When you think about it, the words “Artificial Intelligence” themselves can be intimidating.
After all, for teachers, intelligence – the human type– is their stock-in-trade. So, when students hand in essays that might have been composed by a machine, they feel uneasy. “It’s an unsettling time,” says Lindsay Shaw, Program Development Manager at Let’s Talk Science. “As teachers, we thrived in an educational model that now, with the addition of AI, is prompting us to reflect and adapt.”
But she says teachers should be ready to embrace AI in the classroom. “It’s easier than one may think, but it does involve a mindset shift. Fortunately, there’s lots of professional learning (PL) that helps to scaffold AI for educators, just by thinking a bit differently about some of their current practices.”
While AI in the classroom may seem new, it’s actually been around for a while — -think voice recognition software, Grammarly, Google Earth, adaptive assessment. AI can make learning more accessible and empower and motivate students. It can help create personalized learning experiences, enhance content, and support and advise students, helping them succeed in difficult areas. It may even raise the bar, allowing students to engage more deeply in their learning. AI can also be a valuable tool for teachers themselves, automating time-consuming processes and freeing up more time to spend talking to students.
Still, the introduction of content-creating software like ChatGPT has raised concerns among educators. Shaw sees it differently. “We need to take a step back and reflect on how we are setting up students for the future,” she says. “Students have vast knowledge at their fingertips. Instead of asking them to produce answers, we should be teaching them to formulate questions, to analyze and improve answers, and to articulate the implications of those results.”
To effectively integrate AI in teaching, Shaw suggests that educators lean into their core teaching skills and instincts. Students demonstrate what they know and understand in three ways –through conversation, through observation, and via “artifacts” such as essays and tests. “If something’s off with the artifact compared to what the teacher is seeing and hearing, it’s time to discount that piece of evidence and look for new ways to engage students.” She suggests asking students to talk through their essay, explaining how they developed their ideas.
AI is here to stay. Instead of trying to hide or punish it, Shaw says teachers can involve their students in thinking about how to leverage the new technology in their classrooms. It helps to start small, with one application at a time.
Professional learning (PL) is an essential part of adapting to AI. As Shaw points out, teachers across the country and around the world are wrestling with the challenge. Fortunately, there are networks, communities of practice, and PL opportunities aplenty. Let’s Talk Science, for example, offers more than free 300 PL resources, some specifically focused on demystifying AI and some more broadly focused on the future of education. Says Shaw, “AI doesn’t change who you are as an educator; it can enhance how you do what you do best.”
By: B.Schmidt (LTS)
