Introduction 

AI doesn’t have to be scary when it comes to education. (AI was even used to make the title of this article.) As teachers, we are used to adapting to change and this isn’t the first time education has encountered AI that changed how educators teach. Things like calculators, computers, and Google have all come into the classroom and transformed education as we knew it. Renowned educational theorist John Dewey states that “if we teach today as we taught yesterday we rob our children of tomorrow” (1916). Technology and artificial intelligence allow students to have meaningful and unique activities in learning and give them ways to participate with each other in the classroom.  Let’s take a further look into artificial intelligence and how it can enhance and encourage learning instead of hindering it in this new age of learning. 

Unlocking the Potential

AI became something of interest in my district over the 2023 summer break. A lot of the professional developments revolving around technology included examples of AI and how it can be used against us as teachers. But what if we flip the script? What if teachers in elementary school, like myself, begin showing students how to use AI in a productive and meaningful way that they can take with them on their learning journey? 

At the beginning of the year, I began thinking of ways to incorporate AI into our learning without it being the main focus. Revising and editing was a struggle for my students, so after their first attempt to revise and edit their writing on their own, we used AI to get another look at what we missed or what AI suggested. This has been a big hit in the classroom. Students are excited to finish their writing and their revising and editing skills have improved as it is almost a competition against AI. 

Other ways to include AI in the classroom would be:

• Virtual Field Trips can be used to expand students' understanding of a topic or area. Historyview.com is currently working on adding an AI bot called Histora to their virtual field trips, which will add interactive learning and comprehensive insights to their trips. 

• Plagiarism Detection is a great way to make sure students are citing their work before they turn in their assignments. Grammarly has a plagiarism checker on their website. 

• ChatGPT can provide personalized reading recommendations based on students' interests and reading levels, helping them discover new books and authors.

• Khanmingo by Khan Academy can analyze students' responses to math problems and provide immediate feedback and hints to support their problem-solving skills.

• AI chatbots, like Hello History, can engage students in conversations about historical events, famous Texans, and key concepts in Texas history, providing interactive learning experiences.

AI-Powered Portfolios: Enhancing Reflection and Growth

I will be implementing ePortfolios into my third-grade classroom this coming school year. Can AI help my students reach their potential without taking away their authentic learning and work? AI can be used in ePortfolios by creating reflection prompts, revising and editing their work in their ePortfolio, language supports, and feedback generation. 

Teaching Smarter, Not Harder

You may be asking yourself how AI can help you as a teacher and I have saved the best for last! Many AI bots are designed to make planning and writing easier for teachers. MagicSchool and EduAid are great resources for teachers. They have lesson plan generators and even rubric and email creators. One of my favorite generators is the YouTube video question generator. You can choose a video on YouTube and upload it to the AI bot. It will create questions that go with the video and tell you where they would be in the video. This is an excellent way to add engagement and check for understanding during a time when students would usually just be watching. Another example would be the text leveler. If there is a reading you would like each small group to participate in but know that it would be a little too difficult for one of your groups, you can add it to the text leveler and it will change the text to the level requested, making it accessible to all of your students. 

Conclusion

As we enthusiastically but cautiously embrace this new era of the educational journey, it is important to look at AI integration in the classrooms with careful consideration, thoughtful planning, and a focus on the learning and not just the technology. By teaching the use of  AI responsibly, we can ensure that students have a pathway to use AI on their own throughout their school careers and beyond. Let’s embrace AI’s potential to transform education and create a brighter future for learners everywhere while making planning just a little easier for teachers. 

References

Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and Education. New York: Free Press http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/publications/dewey.html