How Educators Across the World are Using AI to Transform Their Practice

AI’s transformative impact on education: The Back to School AI Webinar 2024 brought together five leading educators to showcase innovative applications of artificial intelligence in teaching practices worldwide.

• Over 1700 educators from around the globe participated in the event, highlighting the growing interest in AI-driven education.
• The presenters, hailing from diverse backgrounds and locations, demonstrated unique ways AI tools are being used to address various educational challenges.

Enhancing collaboration through AI-assisted brainstorming: Sabba Quidwai, CEO of Designing Schools, presented on using ChatGPT and Canva for collaborative idea generation while maintaining human creativity.

• Quidwai emphasized the importance of balancing AI assistance with human decision-making in the classroom.
• She demonstrated how Canva’s whiteboard feature can make classroom conversations more visible and interactive.
• ChatGPT was used to sort brainstormed ideas by topic, showcasing AI’s ability to organize information while leaving final decisions to humans.

Creating engaging learning games with AI: Jason Gulya, an English professor at Berkeley College, shared his approach to developing interactive learning games using ChatGPT and Perplexity.

• Gulya used ChatGPT to generate creative game ideas, such as “Visual Essays,” where students showcase their understanding through creative projects.
• Perplexity was employed to research and validate these ideas, ensuring they are both feasible and educationally sound.
• This method highlights AI’s potential to save time while enhancing the quality of educational activities.

Engaging quiet students through AI platforms: Aileen Wallace, a high school teacher from Scotland, presented on the AI learning platform Curipod and its ability to create a safe, inclusive environment for student participation.

• Curipod’s anonymity feature encourages students to contribute without fear of judgment.
• The platform’s moderation and voting features help build student confidence and promote collaborative learning.
• Wallace noted that students enjoy voting on others’ ideas, as it validates their own thoughts and fosters a sense of community.

Streamlining teaching with AI assistance: Eric Curts, an edtech specialist from Ohio, demonstrated the capabilities of the Chrome extension Brisk Teaching as an AI assistant for educators.

• Brisk Teaching offers functionalities such as creating content, providing feedback, inspecting writing, changing reading levels, and boosting activities.
• The tool can generate quizzes, lesson plans, and presentations directly from web content, significantly streamlining the resource creation process.
• Curts emphasized the tool’s ability to differentiate instructions and support diverse learning needs.

Leveraging AI for resource planning: Matthew Wemyss, a school leader from Romania, shared strategies for using AI in resource planning and professional development.

• Wemyss demonstrated how ChatGPT and Office 365’s Copilot can swiftly generate lesson plans and group work strategies.
• He highlighted AI’s practicality in supporting educators under time constraints, allowing for swift adaptation to classroom needs.
• This approach underscores AI’s potential to enhance teaching efficiency and effectiveness in fast-paced educational environments.

Addressing data privacy and accessibility concerns: The webinar also touched upon important considerations regarding the use of AI in education.

• Discussions centered on the importance of selecting AI tools that comply with privacy regulations.
• Educators emphasized the need to educate students about safe AI usage and data privacy practices.

Looking ahead: The future of AI in education: The Back to School AI Webinar 2024 showcased the immense potential of AI in transforming educational practices.

• The presenters provided practical strategies that teachers can implement immediately to enhance their teaching and support students more effectively.
• As AI continues to evolve, collaborative efforts among educators, supported by comprehensive resources and vibrant communities, will be crucial in shaping the future of education.
• The webinar highlighted the ongoing need for educators to adapt and innovate, leveraging AI tools to create more engaging, inclusive, and efficient learning environments.