AI in Education

 For my professional book study, I read AI for Educators by Matt Miller. AI is the future of education and it is important that we as educators keep up with the times to help benefit our students. Matt Miller (2023) said, "for our students' sake, to prepare them for the future, we can't look at the world through today's glasses. We must use our tomorrow glasses" (p. 8). AI is an extremely hot topic in education right now and, as a library media specialist, I feel like it is important for me to have an understanding of what it is and how it can benefit both students and teachers. I wanted to explore information and resources that I can share with the teachers in my building to help better their understanding and give them ways to use AI in their classroom. Instead of just seeing it as a tool that students can use to cheat, I think it is important that we teach students how to use AI properly. To be able to teach students how to do this, teachers need to first have an understanding of and trust in AI tools to be utilized in their classrooms. Nazaretsky et al. (2022), performed a study that found that helping teachers understand how AI works and provided professional development on how AI can strengthen their teaching rather than replacing it, helps reduce their concerns about AI and helps improve their trust in AI technology. When teachers trust AI, they will be much more likely to use it in their classroom themselves as well as allow their students to use it for specific purposes. Matt Miller (2023) said, "our students need teachers who are willing to consider how their future will differ from ours and bravely explore this new frontier with them" (p. 115). Learning how to use AI in their everyday life is becoming a necessity for the future of our students. In order to do this, Nazaretsky et al. (2022) explains that the more comfortable teachers become with AI the more the more likely they are to use it in their classroom. Districts and schools need to invest in educating teachers on AI. Students are going to use AI whether we allow it in schools or not. It is best that we just embrace it, learn about it, and teach students to use it properly. 

There are so many great AI tools out there that can be used in the educational setting. Canva Magic Write, Magic School AI, and Chat GPT just to name a few. This visual shows 15 AI tools that can be used in the classroom. 

Matt Miller has an excellent blog filled with called Ditch That Textbook (linked below) that is filled with amazing resources for teachers to use. There are many helpful AI posts and resources along with other great ideas for the classroom. 

Matt Miller's Blog - Ditch That Textbook

There are so many ways that AI can be used in the classroom! From helping to create lesson plans and presentations to students using it to help with creative writing and creating images and videos. 

Nazaretsky, T., Ariely, M., Cukurova, M., & Alexandron, G. (2022). Teachers’ trust in ai-powered educational technology and a professional development program to improve it. British Journal of Educational Technology, 53(4), 914–931. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13232

Miller, M. (2023). AI for educators: Learning strategies, teacher efficiencies, and a vision for an artificial intelligence future. Ditch That Textbook.