pakiki.net

Attending the EduTech conference in Melbourne on the 12th and 13th of August 2024 was an invaluable experience.  The conference covered a wide range of topics, from AI integration in classrooms to fostering innovation in schools. I was fortunate enough to be selected to present at the Google Teaching Theatre and it was awesome to connect again with the Google Champions network.

As I discovered last year, it was again an intense two days with some awesome workshops and connecting with some amazing educators. What follows is an attempt to sort my messy random notes into some sort of coherent form. Of course I used AI (Google Gemini and Claude) to help me draft this and organise my information.

Keynote by Sal Khan

Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, shared his vision for AI in education:

• AI can serve as an “on-demand version of a tutor,” helping students work at their learning edge.
• The combination of amazing teachers and amazing technology can amplify human intent in education.
• Khan Academy has developed “Khanmigo,” an AI-powered tool to support student learning. This is currently only available to students in the USA but has just been released for teachers in over 40 countries and will soon be available for students in more countries.

This was certainly one of the highlights for me a I had just read his book, Brave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education. In this book he argues for embracing AI technology rather than fearing it, explaining how these tools can transform learning and teaching. Khan outlines how AI can personalize learning, adapt assessments, and support classroom success.

The book goes beyond technology, discussing practical implications for educators and administrators, how AI can be used in the workplace, and ethical and social considerations. Khan envisions AI as a tool to create a more accessible global education system. He provides a roadmap for teachers, parents, and students to navigate this new landscape, emphasising the need to harness AI’s power for good while acknowledging its limitations.

Understanding and Implementing AI in the Classroom

Several sessions focused on demystifying AI and its applications in education:

1. James Curran from Grok Academy outlined how our kids are using the Kingswood model of Gen AI – the worst iteration it will be. Gen AI is auto complete in steroids and James went through a number of great examples using tools like NGram viewer, “I saw the man on a hill with a telescope“, to help explain how these models work (check out his slides at this link).
2. Ryan Elwell emphasized the importance of moving from AI prompting to AI fluency, treating AI as an assistant while recognizing the nuances of this relationship. Does using an advanced tool mean the same thing as cheating? Eg advance golf clubs, swimsuits banned in the Olympics for being too fast
3. Bess Naughtin demonstrated how tools like Teachable Machine can create authentic learning experiences with real-world applications. She showcased practical AI tools for the classroom including Suno Ai to create a song based on a class brainstorm, Quick Draw, AI for Oceans, and integrating Teachable Machine with Scratch coding.

Rethinking Academic Integrity in the Age of AI

One of the most pressing concerns in education today is how to maintain academic integrity while acknowledging the prevalence of AI tools. In a blog post by Adam Sparks he suggests that instead of relying on ineffective AI detection software, educators should:

• Set clear classroom policies that allow for some AI use
• Incorporate more writing instruction across the curriculum
• Teach students to use AI effectively in their writing
• Focus on personal reflection and defense in writing assignments
• Emphasize the “why” behind assignments

The key message: Stop chasing easy solutions to complex problems and instead adapt our teaching methods to the new reality.

Fostering Innovation in Schools

Luke Callier from St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls presented on why schools need intrapreneurs. He outlined seven steps to innovation:

1. Cultivate a culture of innovation
2. Identify gaps and problems
3. Ideation and research
4. Write and pitch ideas
5. Engage stakeholders
6. Celebrate and tell the story
7. Evaluate and iterate

An inspiring session on the “Tinker Train” model by Eleni Kyritsis showcased how sustainability, visible thinking, and inquiry-based learning can be integrated across subjects. This approach includes:

• Using inquiry walls (floor-to-ceiling pin boards)
• Incorporating technology like Minecraft and AR in units on sustainable housing
• Implementing badge systems for reporting

The exhibition hall

Another highlight is wandering around the massive exhibition hall and talking with various companies about their products and services (and getting some swag!). Here’s some of my favourites:

• Precious plastic: have a pretty awesome shredder and extructor so you can make your own injection moulded products. Check out the Brothers make Youtube channel for inspiration.
• MakersEmpire: have an awesome Nationwide space themed design thinking competition (soon to be coming to NZ!)
• Toddle: a pretty awesome LMS with so much functionality
• Education Technology specialists: Picked up a couple of great books as well as the awesome Makeado for cardboard projects.

Conclusion:

The EduTECH Congress & Expo highlighted that AI is not just a tool, but a transformative force in education. As educators, we must embrace this change, teaching our students to use AI effectively while maintaining the core values of learning and academic integrity. By fostering innovation, promoting sustainability, and leveraging AI’s potential, we can create more engaging, personalized, and effective learning experiences for our students.

This page is your one-stop shop for all the resources mentioned during the ‘Take the plunge with Gemini’ session at the Google Teaching Theatre – EduTECH Melbourne 2024.

If you came to my session, I’d love to hear your feedback! Complete the short form in the EduTECH app and share some ways you are using AI with staff and students.

Session deck

Prompt guide for students

Examples of Gemini prompts

• Create a worksheet 
• Create a Rubric
• Create a Learning at home policy
• Complete a policy requirement
• Complete a EOTC form
• Write code in a Sheet
• Be a historical figure
• Take sides in important debates
• Create original stories
• Write a play
• Be a personal tutor
• Summarise a Youtube transcript
• Write a model essay
• Revise text to lower level
• Manage a project

This page contains a number of session resources used in a workshop I presented at the Tauranga Innovative Education Summit held at the University of Waikato in Tauranga on Monday 24th of June.

Session Deck:

Table of selected AI Tools:

“If AI can do it, why would I ask the student to do it instead?”

Source: The Fearful Biologist (2024)

“…, plagiarism is not only an issue of student assessment. It is a symptom of a deeply entrenched academic culture that arguably places tangible rewards (grades, diplomas, publications, promotions, grants) above the intrinsic value of learning and knowledge creation.”

Own emphasis added. Source: Bretag (2013)

AI image generators

Prompt: “Create a photorealistic image of students learning using Artificial Intelligence tools.”

News flash! There’s this thing called Artificial intelligence (AI) and it can help you do stuff!! As an educator, since ChatGPT emerged in November 2022, I have been intrigued by the possibilities of integrating AI into my teaching practice and getting students hands on with these amazing tools.

Let’s be clear about what I mean by AI. Although it has a very broad definition (for example, a spell checker is a version of AI), in this post I am focusing on generative AI. Generative AI tools can create new text, images, code, and other outputs based on the data they are trained on. When a user prompts the tool, it uses its knowledge to produce a response. These responses are original, but they come from the information the AI processed during training.

One of the best resources I have seen recently is The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) guidebook for the use of AI in schools. It serves as a valuable resource for teachers by providing a comprehensive overview of the potential benefits and challenges of using AI in schools, as well as practical guidance on how to implement AI technologies in a responsible and ethical manner. The guidebook covers a wide range of topics, such as the types of AI technologies available, discussions on the legal and ethical considerations of AI use in schools, and strategies for enhancing student learning outcomes with AI.

A good way to think about generative AI tools in education is as a complementary tool that enhances learning without replacing human educators. Think of AI as being like an electric bike, which amplifies human effort, rather than a robot vacuum, which operates entirely on its own. Taking this metaphor further, this image explains appropriate use.

The guidebook goes on to give advice on selection of AI tools. When choosing AI tools for schools, factors such as capabilities and limitations, bias mitigation, student privacy, human oversight, and accessibility should be considered. We should deliberately teach students about these aspects of using GenAI tools, so we can avoid spending unnecessary energy trying to catch students from inappropriate use.

Post plagiarism: writing in the age of AI

Seemingly, the main concern about student use of AI revolves around authenticity. Authenticity, in this case defined by NZQA, is “the assurance that evidence of achievement produced by a learner is their own.” Dr. Sarah Elaine Eaton argues that AI will fundamentally change how we view writing, authenticity and plagiarism. In her concept of a “post-plagiarism world,” humans and AI will collaborate on writing, leading to a rise in hybrid writing styles. However, humans will still be responsible for the content created, including fact-checking and the ethical use of AI tools. While traditional plagiarism definitions may not directly apply to AI-generated text, because AI can generate unique text that is not copied from another source, the core idea of attribution and respect for sources will remain important. Overall, AI will have a significant impact on writing in the future. However, it is important to remember that AI is a tool that can be used to enhance human creativity, not replace it.

A possible solution is to give learners clear guidelines on appropriate use in assigned tasks. If we can clearly explain to learners how and when to use these tools, they will be better at making deliberate choices for themselves. Here is the suggested scale:

Using AI Tools with Students: Navigating Age Restrictions

The number of tools targeted at educators is overwhelming. Check out the AI Educator Tool repository. One challenge educators encounter when using AI tools with students is the complexity of navigating age restrictions due to privacy and data protection regulations. While AI technology offers immense benefits in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, there are often age restrictions in place due to privacy concerns and data protection regulations. As educators, it is crucial to be mindful of these restrictions.

So, having to be selective, here is a summary of the different tools I have used with learners:

One important consideration is accessibility. In particular, can the use of the tool in class comply with the tool’s terms of service? The main one is age restriction. As educators, it is essential to navigate these age restrictions responsibly and find ways to incorporate AI tools into our teaching practices that meet the terms of use and are appropriate for learners.

I had made initial use of the Codebreaker.edu tool, as students were not required to sign in with an account. Despite being limited to 2000 character inputs, the tool is valuable for generating basic prompts and text-based outputs. However, the Terms of Service state that it uses a custom interface of OpenAI’s GPT-3, which implies that users must be 13 or older with parental permission.

Recently, Magic School.ai released a student tool called Magic Student. This tool doesn’t seem to have a strict 13+ age requirements, provided your school has notified parents/guardians.The terms of use state that the tool does protect the privacy of younger children and is compliant with regulations such as the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States. The interface appears to be a walled garden, with a teacher being able to see how students are using the prompts. 

Intrigued by this,  I dove into the online training offered by Magic School.ai and became a Magic School AI Pioneer. This experience not only enhanced my understanding of AI’s capabilities but also introduced me to a valuable tool, which appears to be suitable for students under 13 years old, addressing their specific needs.

Conclusion

When integrating AI into education, a thoughtful and responsible approach is necessary, taking into account the benefits and challenges of AI implementation. By navigating age restrictions ethically and implementing AI tools strategically, educators can harness the power of AI to create personalised and engaging learning experiences that empower students to succeed in the digital age. It is crucial for educators to pay attention to the terms of use for AI tools they are using with learners to ensure they are deliberately taught appropriate use.

Acknowledgements: this post was written with the help of AI Tools (Google Gemini, Magicschools.ai, Quillbot

Introduction*

* Written by Google Bard.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the education landscape. From personalised learning platforms to chatbots that can grade student work, AI is providing teachers with new tools and resources to help students learn more effectively.

In this blog post, I will explore the many ways that AI is being used in the classroom today. I will also share a video showing how ChatGPT can be used by teachers to mark student work. Finally, I will provide some tips on how to use Google Bard, a large language model from Google AI, to create engaging and interactive learning experiences for your students.

Are you a teacher? You should use AI!

Here are some of the ways that AI is being used in the classroom today:

• Personalized learning platforms: These platforms use AI to track student progress and deliver personalized learning experiences that are tailored to each student’s individual needs.
• Chatbots: These AI-powered assistants can grade student work, answer questions, and provide feedback.
• Virtual reality: This technology can be used to create immersive learning experiences that transport students to different places and times.
• Gamification: This technique uses game-like elements to make learning more fun and engaging.

AI has the potential to revolutionise the classroom in many ways. It can help teachers:

• Save time on grading and other administrative tasks
• Provide students with more personalised learning experiences
• Identify and address learning gaps early on
• Create more engaging and interactive learning experiences

If you are a teacher who is interested in using AI in your classroom, there are a few things you need to know:

• There are many different AI tools and platforms available, so it is important to choose one that is right for your needs.
• It is important to train AI tools on high-quality data in order to get accurate results.
• You should be transparent with students about how AI is being used in your classroom.

Conclusion

I hope this blog post will give you a better understanding of how AI is being used in the classroom today. If you are interested in learning more, I encourage you to watch the video below and check out the resources that I have linked to.

Check out the presentation below on AI in the Classroom