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ASSIGNMENT
Based on what you have learned in this module, how do you think AI can transform the teaching and learning experience in your classroom? Provide specific examples and potential benefits and discuss any challenges you might face in implementing AI tools. Post a reflective piece (150 words min) to this Module forum as a Reply to this post.
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I taught Senior Infants and 1st Class for the last few years. Every one of these years I have had two to three children that have exhibited strong dyslexic tendencies. They all started the year on non-differentiated homework but quickly it became apparent that this wasn’t fair or productive for them. Each year I differentiated the homework and changed the normal spellings intended for Friday spelling tests to tricky/dolch word recognition learning. This always felt like a poor substitute. Having learned during this module about the immersive reader function in Word I think this might be something that could help. It would be brilliant if their Read at Home books could be accessed via Word so that they could use it as a reading aid for the homework task at hand. Also the fluency checker function would be a brilliant tool to check for progress in students with literacy needs. The challenge I see with this however is getting access from the publisher to a MS Word version.
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For children with dyslexia, AI can be a dyslexic decoder’s dream. Text-to-speech software transforms frustrating reading tasks into engaging listening experiences, boosting comprehension and confidence. Meanwhile, AI-powered games make learning fun. Phonics practice becomes a world of interactive adventures, transforming letter and sound recognition into enjoyable challenges. AI can’t replace a supportive teacher, but it becomes a valuable tool in the classroom, making learning accessible and motivating children to participate.
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Hi Shane,
I agree. I had two children over the last year who needed homework differentiated due to visual difficulties and speech difficulties. I spent so much time prepping lesson work and homework for them and still felt like it wasn’t suitable. With the use of some of the AI tools from this course I think the differentiated work would have been much more suitable and engaging for the children. I look forward to using over the coming school year.
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I have used AI last year to generate a specific Christmas Play. I wanted it based on a winter theme and requested certain/additional roles which worked really well. I have also used google forms for assessment and google quizzes. This is very useful as it autocorrects. We would use this on a regular basis in the school. I have also used IXL which gathers information on children for English and Maths for all levels.
I will definitely use it more in the coming year for lesson planning to enhance my teaching. I would like to try and use Flipgrid for discussions with the children as we have a scheduled computer slot where we could all use this as a class.
Looking at AI in China. As a teacher you could see the benefits where everyone works to their full potential and discipline issuers are greatly reduced. It does seem very pressurised for children at a young age to be subjected to such rigidity and been made to focus. On the other hand it instills a very good foundation for future study, self discipline and accountability. Discipline issues in the classroom do not impinge on anyone else’s learning.
As a society, crime and societal issues are also probably reduced with face recognition and accountability. I think we are far off implementing a system such as this. The main issues I see with AI here are agreement as to what and how much to implement. There are misconceptions that AI does not belong in education. I think these type of courses are required for everyone especially principals where they can see the potential. There are implications for the Acceptable Policy to specify exactly what AI is being used and how much detail you need to include. If you were to use an application to personalise learning for the students you would need consent amongst parents that they agree to the collection of data on their child even if it is for the greater good. Parents may may not want data collected on their child.
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The immersive reader would also benefit me in my class as this year I too had a number of students diagnosed with dyslexia. The immersive reader would make reading so much easier by reading texts out loud. The fact that you can use the microsoft tools to change backgrounds and text is fantastic. This all helps with accessibility. The choice of voice is also very helpful.
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Hi Orla,
It is great to hear that you found such a practical and useful use of AI within your own practice. Thinking about the amount of time and effort that such a task would require makes the advent of GenA-AI seem all the more remarkable. From your post it is also clear that you are viewing AI in a wider context, and looking at societal benefits and implications as well as educational.
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For the last few years I have been teaching second class and as is the case with every class different pupils have different strengths and weaknesses in subjects and even within subjects. Reading has often been one of the areas where there are significant gaps between the more capable and the weaker students. Although there tends to be no one solution for those pupils who need support with reading, I really do think that the options within the immersive reader tool could be beneficial to many pupils. This year I had a pupil in my class who had a special screen to put over the text to make it easier for him to read and the background colour changing feature of the immersive reader would be able to do something very similar.
As a class this year, we read about Spain and France in our English books and devoted a day to each of them where foods from each country were brought in. I think with the AI tools it might be possible to go a bit more in-depth on this and possibly create a menu of all meals, (breakfast, lunch, dinner and a school lunch) and not just in relation to these two countries but others too.-
Hi Chris,
Thank you for your post here. As you have taught the same class level for a number of years, you are well placed to make judgements on different interventions that may be useful for your group. Immersive Reader is a fantastic tool, and one which can really level the playing field for those struggling and emergent readers. In addition, AI tools can create differentiated pieces of text on the same topic which may enable learners to become more independent readers in time, whilst also being able to contribute to the overall class discussion and development.
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Having worked as a Special Education Teacher for many years, the benefits I can see from AI in aiding my students in accessing the curriculum are enormous. I think that a good use of SET teaching time would be to teach students how to use Immersive Reader with a view to fostering some independence in their learning. Having to wait for somebody to read something or waiting until the teacher has time to help you individually is frustrating for students. They lose interest and motivation. A tool like this could open up a whole new world for some students. This would require lessons on how to use Immersive Reader both in the SET setting and through in-class support. I am moving from SET to 1st Class this September so I will work with the SET to implement this.
I could foresee many challenges to implementing the use of Immersive Reader. Some students do not transfer skills easily from one context to another so would require support in using it independently. And of course, the barrier to everything technology-related in Irish primary schools: the lack of funding to provide a device to assist everyone who would benefit!
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From engaging with this module there are many ways AI can transform the teaching and learning in my classroom. I have taught a multigrade class for the last couple of years and AI can certainly assist me with planning tasks to suit all abilities in my class and help me to differentiate accordingly. For example if I am teaching my 3rd and 4th class about the Romans, AI could assist me with designing creative and fun tasks for the different abilities in my class so that all children can achieve success at their level.
Similar to Orla, I also used chat GPT at Christmas to help me write a play for our whole school Christmas concert.I asked chat GPT to write a script for 24 parts appropriate for 10 year olds, that was 15 minutes long, was funny and had a Christmas theme. It saved me so much time (and money!) and the children loved performing the play.
When it comes to teaching and learning AI tools can help me to develop students critical thinking and creativity. AI tools would tie in quite well with the new primary maths curriculum and assist children with maths talk activities.
In terms of challenges there are many that could be encountered. Looking beyond teaching and learning in my own classroom I can foresee challenges at a whole school level with implementing AI tools. For example, it can be quite difficult to get buy in from all staff memebers should a whole school approach be utilised to incorporate AI tools into teaching and learning. It is also important the school is well resourced and has a set of laptops/tablets for the children to access AI tools. I also think data protection is a key area that needs to be discussed. Schools would need to update their data protection policy with all relevant AI information that is appropriate to the teaching and learning within the school.
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Your experience with using Chat GPT to write a play for your Christmas concert is a wonderful example of how AI can save time and enhance creativity in the classroom. Developing students’ imaginative thinking and creativity through AI tools, especially in conjunction with the new primary maths curriculum, is an innovative approach to teaching. Well done!
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Having worked recently as a Special Educational Teacher and as a Mainstream Teacher in the past, I can find many uses for AI within the classroom. Using Immersive Reader in the classroom would be very beneficial to students with Dyslexia. Currently, we are using a screen for their books and activities to help them read, but Immersive Reader would promote confidence and independence among the students. During SET, students can learn how to use Immersive Reader correctly. Students being able to set the reading speed, change the background colour and using the line-by-line reading could be life-changing for these students. In addition, using AI for early detection would ensure that they are receiving the correct support early to close any gaps in their learning.
There are many challenges however. Schools in rural Ireland or in disadvantaged areas may struggle to ensure they have enough access to laptops/tablets for each class or even to share. Also, with budget restrictions they may not be able to afford any additional AI platforms that could enhance the learning journey of their students. Furthermore, schools need to ensure they have the correct policies in place to protect the privacy of the students in the school.
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It’s great to see the possible benefits of AI in supporting students’ individual needs through adaptable reading settings. However, you’ve highlighted very important challenges such as access to technology in rural or disadvantaged areas and budget constraints. Addressing these issues is necessary to ensure equal access to AI tools for all students.
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I thought the indivividualised programmes looked excellent. Especially in math. For children to be able to work at their own pace and teachers to get a good insight into where help is needed. However I would expect those programmes are costly and therefore maybe not a realistic option in the class.
I have used AI for planning and although it helped get over my writer’s block I found it didnt save me an enormous amount of time as I still had to go and ammend the plan. Often the AI tool would over load a lesson so I would have to go back and edit it. With more practice I’m sure I could improve my own commands to make AI work for me.
As a teacher of dyslexic students I embrace AI to make the student’s life easier. However the use of Immersive reader and speech to text should not take the place of teaching these children to read and type. Children with dyslexia should be taught to read using a structured scientifally based reading intervention programme. Maybe I will write an AI program myself to teach this! Make a fortune 🙂
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These tools can really ease their learning process. However, you rightfully point out that they should go hand in hand with, not replace, traditional teaching methods. Ensuring that dyslexic students receive structured, scientific-based reading interventions is important for their overall literacy development.
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Having taught in Second class and as a SET in the last couple of years I feel as though AI would be very useful for my students across the curriculum. Having had students who often struggle with reading due to dyslexia, I feel as though the Immersive reading tool would be very useful in both the mainstream classroom and SET. The SET teacher could show the children how to use the Immersive reader correctly and this in turn would make the child’s life easier. The idea of changing the colour background, adjusting reading speed and using the specific line to line reading could be greatly beneficial to students. While the Immersive reader would be useful, it should also be used in accordance with scientific based reading programmes and not replace teaching methods which are already in use.
Teaching in a rural school, a challenge which could arise would be the access to tablets for the children to use. Ensuring these tablets have access to the AI platforms required could also be an issue due to budget constraints.
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I used to use an LMS called Haiku for my class. The pupils loved having resources available to them for projects, but they especially loved having their Friday tests on them. For me it took care and attention to set the tests, but the benefit was at the other end. The results ended up in a grade book which was super convenient for me, and parents had access to it. However, the single biggest benefit for pupils was that they could work on their tests at their own pace. This was especially popular with pupils that finished faster. They then had tasks set for them involving computer work.
However, I will admit that there were drawbacks. It was a rare Friday that was IT problem free, and I spent valuable concentration fixing issues for pupils allowing opportunities for ‘collaborative testing’. The final straw that broke the camel’s back was when the laptops became too old to be reliable and too expensive to fix, I no longer had a laptop per pupil and the entire initiative went by the wayside.
Incidentally, as far as I know Haiku was bought by PowerSchool, now Microsoft Azure and I am super excited about trying that out as a result. We again, after several years, have a device per pupil so interesting times are ahead.
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I think that there is great potential for AI to transform the teaching and learning experience in my classroom. One of the greatest challenges I face as a teacher is the written planning element. The demonstration of how AI can be used to generate a lesson plan is the application that I am most interested in. Being well organised and having a clear and cohesive plan clearly leads to more efficient teaching and learning. There is a professional requirement to have both long and short term plans for each subject. There are huge challenges associated with this- teachers are hugely overloaded and oversubscribed and the ever changing curriculum and planning requirements make it a very difficult aspect of the job.
I would use AI to help with both long and short term planning as demonstrated in the module. It is clear that there are also setbacks- AI requires a lot of very specific instructions- there is a danger that the time required to finesse the instructions could take longer than writing a plan in the first instance. I do feel that with more experience you would become practised in writing the prompt and become more efficient. I see that copyright for book schemes etc. that you may want to integrate into plans could be an issue. -
Finding time for individual work in class is extremely taxing with upwards of 30 pupils in class. Having a teaching assistant in AI that could free up teaching time by analysing data related to learning offering accurate individualised solutions while taking care of corrections and other mundane tasks would be a tremendous benefit. If we consider the practical application of educational theory it is exciting to imagine reducing less useful work by teachers with truly effective action in guiding a class with purpose and direction, not merely surviving the day one task at a time but a higher order of pursuing a better educational life for all stakeholders in education.
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Hi Desmond,
Thank you for your post. You have touched on some interesting points and I’m sure many here will agree with the sentiment of them. AI has enormous potential for building resources and taking the burden off some of the ‘mundane’ tasks you have alluded to. You may see some specific examples and ideas later in the course, but did anything from this module stand out in terms of specific things we must be mindful of when delegating certain tasks to AI systems?
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Yes, rolling out AI technology without due diligence is a real worry. The test class in China appears to use children as objects of experiment with a high % of acceptance from parents and teachers. There are so many ethical concerns here to unpack with a seemingly questionable framework of the reason for enrolling children in education but also tremendously worrying attitudes toward the use of power. It shows signs of increased pressure and stress on some children while ignoring potential data errors from fundamental concerns over the effectiveness of the tech. One scientist noted being ‘itchy’ while wearing the device having the effect of registering as a lapse in concentration, which is grossly unfair combined with acceptance of efficacy from those in power. It seems quite irresponsible and also very apathetic to subject children to this beta version of AI, especially considering a fundamental GDPR flaw in that this type of study cannot guarantee anonymity to the participants. However, though the Chinese example is disturbing this is a global issue and the west is just as guilty. We are systematically failing children with a lack of safeguarding around social media use powered by unregulated AI for some time.
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I teach 1st class and we have a Literacy Power Hour every day where two SET’s come into the class and each child reads with a teacher on a one to one /small group basis. This way we can ensure each child is reading at their level and progressing throughout the year. The challenge I have always found, as a class teacher, is not always knowing where each child is at and the progress they are making as I don’t read daily with these children (they read with the other teachers). We use this method to support struggling readers and to provide early intervention to children who are showing signs of specific learning difficulties. I feel that I can use AI and CoPilot to create a tracking system and progress tool that all teachers could inform and that way it would be much easier to keep track of where each child is. I actually feel this could completely streamline the Power Hour system and make it run more smoothly. In relation to challenges and concerns..I found that video from China quite scary. Concentration and high grade attainment is a very simplistic approach to take and the goal should not be only to achieve high grades. We know, as teachers, the school experience is so much more than academic attainment. I think a teacher’s understanding of their pupils, the relationships in these children’s lives, the environment they live in, their individual learning styles informs the approach that you take when working with each child. The nuances, empathy and human interaction can’t be measured so easily and the sending of data to parents is pretty shocking. I got the impression that the parents received the data for the entire class and this seems inappropriate on all levels. AI is very exciting and could really elevate teaching and learning but this video , for me, served as a word of caution.
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Hi Cora,
Thanks for your post. I love the way you have been able to identify such a quantifiable example from your own practice in which AI can be used to enhance current practice. I have been in a similar situation as 1st class teacher – not knowing exactly where children are at in a specific area, as it is the other teacher’s ‘station’ is a difficult place to be in. These interventions are being used to assist those who need it most, and help all learners progress at an appropriate level, but there can be a certain amount of guesswork for groups being taught by other teachers. AI can certainly play a role in streamlining this – indeed, it may also be used to crate scripts that may be commensurate with the reading levels of the different groups.
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One way I feel AI could transform my teaching is by increasing my efficiency when it comes to administration tasks, I will certainly be using it going forward to help draft my lesson plans, however, I can see from the examples shown that it may take me some time and practice to make sure my prompts are worded properly and with sufficient detail before I can have AI generate lesson plans that don’t need significant tweaking from me!
I love the idea of using applications such as Microsoft or google forms to generate assessments, then have them corrected, returned and the data organised for me. I imagine that I can use it for IT time with my class as a very quick way to assess and inform learning, but again, it is something I will need to to work on and figure out how best to use it.
I think immersive reader is a fantastic app and would benefit students with reading difficulties or EAL students, particularly in subjects such as SESE or maths where reading might not be the focus of the lesson but may still be presenting a challenge – this would be a great way to give a sense of independence to these learners and allow them to engage in the lesson, boosting their confidence and self esteem. However many of my students might also find using immersive reader itself difficult, and I would need to spend significant time making sure each student using it is comfortable and competent – something the SET teacher may be able to help with.
In recent years I have had students with dyslexia and visual impairments use a laptop day to day in the classroom, and organisation is something that they have all found challenging – I think the use of an app such as OneNote would be a great way to counter this.
Of course access to IT equipment is always going to present another challenge, but in our school we have a great system of sharing the equipment which means every class gets regular ICT time.
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Hi Carrie,
Thank you for your post. You are correct to point out the significant administrative burden that can be lifted through the targeted use of AI. As you have said, the module highlighted the need for prompts to be specific and the different outputs that can derive from even slightly different prompt inputs. Over time, we will get kore adept at prompting the chatbot to produce exactly what we are looking for, and enhance our productivity and efficiency even further in the process.
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It has been great to read the comments above. I’m going into 6th Class for the first time and hope to bring the benefits of AI to the class. Below are some of the ideas I have:
As discussed above, AI tools can support students with dyslexia by using text-to-speech software, turning difficult reading tasks into engaging listening experiences. I have had issues with cpens before so it’ll be interesting to try other pieces of software and tools. For younger years, educational games can make learning phonics fun, turning letter and sound recognition into enjoyable challenges. These tools can’t replace the role of a supportive teacher, but they can complement traditional methods and make learning more accessible and motivating for students.
Of course, not only children with educational needs can benefit from these technologies. The immersive reader tool could be highly beneficial in addressing differences of levels in a class. This tool’s ability to change background colors and provide text-to-speech functionality can support students who struggle with traditional reading methods, fostering greater independence and engagement.
I’m looking forward to doing some thematic studies and AI can help me establish cross-curricular links and enhance some resources. As above, when studying countries like Spain and France, AI could help create detailed menus of traditional meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and school lunches (and also the pictures). This would allow us to explore cultural aspects more deeply and engage students in interactive and meaningful ways.
Some students might need support to transfer skills from one context to another, requiring ongoing guidance so I’m looking forward to exploring what a 6th Class can do.
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There is no doubt that AI has the potential to transform teaching and learning in the classroom. In advance of this course I purchased a book called “Artificial Intelligence in the Primary Classroom – 101 ways to save time, cut your workload and enhance your creativity.” There are fantastic ideas in this book and I can see myself using many of them in the next school year. For example teachers often need to model various writing genres. I’ve done this myself and it takes a lot of time. There are examples here of modelling acrostics and limericks in poetry.
I entered the prompt “Write an acrostic for 10 year old children using the word HALLOWEEN” and this is what I got in seconds:
Haunted houses full of fright,
Apple bobbing, what a sight!
Lanterns carved with spooky faces,
Little goblins in dark places.
Owls hoot in the midnight air,
Witches flying everywhere!
Eerie shadows, moon so bright,
Everyone loves Halloween night!
Nighttime comes, the fun begins.The book has further examples of modelled writing across the various writing genres.
Science is an area of the curriculum that I really enjoy teaching but again planning a science lesson can be very time consuming. This book similar to what was discussed in Module 2 identifies the benefits of AI in planning lessons.
So once again I entered the prompt “Please generate a science lesson plan on acids and bases suitable for 11 year olds.”
The lesson plan produced is fantastic and very thorough.
Scanning through the book there are fantastic ideas on teaching critical thinking, creating cloze procedures and quizzes, creating time filler games, creating higher order thinking skills questions, planning school assemblies and so on. I believe I will find this an invaluable resource as I tentatively dip my toes into the world of AI.
The big challenge for many schools in implementing AI tools will be access to the technology needed to do so. I teach in a very large urban school with over 700 students. We are lucky in that digital learning has been prioritized over a long period of time but that may not be the case in every school. Obviously staff buy-in may be another challenge as some teachers may be sceptical about the use of AI as an educational tool.
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Hi Paul,
Thank you for your post. It is undeniable that AI has the potential to cut teacher workload significantly, and writing genres is one area that it really lends itself too. Depending on the prompt, you could model a series of differentiated pieces on different genres and topics. For instance, if you changed you acrostic prompt to ask for a single word to describe Halloween in this form, that may be the most suitable piece of modelling for some children in your class. Whereas, others can use the detail acrostic you have copied here as a basis for creating their own. The potential to personalise and individualise learning really is endless with AI tools.
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AI has the potential to significantly transform my classroom by increasing efficiency, personalising learning, and supporting students with diverse needs. I’ve already used ChatGPT extensively for lesson planning and other activities, which has greatly streamlined my planning and preparation for each school day. While it sometimes requires a bit of thought to get the prompts right, I’ve found it incredibly useful in overcoming writer’s block and generating ideas. I’ve even introduced ChatGPT to my sixth-class students, showing them how to use it as a study tool, which they found incredibly beneficial for enhancing their learning experience.
Beyond lesson planning, I’ve utilized AI tools like Microsoft Forms, Plickers, and Playfactile to create personalised content tailored to my class. These tools have allowed me to engage students more effectively by offering customized learning experiences that meet their individual needs. For example, I’ve used these tools to create assessments that are automatically graded, saving time and providing immediate feedback to both me and my students.
I’m also excited about the potential of tools like Immersive Reader, which can support students with reading difficulties by offering features like background colour adjustments and text-to-speech. This tool could be especially valuable for students with dyslexia or those learning English as an additional language, helping them to access content more independently and boosting their confidence in subjects where reading is a barrier.
However, I recognise there are challenges in implementing AI in the classroom. Concerns around data privacy and ensuring that AI is used appropriately are significant. For instance, when using AI to personalise learning, it’s crucial to have parental consent and clear policies on data collection and usage. Additionally, while AI tools can greatly enhance learning, they shouldn’t replace traditional teaching methods, especially for students who need structured, scientifically-based interventions, like those with dyslexia.
Finally, there’s the practical challenge of ensuring all students are comfortable and competent with these tools. Access to IT equipment can be an issue, but with our school’s effective system for sharing resources, I’m optimistic about making AI a regular part of my teaching. With continued practice and professional development, I believe AI can be seamlessly integrated into the classroom to benefit both teachers and students.
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Hi Seán,
Thank you for your post. It’s great to hear you have had the opportunity to showcase Chat GPT to your 6th class pupils and allow them time to explore ways in which it can be a helpful guide to them when studying or preparing for exams in second level. Knowing how to use it and what is/isn’t appropriate is a very important aspect to this. Integrating AI use with tools like Microsoft Forms is a great way to save on your workload and cut out unnecessary grading work. May quiz based online tools now offer a direct plug-in to ChatGPT to make using them more attractive.
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AI has the potential to transform teaching and learning by offering more personalised, accessible experiences. Tools like Diffit can quickly adapt content to suit different reading levels, helping to support diverse learners in the classroom. Similarly, the Immersive Reader option in Microsoft Word uses AI to support literacy by reading text aloud, breaking words into syllables, and highlighting parts of speech, making texts more accessible for students with dyslexia or other learning needs. AI can also save teachers time by generating differentiated materials or automating feedback. However, challenges include ensuring equal access to devices and internet, and training staff to use these tools effectively. There’s also a need to be mindful of data privacy. Still, when thoughtfully implemented, AI can help teachers create more inclusive and engaging learning environments, allowing students to progress at their own pace while freeing up teachers to focus more on individual support and creative teaching.
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