that you have prior experience with Python if you sign up. According to the site, students finish the course with “experience in libraries for machine learning as well as knowledge of artificial intelligence principles that enable them to design intelligent systems of their own.” Topics covered include:
In a world where AI is the fastest-growing field in computer science, it’s important that we as educators understand it and stay up-to-date. By boosting our own knowledge and skills related to AI, we can better prepare the future generation to be creators, guardians, and responsible users of AI. Do any of these free AI courses pique your interest? Which one will you be trying out?
Want to explore AI alongside other educators in similar roles? Check out the sessions being offered at TCEA’s 2024 Convention & Exposition! Sign up before January 13 to get $50 off a full conference badge.
As educators, we can enhance students’ access and knowledge of using AI strategically as an academic tool, or we can hinder it. Larry Cuban, professor emeritus of education at Stanford University, has stated frankly that teachers are the gatekeepersof technology. As such, there are several ways that we can play a pivotal role in bridging the digital divide as it relates to AI. But what does that mean?
What is the digital divide?
The term “digital divide” emerged in the mid-1990s and gained prominence towards the end of the decade. It was first used in its current context to describe the gap between those with and without access to digital technology and the Internet. One of the earliest and most influential reports to bring attention to the digital divide concept was the Falling Through the Net series, published by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), starting in 1995.
These reports played a significant role in popularizing the term and bringing the issue to the forefront of public policy discussions. The term “digital divide” quickly became a key concept in discussions about internet access, technology policy, and social inequality, and it remains a critical issue in the digital age, continually evolving as technology advances and access issues change.
What causes the digital divide?
The digital divide is made worse when disparities (economic, geographical, educational, and/or support systems) occur. These disparities often occur over time and may be hard to resolve without intentional focus and effort. Now that AI has burst on the scene, many fret that it may increase the digital divide that currently exists. In actuality, it is not the technology (Internet, devices, AI, etc.) that is increasing the divide but those in charge of the technology, funding, and legislation.
Let’s look at several key ways educators can work to bridge the digital divide.
1. Promote Digital Literacy Across the Board
Bridge the digital divide by working to ensure that all students, regardless of their background, have a strong foundation in digital literacy. This includes not only the basics of computer use but also an understanding of how AI works and its implications for society. By integrating digital literacy into the curriculum at all levels, teachers can help students become savvy digital citizens and prepare them for a future where AI is ubiquitous. This could involve hands-on projects, critical discussions about technology, and lessons on digital ethics and safety.
2. Advocate for Equitable Access to Technology
You can be a powerful advocate for change within the education system and reduce the digital divide by voicing the need for equitable access to technology. You can push for policies and funding that provide all students with the devices and internet access needed to benefit from AI educational tools. This might mean lobbying for school budgets to include provisions for technology, seeking grants or partnerships with tech companies, or working with community organizations to set up after-school programs that offer access to AI resources.
3. Design an Inclusive AI Curriculum
When educators are involved in designing and implementing AI educational tools, they can ensure that these resources are inclusive and cater to a diverse student body, decreasing the digital divide. This means advocating for AI that is designed with diverse datasets and algorithms that are free from bias. It also means creating lesson plans that use AI to support all students, including those with special needs or those who speak different languages. By tailoring the use of AI to meet the needs of all learners, you can help prevent the technology from becoming another barrier to education.
As educators, we have the power to shape the future of our students in this rapidly evolving digital age. Let’s use our role as gatekeepers of technology and advocates for equitable access. I encourage you to integrate digital literacy into your curriculum, champion inclusive AI tools, and strive for a classroom where every student has the opportunity to thrive. Together, we can bridge the digital divide and create a brighter future for all our students.
Additional Reading: AI and Education in the News
How AI Could Bring Big Changes to Education — And How to Avoid Worst-Case Scenarios
Educators are adapting to AI like ChatGPT, debating its dual impact on cheating and time-saving. A study by scholars anticipates AI’s potential to reshape society, posing questions on education’s role. Scenarios envisage AI altering knowledge work and challenging literacy’s relevance. The study urges proactive measures by leaders to harness AI’s benefits and avoid worst-case outcomes. Discussions emphasize the necessity for comprehensive preparation amid AI’s evolving role in education and society. >> Read more
Khan Academy CEO Says Using AI in Education is ‘An Imperative’ at Harvard-MIT Event
Sal Khan, CEO of Khan Academy, emphasized AI’s crucial role in education at a Harvard-MIT event. Reflecting on the launch of ChatGPT and Khan Academy’s AI chatbot “Khanmigo,” he noted initial skepticism but highlighted their benefits in guiding students through exercises and preventing plagiarism in essays. Khan envisioned AI’s impact on job roles, suggesting a shift towards higher-level tasks. He also discussed AI’s potential influence on filmmaking and proposed redirecting AI use toward positive educational aims.
How Generative AI Is Changing Employee Productivity
Chief product officer of Discovery Education, Pete Weir, shared insights with Business Insider on integrating generative AI to streamline tasks, improve productivity, and guide employee exploration within company boundaries. Weir discussed AI’s role in aggregating feedback efficiently and cautioned against undue tech adoption. He emphasized a strategic approach, ethical use, and clear communication while harnessing AI’s potential to enhance educational support and not replace teachers.
How do I assess learning when generative AI can complete traditional assessments with a high level of accuracy? This seems to be on every educator’s mind, for good reason. I propose one solution: modern assessments!
What Is Modern Assessment?
Modern assessments exhibit the following key characteristics. They are formative or summative assessments of learning that:
Appeal to the students’ world of instant answers, rapidly evolving technologies, and sharing with authentic audiences via social media
Bring what students do in their spare time into the classroom
Purposefully amplify the human advantage by focusing on synthesizing information and using it to create visual, multimedia products
Allow for collaboration with AI (and/or fellow learners) but cannot be completed fully by AI
By requiring students to create, think critically, and problem solve, modern assessments are AI copy-and-paste-proof!
Explain in a series of Snaps or a Snapchat video what characteristics identify art from the Impressionist movement. You must:
Provide at least three examples of Impressionist art. Use these three examples to identify the characteristics described. Use annotation to specifically point out these characteristics.
Use an AI image generator to create an example of Impressionist art exemplifying the characteristics of Impressionism. Explain how your AI-generated image exemplifies these characteristics. Make sure to label the AI-generated image appropriately.
*AI-generated image created with Canva
Snaps are the output of the app called Snapchat. Snaps can be images or videos, which makes it easy to integrate them into many learning outcomes easy. There is almost always text, images, annotations/drawings, and stickers over the top of the image or video.
While it is possible for students to seek answers from an AI chatbot regarding the identifying characteristics of art from the Impressionist movement, the true essence of this assessment lies in their ability to comprehend and synthesize that information into an authentic creation. Through original thought and creative expression, students engage in the process of crafting a unique final product. Adding annotations is key to ensuring the thinking is student-generated and one reason why Snaps are a great format for modern assessments.
This is also a great example of how we can collaborate with AI. It’s our new world, and collaborating with AI both in and out of the classroom is a skill students must learn.
Tools for Creating Student Snaps
I recommend three tools for creating school-friendly Snaps:
Among the numerous tools available for student creation, Canva for Education stands out as a top choice. I have even created a Canva Snap template to make it as easy as possible. Simply copy the template or share this template directly with students. Then, add your own content.
Additionally, you can easily recreate the Snap template in Adobe Express.
Google Slides or Microsoft PowerPoint
Yes, you can create so much more than slideshows in Google Slides and PowerPoint! Use this slides Snap template. If you would like it in Microsoft PowerPoint form go to File>Download>Microsoft PowerPoint.
This is the best option for younger students. Use the “portrait” style book to get the “look” of a Snap. Then, each page of the book becomes one Snap.
Snapchat Videos
Adding student voice via a Snap video even further ensures integrity and comprehension of assessments. You can create Snapchat videos directly in Canva. Canva has a screen record feature that will allow students to add their voice over the Snap. Book Creator offers an integrated screen recorder feature as well for easy addition of student voice. For slide creations, use a screencasting tool such as ScreenPal or Screencastify.
Single Point Rubrics for Modern Assessments
I often receive the question: “These modern assessments sound great, but how do I assess them?” The answer is simple: single point rubrics! Well, the answer is really rubrics, but I am particularly fond of single point rubrics. A single point rubric includes a single column that indicates expectations for proficiency. Here is an example single point rubric for the impressionist art Snap assessment:
Areas for Improvement
Criteria for Proficiency
Areas That Exceed Expectations
Provides at least three clear examples of Impressionist art.
Uses the three examples to accurately identify the characteristics of Impressionist art.
Creates an image using an AI generator that clearly exemplifies Impressionist characteristics.
Provides a clear explanation of how the AI-generated image showcases the characteristics of Impressionism.
The AI-generated image is appropriately labeled, indicating it was generated by AI.
There are many benefits to using a single-point rubric over other rubric types:
Less text
Easier for students to read
Easier for students to find expectations
Easier and faster for teachers to make
Easier and faster for teachers to provide feedback
Have a generative AI tool, such as ChatGPT, help you create single-point rubrics for your modern assessments. This example rubric was generated by ChatGPT when I used this prompt:
Please create a single point rubric for this assessment: <enter assessment instructions<.
More Snap Ideas
Labs: #LabSnaps show the steps to complete a hands-on lab or explain one step of the lab in detail. #LabSnaps can also explain the safety elements of lab equipment. Any content area that completes hands-on labs could use this idea: science, woodworking, automotive, culinary arts, interior design, or fashion design.
Music: Create Snap videos of music excerpts and explain where and why accents were added. Or create a Snap video of how to clean and care for an instrument.
Health: Create Snaps to demonstrate correct positions for stretching, weightlifting, or sports techniques.
English/Language arts: #BookSnaps are a great way to summarize any text from an assigned reading or explain figurative language. The annotations and audio components will ensure the summaries are in the students’ words.
World languages: Create a Snap video of a conversation in another language and add captions.
Culinary arts: Create #FoodSnaps to analyze specific elements of a dish: plating, taste, texture, etc.
I hope this article sparked ideas for using Snaps with your students to assess their learning and put their critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills to use. How will you get started with modern assessments in your classroom?
Article Summary by ChatGPT
In response to AI’s capability to ace traditional assessments, the blog introduces “modern assessments” that prioritize critical thinking and creativity, making them resistant to AI replication. These assessments require students to synthesize information into multimedia products, exemplified by the “Snaps” task where students explain Impressionist art characteristics. Tools like Canva, Google Slides, and PowerPoint are recommended for creating these assessments. To ensure authenticity, students can reflect via screencast videos.
One of the most tedious tasks a teacher endures is lesson plan creation. Some draconian school districts make teachers turn in lesson plans. It’s such a contentious issue that school unions make it a plank in their platform. What if you could turn this tedious task into a fun exploration of the possible? Now, with AI-powered lesson plan generators, that’s easy to do. Let’s explore my top five lesson plan generators.
Did You Know?
Have you read the blog entry, Prompts for Lesson Planning with ChatGPT?Get access to an editable prompt template and a variety of prompts for several content areas.
A Quick Checklist
Wish you had a checklist to assess these AI lesson plan generators? Here’s a checklist I came up with that outlines what I’m looking for in these tools. You may be looking for something different, so feel free to customize the checklist for your own use.
No account creation necessary. Who wants to create yet another account?
Single sign-on (SSO). If login is required, will it allow me to sync up to Google or Microsoft?
Copy and paste. Is it easy to copy the lesson plan format to another doc or platform (e.g. Google Docs, MS Word, etc.)?
TEKS alignment. Does this lesson plan document sync with state or national standards?
Lesson plan format. Is the generated lesson plan organized into elements included in traditional lesson formats?
Many lesson plan formats follow Madeline Hunter’s lesson elements. You might expect to see some of these elements in the lesson plans AI tools can generate.
AI Prompt
When possible, I used a prompt similar to the one that appears below to test each of these AI lesson plan generators:
Write a lesson plan for Texas sixth grade classroom that addresses the following TEKS:
The student understands the factors that influence the locations and characteristics of locations of various contemporary societies on maps and/or globes. The student is expected to:
(A) identify and explain the geographic factors responsible for patterns of population in places and regions;
(B) explain ways in which human migration influences the character of places and regions;
(C) identify and locate major physical and human geographic features such as landforms, water bodies, and urban centers of various places and regions; and
(D) identify the location of major world countries for each of the world regions.
The website makes it easy to copy your lesson plan into your device’s clipboard. At that point, you can paste it into a word processor for further editing/revision. The history, civics, and geography subjects are limited to India, so you won’t get US-relevant lessons for those. Science, math, and English are other topics available.
A little bit more robust than the option above, you can see examples for all grade levels (K-12). In order to see the full lesson plan, you must create an account, but you can create an account using a Google login or sign up via email.
As you might expect, ChatGPT does a nice job generating lesson plans. One of the best features of ChatGPT, aside from ease of use, is how it groups activities and offers a time range for each.
For example, a “locating Major Historical and Contemporary Societies” activity takes about 15 minutes. You can see some of the key expectations below:
Locating Major Historical and Contemporary Societies (15 minutes)
Distribute world maps and globes to the students.
Review latitude and longitude and how they are used to determine absolute location.
Teach the students how to locate various major historical and contemporary societies on the maps and globes.
Have the students practice locating and labeling these societies on their own.
This AI works quite well. You can attach up to five files of 100 mb each, including PDF and TXT. When asked to generate a lesson plan, what it came up with actually referenced specific TEKS. Claude divided the lesson plan in these ways:
Lesson Title
TEKS Addressed
Objectives
Materials
Procedures
Assessment
Accommodations
While it could have provided a little more information on assessments, it’s an easy item to follow-up on. I prompted Claude.ai with this:
Come up with two exit ticket sets of questions that address these TEKS:
6.2A – Locate various major historical and contemporary societies on maps and globes using latitude and longitude to determine absolute location
6.2B – Identify and explain geographic factors responsible for patterns of population in places and regions
6.2C – Explain ways human migration influences the character of places and regions
6.2D – Identify and explain factors responsible for the location of economic activities in places and regions
6.2E – Draw sketch maps that illustrate various places and regions
And, it generated the following:
Exit Ticket Set 1
Using latitude and longitude, locate two major societies on a world map. (6.2A)
Explain two geographic factors that lead to population patterns in Asia. (6.2B)
How has migration from rural to urban areas influenced the character of cities? Explain. (6.2C)
What are two factors that determine where manufacturing facilities are located? (6.2D)
Exit Ticket Set 2
Label the following items on a world map: The Sahara Desert, Mount Everest, Rio de Janeiro, Cairo. (6.2A)
How does access to fresh water impact population patterns? Explain. (6.2B)
Give one example of how immigration has shaped the culture of a place or region. (6.2C)
Why are major seaports often located where they are? What geographic factors determine their location? (6.2D)
Draw a simple sketch map of Europe, labeling at least 5 countries. (6.2E)
Again, what I like about this is how Claude labeled the items. It tied each exit ticket question to a specific TEKS.
The AutoClassmate website offers some great AI-powered tools. They describe their service in this way:
The Auto Classmate AI-Powered Lesson Plan Generator will enable you to create a highly-customizable, editable, and unique Lesson Plan to implement in your classroom.
The Lesson Plan Generator allows you to easily align your lesson plan with state standards with the click of a button. Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4, this lesson planning tool will revolutionize the way you create content for your classroom.
After using our AI Lesson Planning tool, you will also be able to have conversations about your lesson plan with our AI-Powered Instructional Coach Chatbot.
Screenshot by the author: Auto Classmate, Home Page
As you can see, it offers the ability to align lessons to state standards. You can see what the GPT-3.5 version comes up with. The GPT-4 version requires an account, and pricing is $10 a month.
Other Lesson Plan Generators
More lesson plan generators are appearing every single day. Here are a few more teacher-recommended AI lesson plan generators for your consideration.
Please be aware that they may have free trials but could cost money for extended usage.
“You can do magic. I know you can,” the whisper in my ear said. Of course, that was the realization that Canva’s Magic Studio makes magic possible. Oh, not real magic like wizards and dragons, but the ability to bend reality to your will. That’s right, with Canva’s Magic Studio, you can adapt images and content to your will. Let’s discover and explore:
The elements of Canva’s Magic Studio.
Classroom Magic, a collection of terrific resources for educators.
BONUS:Listen to the Magic playlist while you read this blog entry. It will put you in the mood to do some “magic!”
The Elements of Canva Magic Studio
Canva has organized AI-powered tools into Magic Studio and they are adding more every day. These tools distinguish themselves in that you can use them to create and transform images, text, and video rather than just edit or adapt them. A new offering includes Classroom Magic, not featured in the elements chart below due to it being so new. Let’s review these AI-powered tools one by one.
Ever wish you could easily transform a presentation into a blog post? Or turn a Facebook post into an Instagram Reel? Or perhaps you’d like to turn a presentation slide into a whiteboard. Or translate content from your native language to another on the fly. Well, you can do it all in Canva with Magic Switch. It’s like having a genie that turns your designs into a summary, blog post, or song, and then translates them into another language! Take a look at all these options that allow you to transform one type of content into another seamlessly.
Here’s what Magic Switch’s Translate option looks like:
That’s right, Magic Switch makes all these tasks possible from within Canva. No need to go anywhere else! Transform into Doc is one of my favorite tools because you can turn a presentation into a blog post, summary, or really, anything.
Screenshot by author, Canva
For example, I asked it to transform my Canva presentation, You Can Do Magic, into a blog post. You can read it in its entirety, but for now, here’s a brief snippet. It isn’t quite perfect, but it’s easy to improve on:
Ever wondered if there’s a tool that could solve all your design problems? The answer is a resounding yes! Meet Canva Magic Studio, a platform that promises to revolutionize the way we create, design, and animate. This article by Miguel Guhlin takes you through every nook and corner of Canva Magic Studio, helping you understand what it can do for you.
You might ask, “What’s the magic?” It’s the suite of powerful tools that come with Magic Studio. They include Magic Switch, Magic Media, Magic Design. Also, Magic Edit, Eraser, Grab, Expand, Magic Write, and Magic Animate. Each tool addresses a specific task in mind, making design an effortless task.
Isn’t that enchanting? It also does poetry and song lyrics.
Magic Media, powered by DALL*E, Imagen, and others, is a creative powerhouse that can generate an image or video from a text prompt. You may be familiar with prompting AI to generate something for you already. You write a text prompt and watch it become a beautiful (or not) piece of art. With Magic Media, you tap into image-generation tools to create an image OR video. Just type in the description for the image or video you want, and voila! You get a result.
Tool #2: Magic Media
To make it work, follow the directions Magic Media gives and describe what you want to see in the text box provided.
Screenshot by author, Canva
My prompt:
Create a wooded area with thick tree trunks, ravens and crows in their branches, faces in the tree trunks, sheltering a humble cottage with diverse elfin children dancing in a waterfall, as a dwarf protector looks on, clad in silver eldritch. armor.
Now that you’ve seen a few new additions to Canva, you may find yourself oohing and aahing over this one. My colleague, Emily Horn, recently wrote about it on TechNotes. You can use Magic Design to upload images or videos, or you can use your previously uploaded media, and generate fully editable and customizable videos, graphics, templates, and various types of content. Type in a prompt or upload your media, and choose from several designs.
What’s more, it can even add music to generated videos. Take a look at one example video I created in Canva using royalty-free images from Unsplash.
Tools #4-8: Image Editing Tools
Have you labored under the yoke of difficult image editing apps? If you’re like me, your creations never quite achieve your vision of what an image should look like. The creation falls short of my imagination. With these powerful image editing tools, image editing is an artist’s dream. The image editing tool suite includes:
Tool #4: Magic Edit
Tool #5: Magic Eraser
Tool #6: Magic Grab
Tool #7: Grab Text
Tool #8: Magic Expand
Each lets you do something fantastic. My favorite is Magic Grab, which makes moving a person or object from an image easy. Consider this image of this TCEA participant:
TCEA image featuring author, modified in Canva
Canva makes it child’s play to remove an element from an image and place it elsewhere, as shown below:
TCEA image featuring author, modified in Canva
Another benefit? The empty space left by the removal of the object in the original image gets filled in.
Not only does it grab objects, but it also grabs text! For those who have been dropping text-filled images into Google Keep or OneNote to grab text, I have news for you. Not only does Canva grab the text, but it also makes it completely editable. The text becomes available for your use in the document immediately. What a time-saver!
Want to crop images but the result is less than perfect? Magic Expand can smooth the rough edges of an inexpert image crop. And, Magic Eraser makes it easy to remove parts of an image.
Tool #9: Magic Write
Magic Write is an AI-powered text editor. It can understand your “voice” and create text that is similar to what you would write yourself. You can start with a prompt to get a first draft, summarize text, or elaborate a short text into a longer one.
You’ve already gotten a hint of what’s possible with Canva’s AI-powered writing help. Magic Write can go a step further, taking any piece of writing you have and improving it. Access this tool inside any block text will go or from a Canva word processing doc:
I challenged Magic Write to put together a description of what it can do.
Prompt: Write a magical, mystical description of what Magic Write can do with references to wizards, magic, and dragons.
Generated Text: Magic Write is a wizard of words, a master of the mystical art of writing. With a flick of its pen, it can conjure up the most fantastical stories, weaving together tales of dragons and knights, of wizards and magic. Its words flow like a river of enchantment, carrying the reader on a journey through lands of wonder and adventure. Read the rest of this amazing composition.
This piece of AI-generated writing matched my directions. Although there’s some room for improvement, it wouldn’t take much to get this up to standard.
Tool #10: Magic Animate
Magic Animate brings life to your static designs. Add motion to designs or images and choose from an assortment of animation styles. It’s the perfect tool to make your designs more engaging. Take a heart shape, add the pulse animation to it, and watch it pump. Combine it with a Canva frame to put the face of your favorite wizard or witch inside a heart, and watch your heart beat away.
Screenshot by author, Canva frame and pulsing effect
You can save the image as an MP4 or GIF. See the GIF below:
This Canva Magic Studio tool makes it simple to add some pizzazz to your images and then turn them into animated GIFs. Give it a spin. Here’s a quick walkthrough of Magic Animate.
Bonus: Classroom Magic
You will love Classroom Magic. This tool offers a wealth of features to educators, including:
1,000+ engaging teaching resources, such as worksheets, activities, presentations, and more
100+ free ready-to-teach lessons for K-8 math, science, English, ELA, and art
10+ courses on topics such as critical thinking, AI, and financial literacy
You can view the resources library online once you are logged into Canva. You’ll certainly love the “high-quality education templates.” Explore these and more!
Double Bonus: Canva Magic Studio AI Bingo Card
You’ll find a great variety of resources for Canva Magic Studio online. Educators and students who are verified can get free Canva Pro accounts. So can verified nonprofit teams! Canva does offer a one-stop shop for amazing tools. Put its wands of power to your use! Use this Canva AI BINGO card to explore video tutorials relevant to Canva Magic Studio:
Created by author. Access template to make a copy via link displayed, https://go.mgpd.org/canvabingo
Is More Canva Magic Headed Our Way?
Canva isn’t done innovating on Magic Studio. A few days after writing this blog entry, I stumbled across #11 –Magic Morph. With the Magic Morph app, you can select an element or text. Then, type in what you want that element or text to look like and wait for Canva to work its magic!
Here are two quick examples of a compass and the words “Magic Morph” that have been “morphed” into something new:
As Canva continues to roll out and introduce new tools and features, one thing is for sure. We can count on being amazed at the magic Canva puts right at our fingertips, unleashing unlimited creativity and time-saving advancements. What will you create with Canva today?
Fall has officially arrived, and so has a new batch of AI tools to try. Let’s explore this month’s eclectic mix of AI innovations! Some are meant to enhance productivity, helping with presentation and assessment creation, while others may be for both work and play, like Bored Human’s clickable list of 100+ tools. Let’s take a look!
1. Canva’s Magic Media App
Canva is an irreplaceable design tool that I use daily. And they are really beefing up their AI tools and apps these days! One of my new favorites is an app called Magic Media. To add it to your Canva menu, click Apps in the menu on the left, search Magic Media, and it will be the first tile that appears.
Screenshot by author: Canva Apps Search for “Magic Media”
Once you add and open it, you’ll see:
the option to generate images or videos
a text box for you to describe what you want to generate
a few styles to choose from (watercolor, filmic, photo, etc.)
Once you’ve made your selections and added your prompt, enjoy the results! If there is an option you like, but it’s not quite right, you can click the three dots in the top right corner to “Generate more like this,” or you can click “Generate again” to produce additional results from the same prompt. It’s pretty incredible! Tweak your prompt to yield different results, but, take note that the results can be biased as in the example below.
Screenshot by author: Canva’s “Magic Media” App in Action
Remember, verified educators qualify for a FREE Canva for Education (Pro) account! If you’re interested, go ahead and take advantage of this amazing tool at no cost.
Formative AI has accounts for various roles in education! Pick your role and sign in with an email address or a Google, Clever, or Microsoft account. Once you’re in, you can generate lessons, assignments, and assessments. Plus, with this AI tool, you can track students and create classes – for free! Now you can also generate standards-based questions and include hints for learners. There are Bronze (free), Silver ($15/month), and Gold (quotes by request) accounts to choose from. Check out Formative’s Resources for webinars, a training center, and an inspiration library!
SlidesAI is an AI tool that can be downloaded from Google Workspace Marketplace. Install the extension, open Google Slides, and find it under Extensions in the Slides toolbar. Click on Generate Slides, and a box will open for you to add your own text and customize your theme. You can also choose the presentation type, number of slides, and whether or not you’d like a title and thank you slide. Once all that’s set, click Create Slides and be amazed!
Microsoft’s Speaker Coach (previously Presenter Coach) can help you or your students enhance your presentation skills! This AI tool gives a report on pacing, pitch, filler words, speech, and more after you rehearse it. It’s available for PowerPoint on the web, Android, Windows, iOS, and MacOS. To use Speaker Coach, you will need a Microsoft account, but you don’t have to have a paid version of PowerPoint. It’s “available to everyone in free preview.” In order to be most successful, have a good microphone, a solid internet connection, and a quiet place to rehearse, and get presenting!
5. Bored Humans
Bored Humans is a treasure trove of 100+ AI tools. Choose a tool from their list and it appears at the top of the page with instructions. There is a pop-up ad bar at the bottom of the screen to be aware of and several of the items on the list may not be appropriate for students. But there are options that are definitely worth trying for fun or even for lesson planning! For example, if you want to generate a fun song for teaching, I’d recommend trying their lyrics generator. Type in a subject and an artist for the lyrics to be modeled after, and watch them appear.
A few other options that may be useful for planning and teaching are:
AI Article Writer
ChatGPT Prompts
Quote Generator
AI-Generated Podcasts
Haiku
Poetry Generator
Anagram Generator
Writing Prompts
Text Summarization Tool
Text Paraphrasing Tool
AI Transcription
and many more
Which tools will you try? Are there any we should add to the list? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to know what AI your using!
Bonus: AI in the News
AI Designs Little Robots in 30 Seconds and They Keep Sprouting Legs
A recent breakthrough reveals that AI can design simple autonomous robots within 30 seconds, potentially democratizing robot design. This AI employs a method called gradient descent, swiftly refining robot designs through iterations, resulting in functional forms with legs for forward locomotion. This development has the potential to transform various fields, from climate change solutions to medicine. Read more >>
AI Forces a Rethink on Executive MBA Teaching
Business schools are adapting their executive MBA (EMBA) programs to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI), recognizing its transformative impact on the business world. EMBA students, generally older and in senior roles, are keen to understand the implications of AI for leadership techniques. The shift includes more hands-on learning and practical application of AI tools, preparing students for a rapidly changing job market affected by AI’s increasing influence. Read more >>
Google Promises to Take the Legal Heat in Users’ AI Copyright Lawsuits
Google will protect customers from copyright infringement lawsuits when using select generative AI products. The coverage extends to seven products, including Duet AI in Workspace and Vertex AI Search. Google will take legal responsibility for challenges related to training data and results generated from foundation models, ensuring customers are safeguarded against copyright-related risks. Other tech companies like Microsoft and Adobe have also made similar commitments in response to the growing legal challenges in the generative AI space. Read more >>
By now, I hope that all educators are using the free tool ChatGPT (or a similar product) to save time, brainstorm ideas, and get help when you’re stuck. These AI chatbots are really amazing and get better every day. And whether you’re using Bard, Bing, Claude 2, the AI resources in Google Workspace, or any other chatbot tool, they all work in about the same way. That means once you have the basic tips and tricks of ChatGPT prompts down, you can be a master of all of them!
Things to Remember about ChatGPT and Chatbots
But to make sure that you are getting the results you want from your chatbot prompts, keep these important ideas in mind:
AI is a little like a mirror: it will reflect exactly what you put into it. If you put in bland or boring or unclear prompts, you’ll get bland or boring or unclear responses. More thought is required to make the prompt give you what you really need. (GIGO: Garbage In, Garbage Out)
Chatbots can occasionally generate incorrect or biased information.
If the chatbot doesn’t understand what you want, it will ask questions.
If it doesn’t provide what you want, tweak the prompt to ask again in a different way.
Two users entering the same prompt will not necessarily receive the same response.
Tips for Effective ChatGPT Prompts
Keeping those ideas in mind will ensure that the chatbot responses you get back are what you asked for. But there are some additional tricks for creating effective prompts for chatbots. These require that, like any technology tool, you’ve thought through what you really want, how you want it (format), the tone you want the response to have, and more.
Check out these tips for effective chatbot prompts:
If you don’t like the results of your prompt, you can use the “Improve” command. “I am going to give you an instruction. After receiving your response, I can write “improve” or “approved.” If I say “improve,” you should try to enhance the quality of your response by referring to the best examples from professionals you know in the field. Let me know who you are trying to mimic. My original instruction is as follows: [prompt].
Remember that you can use ChatGPT itself to create the best prompts. “Act as a prompt generator for ChatGPT. I will state what I want, and you will engineer a prompt that will yield the best and most desirable response from ChatGPT. Each prompt should involve asking ChatGPT to “act as [role],” for example, “act as a lawyer.” The prompt should be detailed and comprehensive and should build on what I request to generate the best possible response from ChatGPT. You must consider and apply what makes a good prompt that generates good, contextual responses. Don’t just repeat what I request, improve and build upon my request so that the final prompt will yield the best, most useful and favorable response. Place any variables in square brackets. Here is the prompt I want: [Desired prompt] – A prompt that will … Ex: A prompt that will generate a marketing copy that will increase conversions.”
Finally, you can use an AI prompt generator like PromptBot. This is a free tool that simplifies the process of creating detailed, powerful prompts for GPT-based bots.
To help you get started, here are some prompts written especially for instructional coaches. Modify them as you need to.
I want to get better at [insert skill]. I am a beginner and have no prior experience. Create a 30-day plan for me to learn [insert skill] from scratch.
Create a beginner’s guide to using [ChatGPT] for [elementary teachers]. Topics should include [?, ?, and ?]. Include examples where necessary. The guide should be no longer than 500 words.
Write an email reminding teachers about our upcoming literacy team meeting on [insert date]. [include other details]
Your role is that of a problem solver. Give me a step-by-step guide to solving [insert your problem].
Summarize the text below into 500 words or less. Create sections for each important point with a brief summary of that point.” [insert text]
Write a lesson plan for ninth grade students struggling with reading Romeo and Juliet. Include the use of [Chromebooks] through accessing at least two age-appropriate, relevant websites. Include questions for students to answer from those two websites about the play.
List [five literacy station] ideas for [first grade students struggling with main idea]. Align it to this standard [TEKS ???].
What are some fun icebreaker activities for high school teachers that are short [less than five minutes long] and [do not require extra equipment or materials]. Make sure these have a [fall] theme.
I need some tips on developing an effective and inexpensive cybersecurity training strategy that will address the needs of my [school district or organization].
What promotes [student engagement]? Identify articles from trusted sources over the past three years that deal with this subject.
I’m an [instructional coach at a high school]. Create a comprehensive list of effective prompts tailored to amplify productivity and time management abilities for professionals in my industry, empowering them to achieve greater task efficiency and drive results.
You are an [instructional coach] specializing in [digital teacher and learning]. Your task is to create a [worksheet for college professors] that includes [exercises for practicing with ChatGPT], [tips for the best prompts for ChatGPT], and [reflection questions].
Celebrate a co-worker with this prompt. “Compose a congratulatory message to [co-worker name] for their recent [work anniversary or accomplishment], providing a sincere acknowledgment of their contributions and expressing appreciation for their hard work. [additional details you’d like to mention]
Design a 30-minute professional development session for middle school math teachers on using [MathWhiteboard]. Base it on these standards [TEKS for middle school math]. Include a hook to get them engaged, at least one collaborative activity, and a reflection.
Write a funny software tool description in a conversational tone that clearly explains key features and benefits of using [product URL or description] with [kindergarten students]. This description should get [kindergarten teachers] interested in using the tool.
I am looking to increase open rates for my [monthly instructional technology enewsletter for campus principals]. Give me a list of 10 persuasive email subject lines on current hot topics that will increase the open rate.
Create social media content for seven days that is focused on [topic] and that will engage [target audience]. Instructions: Create social media content that is appropriate for the chosen topic and target audience. Content should be varied. Content should also include calls to action that encourage users to engage with the content, such as likes, shares, and comments.
You are an [instructional coach] preparing for [a hands-on workshop on Canva for elementary librarians]. Your task is to create a [template] that includes [icebreaker activities], [goal-setting exercises], and [action planning].
Help me create a personalized plan for [teacher’s name] to achieve their goal of improving [using Chromebooks for writing for fourth grade students], including key milestones such as [learning to use Google Docs for research, using Google Docs to create an outline, and using Google Docs for editing].
Create the slides for a [one-hour virtual, self-paced training course] on how to use [ChatGPT and other AI tools] as a [12th grade English teacher]. Include tips on what to emphasize on each slide.
Convert Excel files into visual charts by uploading your Excel file into ChatGPT and turning on Code Interpreter mode. Then use the following prompt: Analyze the spreadsheet I’ve uploaded and generate charts to visualize the data. (Note that this prompt requires a paid ChatGPT subscription.)
Combine spreadsheets. Enable Code Interpreter Mode in ChatGPT. Upload a spreadsheet. Then use the following prompt: Combine the data from the two spreadsheets and generate one spreadsheet with all of the data. (Note that this prompt requires a paid ChatGPT subscription.)
While you don’t have to be a “prompt engineer” to be successful with ChatGPT and other chatbots, you do have to follow a few simple rules and think out what you really want to get back. If you are looking for prompts for classroom teachers, be sure to check out ChatGPT Prompts for Busy Educators and Prompts for Lesson Planning with ChatGPT. Happy prompting!
Since just before the dawn of the 21st century, advances in digital technologies, like artificial intelligence (AI), have triggered the need for innovative changes in the physical, communicative, and epistemic structures of classrooms and learning environments. With the realization that teaching and learning could happen anywhere, instructors began to transform their pedagogies to be more reflexive by:
Likewise, as of 2023, we as educators find ourselves adapting to advancements in new and disruptive digital technologies like generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT). Its expansive capabilities mean students can potentially use ChatGPT to complete traditional homework assignments, from simple math problems to crafting detailed research papers, all without necessarily understanding or engaging with the underlying academic content.
This advance in digital technology poses both an opportunity and a challenge for educators. While this technology can be an incredible resource for deepening understanding and expanding horizons, it also calls into question the very nature of traditional assignments and assessments. Let’s explore an important question and actionable steps for addressing this question as we move into the generative AI era of education: How do we ensure authenticity and true learning in an age where information, and even synthesized knowledge, is at our fingertips?
What Is an AI-Integrated Authentic Assignment?
The rise of advanced AI systems, like generative AI, further underscores the need for authentic tasks. As these systems can easily replicate routine tasks, the focus in education now shifts even more towards fostering skills that AI can’t easily replace. Authentic tasks, with their emphasis on human-centric skills, gained further importance in this context. Before looking at actionable steps for harnessing the power of AI while ensuring meaningful learning, I propose an updated definition of authentic assignments that incorporates generative AI as an authentic teaching tool:
Authentic assignments:
Reflect real-world challenges and require the application of knowledge and skills, rather than just rote memorization.
Relevant and meaningful, allowing students to engage deeply with content and draw connections between their learning and its application in practical, real-world contexts (Herrington & Herrington, 2006; Lombardi, 2007).
Integrate AI tools to promote digital literacy and AI collaboration with an emphasis on ethical reasoning, critical thinking, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and human-centric skills.
Foster deep engagement, adaptability, and continuous learning, preparing students with 21st-century skills in a dynamically evolving technological world.
Innovations in generative AI call for innovative responses as this technology further changes the role of instructors and students and the skills that advance them. Let’s look at innovative responses to recent advances in generative AI.
1. Include Generative AI in Teaching and Learning Activities:
Integrate generative AI tools like ChatGPT as a resource in the classroom.
Encourage students to use AI for research, brainstorming, and problem solving, while emphasizing its role as a tool to aid understanding, not replace it.
2. Build a Culture of Integrity Around Generative AI:
Educate both educators and students about the responsible use of AI.
Emphasize the importance of using AI as a supplement to learning, rather than a shortcut to complete assignments without understanding the material.
3. Develop Policies and Guidelines:
Establish clear policies and guidelines for the use of generative AI in educational settings.
Define the boundaries of AI usage to maintain academic integrity.
Address issues such as plagiarism, proper citation of AI-generated content, and consequences for misuse.
4. Implement AI Detection Software, but Know Your Students:
Utilize AI detection tools designed to identify AI-generated or plagiarized content.
Regularly check assignments and projects to ensure they meet academic standards and authenticity.
5. Redesign Assignments for Authenticity:
Rethink traditional assignments to align them with authentic learning experiences.
Design assignments that require problem solving, creativity, and real-world application, areas where AI may be less capable.
6. Foster Critical Thinking and Ethical Decision-Making:
Emphasize the importance of critical thinking and ethical decision-making alongside AI integration.
Encourage students to question and evaluate the information provided by AI tools.
Create assignments that require students to reflect on the ethical implications of AI usage in their field of study.
Include multi-step components that occur over time and space to simulate real-world applications.
Incorporate continuous assessment components, making learning deeper and richer, while creating assignments that are less prone to generative AI abuse.
7. Offer Training and Professional Development:
Provide training and workshops for educators to learn about AI technologies and how to effectively integrate them into teaching.
Share best practices and case studies of successful AI integration in education.
8. Promote Collaboration and Peer Learning:
Encourage collaborative projects and peer learning experiences where students can collectively engage with AI tools and share insights.
Facilitate discussions and group activities that encourage critical discussions about AI-generated content.
9. Engage in Research and Evaluation:
Encourage educators to conduct research on the impact of generative AI in education.
Evaluate the effectiveness of AI-integrated assignments and make data-driven improvements.
10. Collaborate with AI Developers:
Foster partnerships with AI developers and organizations to ensure AI tools align with educational goals and values.
Provide feedback to AI developers to improve the educational utility of AI systems.
11. Stay Informed and Adaptive:
Continuously monitor advancements in AI technology and their implications for education.
Be open to adapting teaching strategies and policies in response to changing technological landscapes.
As instructors, we are seeing a significant shift in the needs of teaching and learning, acknowledging to ourselves that traditional assignments, assessments, and activities based on low-level thinking skills and the recall of information lack relevance and effectiveness. Let’s continue to transform pedagogy and leverage technological advancements like generative AI to push students to deeper learning, critical thinking, creativity, and more.
Interested in learning more about AI in education? Don’t miss David’s session at the 2024 TCEA Convention & Exposition in Austin, Texas! He will be leading “Beating ChatGPT with ChatGPT: AI-Enhanced Teaching, Learning, and Instructional Design” on Sunday, February 4.
