Teaching in the Age of AI: Tools for In-Class Writing Practice

Write beyond limits promo

In today’s educational landscape, particularly with the increasing presence of AI writing tools, the value of short, focused writing activities (across the curriculum) conducted within the classroom and accompanied by immediate feedback cannot be overstated. These brief in-class exercises provide a crucial opportunity for students to practice and internalize writing skills in a controlled environment, allowing teachers to offer timely guidance and address misconceptions before they solidify.

There are many ways to integrate frequent, short writing reps with quick feedback. In many cases this can be achieved in Google tools or Canvas. However, the timely feedback part can be tricky. Luckily, there are some tech tools on the scene to help incorporate peer feedback and AI feedback, often in a gamified way. These three options are freemium products, they offer many core features for free and some paid upgrade options.

Bonus: Class Companion has M-STEP and AP test practice that may be helpful this time of year.

Feature WeWillWrite Short Answer Class Companion
Core Functionality Gamified, collaborative writing Short-answer writing with gamified, peer feedback AI-powered feedback and tutoring on assignments
Writing Approach Short bursts, team-based, anonymous Open-ended questions, justification Varies by assignment type (short answer, essay, etc.)
Feedback Mechanism Peer voting (think of a writing bracket) Peer feedback based on customizable criteria Instant AI feedback, AI tutoring, optional teacher feedback
Gamification Strong emphasis through team challenges and competition Present through activity modes (Pair It, All In, Battle Royale) Less direct gamification, focus on engagement through AI support
AI Capabilities Analysis of literary techniques, grammar, structure–available in the premium version None explicitly mentioned for writing analysis Strong focus on AI for feedback, tutoring, content generation, and integrity checks
Teacher Role Facilitator of challenges, guides discussion based on AI insights, moderation Creates questions, customizes feedback criteria, facilitates discussion of results Creates/selects assignments, monitors AI feedback, provides additional guidance
Content Creation Teacher-created or modified challenges Teacher-created questions AI-generated assignments, teacher uploads, built-in content library
Assessment Focus Formative, emphasis on participation and peer learning Formative, emphasis on peer evaluation and understanding of criteria Formative and summative, emphasis on understanding and application with AI support
Reporting/Insights Premium version offers student reports Results page with peer feedback percentages, confidence ratings Detailed insights on student strengths, weaknesses, engagement, and potential dishonesty (paid plans)

Reach out to a TIS for more information on how to get these up and running.

Teaching in the Age of AI: Demystifying AI

demystifying ai, teaching in the age of AI

Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept; it’s a present reality. As educators, we have a responsibility to equip our students with the knowledge and critical thinking skills needed to navigate this AI-driven world. Google’s Gemini (available in the Waffle and tied to your work account) can be a powerful tool in this endeavor, offering unique opportunities for hands-on, engaging learning experiences.

Here’s how you can leverage Gemini as a teacher to teach your students about AI, its capabilities, and its limitations:

1. The “FrankenBot” Activity: Understanding AI Composition & Human Refinement

  • Concept: Explore how AI generates text and how human editing and selection can improve it.
  • Activity:
    • Use Gemini to generate multiple variations of a writing assignment.
    • Provide students with a “Frankenbot” template, with each version copied into the document.
    • Students analyze each Gemini-generated example, selecting the strongest sentences or phrases from each to piece together their “perfect” piece.
    • Use Matt Miller’s template for this activity. Frankenbot Template – Ditch That Textbook
  • Learning Outcome: Students learn that AI can generate content, but human critical thinking is essential for quality and coherence. They also understand that AI can produce useful components, but not always a perfect finished product.

2. AI Rating & Ranking: Critical Evaluation & Understanding AI Variability

  • Concept: Develop critical evaluation skills and recognize the variability of AI-generated content.
  • Activity:
    • Use Gemini to generate multiple examples of a specific type of content (e.g., poems, short stories, summaries). You can even prompt it to create “good, better, best” examples.
    • Create a rubric with clear criteria (e.g., creativity, accuracy, clarity).
    • Have students individually rate and rank the AI-generated examples based on the rubric.
    • Facilitate a class discussion about their ratings, highlighting the differences in AI output and the subjective nature of evaluation.
  • Learning Outcome: Students learn to critically assess AI-generated content, recognizing its strengths and weaknesses. They understand that AI output can vary significantly, and that human judgment plays a crucial role in evaluation.

3. “Beat Gemini”: Creative Problem Solving & Human Enhancement

—See some more specific ideas for each grade level and multiple subject areas from Blue Apple Teacher.

  • Concept: Encourage creative thinking and explore how humans can improve on AI-generated work.
  • Activity:
    • Use Gemini to generate a piece of content (e.g., a story, a musical phrase, a visual description).
    • Challenge students to “Beat Gemini” by improving upon the AI’s work. This could involve:
      • Adding more detail or emotional depth to a story.
      • Expanding on a musical phrase with their own composition.
      • Creating a visual representation of a descriptive passage.
    • Have open discussions about what methods the students used to improve the AI work.
  • Learning Outcome: Students discover that AI can be a starting point for creative exploration, but human creativity and ingenuity are essential for pushing boundaries and adding unique perspectives. They will learn to identify the limitations of AI generated work, and how they can improve it.

Key Takeaways:

  • Demystifying AI: These activities help students understand that AI is a tool with capabilities and limitations, not a magical entity.
  • Critical Thinking: Students develop essential critical thinking skills by analyzing, evaluating, and refining AI-generated content.
  • Human Creativity: By “beating” AI, students recognize the unique value of human creativity and problem-solving.
  • Ethical Considerations: Discussions surrounding AI-generated work should always include ethical considerations, such as bias, plagiarism, and responsible use.

By incorporating Gemini into your lessons, you can empower your students to become informed and critical thinkers about the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence.

Unleash Student Creativity with Adobe Express

adobe express blog

Are you looking for a dynamic tool to empower your students’ creative expression? Adobe Express (formerly Adobe Spark) is available within our district, offering a powerful platform for visual storytelling and project-based learning.

While you might be familiar with similar design tools like Canva, Adobe Express stands out with its simple and intuitive video creation capabilities. Students can easily craft engaging video projects, incorporating multimedia elements and fostering digital literacy skills using the robust stock library. Beyond video, the integrated AI image generator opens up exciting new avenues for visual exploration. Students can use text prompts to generate unique images, sparking imagination and adding a distinctive touch to their work. The AI image generator is safe to use with students in all grades.

Adobe Express offers more than just design templates. It’s a platform that allows students to amplify their voices and showcase their unique perspectives. From presentations and infographics to digital storytelling and social media campaigns, this tool empowers students to communicate effectively and creatively. Integrate Adobe Express into your curriculum to:

  • Boost student engagement: Transform learning into interactive and visually compelling experiences.
  • Develop essential skills: Foster digital literacy, communication, and critical thinking.
  • Encourage creative expression: Provide a platform for students to share their ideas and perspectives.

Explore the possibilities of Adobe Express and witness the incredible work your students can create.

Students can access Adobe Express through Clever or it can be found and accessed through the waffle.

Reach out to a Technology Integration Specialist (submit a tech ticket) if you’d like assistance using this platform with students.

Is That Copy/Paste…or Voice Typing?

As we continue to explore ways to support student learning and address concerns about AI use in assignments, I wanted to bring a key point to your attention regarding Google Doc version history and tools used to track it that specifically call out large copy/pastes (Revision History, Brisk Teaching).

If you’re using version history to examine student contributions and potentially identify instances of AI-generated text (copy/pasting), please be aware that students who use voice typing will often appear to have made numerous copy-paste actions. This is because voice typing software often inserts text in chunks, which can be misinterpreted by the version history tool. It will generally show up as 100+ large copy/pastes (depending on the length of the writing).

It’s crucial to remember that there are many legitimate reasons why a student might use voice typing:

  • Accessibility needs: Students with physical limitations may rely on voice typing to complete written assignments.
  • Learning differences: Students with dyslexia or other learning differences may find voice typing a more effective way to express their ideas.
  • Personal preference: Some students simply find voice typing to be a faster and more comfortable way to write.

Therefore, banning voice typing is not a practical or equitable solution. Instead, we should focus on assessing student understanding and authorship in meaningful ways. Let’s work together to find solutions that support all learners while maintaining academic integrity. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or ideas. Keep your eye out for a new blog series coming soon: Teaching in the Age of AI.

Khanmigo Teacher Tools Introduces Blooket Question Generator

Two great educational tools have teamed up to save you time. Khanmigo Teacher Tools (branch of Khan Academy) recently added a tool of a Blooket Generator.

What’s Blooket?

Blooket is a gamified learning platform designed to make learning fun through games.

blooket screen

Here’s a breakdown:

  • How it works:

    • Teachers create or use pre-made quizzes (called “sets”) with questions related to a specific topic. Now made easier with Khamigo’s new tool.
    • Students join a game hosted by the teacher using their own devices (phones, tablets, computers).
    • Students answer questions in a variety of game modes (e.g., Tower Defense, Gold Quest, Battle Royale).
    • Correct answers earn points, which students use to “buy” and “sell” virtual items called “Blooks” (cute avatars).

In essence, Blooket aims to transform traditional quizzes into interactive and enjoyable learning experiences, making it a popular tool in many classrooms.

What’s Khanmigo Teacher Tools?

Khanmigo for Teachers is an AI-powered teaching assistant (like MagicSchool and many others) developed by Khan Academy. It’s designed to help educators with various tasks, making their work more efficient and effective.

Here’s a summary:

  • Key Features:

    • Lesson Planning: Generate lesson plans, create clear directions, create lesson hooks or make the topic more relevant to students
    • Content Creation: Create exit tickets, multiple choice quizzes, and generate informational texts
    • Communication: Generate newsletter content

preview of khanmgio's teacher tools

In essence, Khanmigo for Teachers aims to empower educators by providing them with an intelligent assistant that supports their teaching practice in a variety of ways.

Interested in accessing Khanmigo Teacher Tools directly in Canvas? Add it by following the steps here.

Want to learn more about this new tool integrating Blooket and Khanmigo? Check out this video.

Introducing a New Resource: AI in the Classroom: A Practical Guide

This blog post introduces a practical guide designed to help educators begin to effectively and responsibly integrate AI into their classrooms. While the guide was initially created by secondary librarians and technology integration specialists, its principles and tools are adaptable for elementary classrooms as well.

Key Features of the AI Guide

This guide provides educators with practical advice and resources to effectively implement AI while addressing ethical considerations:

  • Student-Centric AI Usage Scales: These scales offer clear guidelines for students to understand when and how to appropriately use AI tools. The scales differentiate between “AI Free,” “AI Assisted,” and “AI Enhanced” activities, providing a framework for ethical AI integration in assignments. Printable posters of the scales can be displayed in classrooms as a visual reminder for students.
  • AI Citation & Disclosure Handout: This resource clarifies when to cite AI-generated content and when to disclose its usage. The handout emphasizes transparency in academic work, outlining the importance of citing new content generated by AI and disclosing AI usage for tasks like organizing thoughts or editing.
  • AI Prompting and Evaluation Techniques: The guide introduces two acronyms, PREP and HUMAN, to provide a structured approach to using AI. Ideally, these acronyms could be consistently used across the district.
    • PREP guides prompt creation, emphasizing the importance of a clear role for the AI, a precise prompt, specific parameters for the response, and explicit instructions.
    • HUMAN serves as a checklist to ensure ethical and effective AI use. It encourages users to pause and consider the appropriateness of using AI, examine potential biases, personalize the output, verify information, and determine next steps, including disclosure and citation requirements.
  • Teacher-Friendly Implementation Tips: The guide offers practical suggestions for incorporating AI into the classroom. It clearly outlines the district-approved apps for teacher use and suggests tools that may be appropriate for student use. It emphasizes a progression of I do, we do, you do for classroom integration.
  • Best Practices for Responsible AI Use: The guide highlights essential guidelines for ethical AI usage and data privacy considerations, drawing on recommendations from Common Sense Media. These practices include avoiding personal information input, emphasizing AI’s role as a thought partner rather than a source of facts, understanding the trade-offs of AI usage, verifying information, and using reputable sources in prompts.

The AI guide offers a wealth of resources, including printable posters, customizable rubrics, and suggested AI tools for both teachers and students.

NotebookLM: The AI Assistant Revolutionizing K-12 Education

Decorative blog

NotebookLM is an innovative tool that can greatly enhance teaching and learning in K-12 classrooms. This powerful AI-driven platform allows teachers to upload a variety of source materials, including Google Docs, Slides, PDFs, text files, and web pages. Once uploaded, NotebookLM generates a comprehensive guide with summaries, key topics, and thought-provoking questions to help students engage with the material.  By leveraging NotebookLM’s ability to synthesize information and provide insightful guidance, K-12 teachers can create a more engaging and effective learning environment for their students.

Not only that, but it can generate a deep dive conversation (sounds like a podcast conversation) to share with students. Take a look at the screenshot below that shows some of items Notebook LM can create.

Notebook LM capabilities

Be aware, due to terms of service students cannot interact with these notebooks. However, you can take the resources it creates and copy them to a Google doc. Audio overviews can be downloaded and shared with students.

Want to learn more?

Submit a tech ticket to get in touch with a Technology Integration Specialist if you have additional questions.

AI @ P-CCS: Part 4 – Make a Plan

AI Part 4

make a plan

Welcome to the final post of our AI series. This series has explored the world of AI in education, and you’ve gained valuable knowledge through exploring resources, delving into district policy, experimenting with AI tools, and collaborating with colleagues. Please continue those steps as much as needed before you translate that knowledge into action. Here’s how to get started with AI integration in your classroom next year:

Planning for AI Integration:

  • Develop an AI Integration Plan based on your goals: Start by clarifying your educational goals. How can AI enhance student learning, engagement, and outcomes? Whether it’s personalized tutoring, automating administrative tasks, or fostering creativity, define your objectives and the role AI might have in your classroom.

Communication is Key:

  • Transparency in Your Syllabus: Clearly outline your expectations for AI usage in your class syllabus or introductory communication. This could include acceptable tools, responsible use guidelines, and student data privacy protocols. 
  • Tracking down academic integrity breaches can be exhausting. You might attempt to put ownership back on the students by requiring Proof of Positive Authorship that was used by some of our P-CCS teachers at the Park in the 23-24 school year. 

Teaching AI with Integrity:

  • Empowering Students as Responsible AI Users: Equip your students to navigate the world of AI with integrity. Consider creating a visual guide, like a stoplight system or flowchart, to help them identify when using AI is appropriate and when it’s not. For example, green light for using a translation tool to understand a foreign language passage, yellow light for using a grammar checker while acknowledging the need to revise independently, and red light for using an AI writing tool to complete an entire assignment.

AI stoplight example

Modeling AI Engagement:

  • Lead by Example: Demonstrate for your students how to effectively and appropriately use AI tools within your subject area and grade level. Following the “I Do, We Do, You Do” approach: first model the process yourself, then guide students through a collaborative activity, and finally, let them practice independently. SchoolAI (free version) is a great platform that allows students to interact with a personalized tutor. Teachers can monitor the entire interaction and it automatically flags inappropriate student use in real-time.

gradual release of responsibility for student AI use

Exciting News!

The district will be offering access to Google Gemini through gemini.google.com for teacher use next school year – starting in August of 2024 (note: if you try to login now, it will not work)! The feature is included with our Google Workspace For Education account. Unlike other Gen AI services, Gemini will not collect any data when you are using your P-CCS Workspace account. Please note, it is still important that you do not share personally identifiable information even though Google will not use this data to train the AI. It offers you similar abilities as ChatGPT to support: 

  • Lesson Planning: “Can you help me create a lesson plan on the water cycle for 5th graders? For better results include a standard, a time frame, number of students, and general location.”
  • Remove Barriers: “Here’s my lesson plan on ___ topic, what barriers might there be to learners and how could I lessen or remove them?”
  • Identify Common Misunderstandings: “I’m teaching about linear functions, what are common misunderstandings students may have?”
  • Language Practice: “Provide a list of conversational phrases in Spanish for beginners.”
  • Real World Examples: “I am teaching 3rd graders about _____. Provide 3 real world examples that are simple and engaging. My students’ interests are _____.
  • Classroom Management: “Draft a message to parents about upcoming parent-teacher conferences.”
  • Find more sample educator prompts here: Prompt Library — AI for Education 

With any of these prompts, be sure to keep yourself in the loop. Don’t just prompt and paste, review the response and make it fit for your context.

This concludes our 4-part-series on AI in Education for 2023-24. We encourage you to continue exploring and experimenting with AI tools as we look ahead to next year. If you’d like support or a thought partner – reach out to a member of the TIS team! We are here and will respond to tech tickets and email all summer. 

Expect more information from us in the fall where we will share more details about Gemini and other AI tools that can be utilized to support student learning! Happy planning!

Ai @ P-CCS – Part 3: Communicate & Collaborate

part 3 of AI series

communicate and collaborate

As AI tools like ChatGPT become more prevalent, it’s both an exciting and daunting time for teachers. AI has the potential to augment and enhance teaching in powerful ways. But it also raises questions around academic integrity and appropriate classroom use. Rather than trying to figure it all out alone, we suggest teachers band together to discuss AI. In this blog post, we’ll explore practical ways to discuss AI, share experiences, and collaboratively determine appropriate usage within grade levels and subject areas.

1. Recognize AI’s Presence

The first step is to acknowledge that AI exists and is already impacting education. Students are aware of AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, and may experiment with them independently. As educators, we must guide them on responsible usage and ethical considerations.

2. Acknowledge the Spectrum of Comfort

Teachers have varying levels of familiarity with AI. Some embrace it wholeheartedly, while others approach it with caution. Acknowledge this range and create a safe space for discussions. Encourage each other to share their experiences, fears, and aspirations related to AI.

Start with informal conversations during lunch breaks or department meetings. Pose open, non-threatening questions like:

  • “How have you explored AI tools in your classroom?”
  • “What concerns or wonderings do you have about AI?”
  • “How do you envision AI enhancing student learning?”

3. Address Concerns Collectively

Discuss ethical considerations

  • Bias: AI was developed and trained by humans – and humans are inherently biased. AI can inherit and amplify human biases in its output. How can we recognize and critique AI’s responses?
  • Privacy: AI (and humans) may review what is entered into the platform; do not share information you would not want reviewed or used. Students and staff should never share personally identifiable information (PII) about themselves or others – this can include first/last names, email addresses, or any other personal identifying information.
  • Copyright and Fairness: AI models are trained on existing intellectual property. What implications does this pose for the creative and academic world?

Academic Integrity

Most people would agree that prompting AI and pasting its response without thought or editing raises academic integrity concerns. However, if you were to break down all the steps of the writing process, many people would agree that AI assistance on some of those steps would be permissible. We encourage you to talk about the learning goals in your subject area/grade level and discuss the appropriate role of AI. See the graphic below to help stimulate your thinking. You might also view Matt Miller’s original post on this topic where he breaks down the topics even further. 

rethink plagiarism and cheating with AI

 

4. Collaborate with Grade Levels and Departments

Lastly, collaborate with colleagues in grade levels and subject areas. Share best practices, explore innovative approaches, and try to develop some agreements for AI usage. The goal shouldn’t be to fight against or ban AI, which will only hinder our students’ preparedness for an AI-informed world. Instead, we must be proactive about collaborating with AI – setting clear guidelines, establishing reasonable limitations, and intentionally developing our students’ skills in using AI responsibly and ethically.

AI use cases will inevitably vary across subjects and grade levels. An English teacher may want students to use AI to brainstorm ideas or get feedback during the writing process. A math teacher could have students use AI to derive step-by-step solutions or explanations for complex problems. An elementary teacher could use an AI assistant to create exemplars/non-exemplars, adjusting texts to be more appropriate for students, or students could generate an image to go with a story they wrote. A teacher of any subject and level might display a prompt to AI and its response and work with the students to evaluate and critique its response. Brainstorm potential use cases and try to develop some shared agreements.

By opening up respectful dialogue, listening to all viewpoints, and working towards consensus, we can ensure AI becomes a productive force that elevates teaching and learning, rather than undermining it. The future is here – but we get to shape what it looks like in our classrooms through open collaboration.

In next week’s final (for this series) blog post we will encourage you to craft an AI policy for your class next year. We will provide sample language you might include in your syllabus or beginning-of-the-year communication. The conversations you have with colleagues as the year comes to a close may help you feel more confident to navigate AI next school year. 

 

 

AI @ P-CCS – Part 2: Try AI

Part 2 of blog series

 

Try AI

As educators, we’re constantly adapting to changes in technology and pedagogy. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no exception. In this blog post, we’ll explore how teachers can leverage AI for both personal and professional tasks; from enhancing lesson planning to managing administrative work, AI has the potential to revolutionize your day to day tasks!

Which AI tool should you use? We don’t have an official recommendation at this time. Three large platforms are ChatGPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google), and Copilot (Microsoft). Please be aware, you might not be able to use certain platforms and services on our school network. You may only be able to access them at home or on a device not owned by the school. As you dabble with AI, you might try the same prompt in multiple platforms so you can compare how they respond. If you are hesitant about creating accounts, you might try ChatGPT which allows you to chat without signing in. 

Personal and Professional Tasks with AI

AI can support some administrative tasks or clerical work you might do for your personal or professional life. Below are some examples of how AI can help you!

Personal Tasks

  • Take a picture of or type out the ingredients you have in your fridge and ask it to create a meal plan. Feel free to challenge it with specific dietary restrictions.
  • Bored kids at home for the summer? Ask AI to provide ideas for activities based on age and price range. 
    • Try taking a picture or describe some random items you have in the house and ask it to come up with a game. I took a picture of the contents of my desk (below) and it developed a game of “Office Quest.” (see results)
desk contents
I used this picture of my desk contents and asked AI to create a game. Click the picture to see what it came up with.
  • Looking for a quick getaway? Ask AI to plan an itinerary for a quick, drivable destination with ideas of what to do.
  • Want to refresh the look in your living room? Ask AI to give you some decorating ideas or take a picture and ask it for tips to rearrange the room.

Professional Tasks

  • Student Exemplars: Create an exemplar essay or writing based on a description and a rubric. Bonus: Ask it to create a non-exemplar and have students critique it!
  • Generate Review Questions: Use AI to generate review questions for the end of the year. 
  • Clarify Directions: Copy in your existing directions for an assignment and ask AI to make it more concise and sequential. Bonus: See if the AI can offer suggestions to further scaffold the assignment. 

AI Tools to Try

AI for Education Prompt Library

The AI for Education Prompt Library offers a wealth of pre-generated prompts for various subjects and grade levels. Prompting may be new to you; this resource allows you to copy a sample prompt and customize it for your situation.  Below is an example of an Exit ticket prompt.  

  • “You are an expert educator and lesson planner, skilled at creating engaging, hands-on activities for students that help reinforce their learning. Your task is to create [NUMBER] “exit ticket” ideas I can use in my [GRADE LEVEL AND SUBJECT] class at the end of a [TOPIC] lesson on [SPECIFIC CONTENT]. The exit ticket activities/questions should be very brief and should serve as a form of assessment to gauge students’ understanding of the material covered.”

MagicSchool: Your AI Teaching Assistant

  • MagicSchool is an AI-powered teaching assistant that helps manage classroom tasks. It can rewrite or translate texts, unpack standards, create a choice board based on UDL principles, identify common misconceptions, and so much more.
  • Try the free version for access to 60+ AI tools for educators (requires login). There will be limits on the number of prompts you get in a month and some features will be disabled. You will be notified when you are nearing your limit (which resets monthly).

While AI enhances efficiency, teachers must exercise caution. Avoid sharing a student’s personal information with AI tools. Students and staff should never share personally identifiable information (PII) about themselves or others – this can include first/last names, email addresses, or any other personal identifying information. 

Remember that AI is a tool, not a replacement for human interaction. Maintain a balance between technology and personal connections. Consider your role as an educational professional and evaluate if it feels appropriate to use AI to complete the task. If you deem that it is appropriate, be sure to review the output before using it.

As educators, we have an exciting opportunity to embrace AI. By integrating it into our personal and professional lives, we can create more effective and engaging learning experiences for our students. Let’s explore the possibilities and continue to evolve as educators in this digital age!

Interested but not sure where to start? Reach out to a member of the P-CCS Technology Integration Specialist Team (Kaelyn Bullock – High School; Carrie Conner – Middle School; Shannon Way – Elementary). In next week’s post, we’ll encourage you to begin having conversations with colleagues around AI.