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By now, most teachers know what AI is (or at least have an idea) and what it can do to help speed up parts of our daily tasks. Chat GPT is an AI tool that can generate increasingly human-like text based on user input. It goes far beyond simple spelling and grammar corrections – it can generate complete sections of text that can be sued to generate teaching content. This provides students with an excellent writing assistant. I prefer to use Microsoft Copilot as it also provides linked references to the content it generates. This allows for a greater amount of trust in the output. I asked Copilot for some exciting ways we can use the platform in the classroom. Here’s what it came back with:

Personalised Learning Assistance

Copilot can provide tailored support for students based on their individual learning needs, offering explanations, practice problems, or additional resources.

Example: A student struggling with algebra can receive customised practice problems and step-by-step solutions tailored to their current level of understanding.

AI - Learning assistance

Interactive Lessons

Teachers can use Copilot to create interactive and engaging lessons, incorporating multimedia elements like videos, images, and quizzes.

Example: A history teacher can create an interactive timeline of World War II, complete with videos, images, and quizzes to test students’ knowledge.

Homework Assistance

Students can get help with their homework, from understanding complex concepts to getting feedback on their work.

Example: A student working on a science project can ask Copilot for help in understanding the scientific method, getting tips on how to design their experiment, and receiving feedback on their hypothesis.

Language Learning

Copilot can be used to generate personalised comprehension questions based on a given passage. Teachers can input a text that students have read and the AI will generate a variety of questions to assess understanding. This helps students engage more deeply with the material and allows teachers to identify areas that may require additional focus.

Example: In a Spanish class, students can practice their vocabulary and grammar through interactive exercises, and even have conversational practice with Copilot to improve their speaking skills.

Research Support

It can help students with research by finding reliable sources, summarizing information, and even generating bibliographies.

Example: A student writing a paper on climate change can use Copilot to find credible sources, summarize key points, and generate a bibliography in the correct format.

Creative Projects

Copilot can inspire and assist with creative projects, such as writing stories, creating presentations, or designing experiments.

Example: For an English assignment, a student can brainstorm ideas for a short story, get help with outlining the plot, and receive feedback on their drafts.

AI-creative order

Classroom Management

Teachers can use Copilot to manage administrative tasks, such as grading, attendance, and scheduling.

Example: A teacher can use Copilot to automate grading for multiple-choice tests, track attendance, and send reminders to students about upcoming assignments.

Accessibility

It can support students with disabilities by providing alternative formats for learning materials and assisting with communication.

Example: A student with visual impairments can use Copilot to convert text-based materials into audio format, making it easier for them to access and understand the content.

Group Work

Group work can be facilitated in a history class by assigning a group project to create a presentation on the causes and effects of the Industrial Revolution. This not only helps students develop problem-solving skills but also promotes teamwork and communication in the classroom.

Example: Copilot can help the teacher assign specific roles and tasks to each group member, ensuring that everyone has a clear responsibility.

Differentiated Instruction

Teachers can provide personalised instruction by generating more challenging problems for advanced students and easier problems for those who need more support. This ensures that each student receives the appropriate level of challenge, promoting growth and success for all learners.

Example: Copilot creates personalised learning paths for each group, providing resources and activities suited to their level.

    • Beginners: Interactive tutorials and visual aids to understand basic concepts like identifying and comparing fractions.
    • Intermediate: Practice problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions with like denominators.
    • Advanced: Challenging problems involving mixed numbers and improper fractions, as well as real-world application tasks.

What are the take-home points?

There are so many take home points that we could discuss, but I think it would be best to keep it to a few bullet points:

  • Invest some time playing with Copilot or ChatGPT to discover the subject specific possibilities.
  • Speak with a colleague (not necessarily an ICT teacher) who is using AI in their subject area and pick their brain – there are a number of teachers in my school who are using AI in their subject area in ways I would never have thought of – creativity is not limited by subject!
  • Read up on how other teachers are using it in their classroom – establish best practice.
  • Speak with your HoD/Subject Leader (unless that is you)/Vice-Principal for Teaching & Learning/Principal about introducing it across the department/school – produce a plan (AI-generated!) to show how you want to use it, and how this can fit in to school aims and train staff.
  • Enjoy the time you have saved with AI by doing something else!

Final Thoughts

Chat GPT is a versatile and valuable tool that can enhance learning in the classroom, even with young children. Give it a try here and see how it can benefit your class and help you come up with new and exciting lesson ideas. The best thing you can do is to start playing with it in your subject area – what can you get it to do that you know will give an accurate and checkable result? What can you push it to do?

What can you share with us about what you’ve done with it?

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