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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.
Also, please respond to at least one other participant’s post in this forum.
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AI can completely transform the daily grind by acting as a brilliant co-pilot. For instance, if we’re doing a maths topic like the problem question in operations, I can instantly adapt the text for different reading levels, or quickly generate a tailored glossary and interactive quiz questions for pupils who need extra support. This helps me customize lessons on the fly, cutting down hours spent creating resources and leaving more energy for actual teaching.
The benefits for personalized learning are massive, but the implementation challenges are very real. Data privacy is the top hurdle; with young children, you can’t feed any identifiable info into public tools. The video from China is worrying in my opinion especially for children with undiagnosed needs and the anxiety and pressure around school performance that wearing these tracking devices may cause.
There’s also the issue of AI “hallucinations”—simply making things up—meaning I always have to critically vet every single output before it reaches the classroom. Ultimately, it’s a total game-changer for day-to-day efficiency, but only if we maintain absolute human oversight and treat it as a handy assistant, never a replacement
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Caroline, I agree completely, not only is teacher interpretation important the human connection between teacher and student can never be replaced. While the differentiated reading is a wonderful tool the encouragement, direction and interaction between teacher and student in essential for fostering positive learning experiences.
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Hi Tracey,
Thank you for your response. It is thoughtful and balanced, raising some excellent points that really highlight both the practicalities and the ethics of integrating AI into the classroom.
Grounding your reflection with the reminder that AI outputs must always be vetted by staff adds significant professional weight to your post. Your concerns regarding data privacy and the ethical implications of tracking devices were also incredibly valid and well-stated.
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I completely agree Tracey. While I can already see the obvious benefits for my teaching and planning the lack of privacy for students is a real worry. I idea that pupils were getting punished in China for a low attention score was very worrying. Also, the high possibility for false scores due to how to device is worn.
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AI is reshaping education is through individual learning experiences. Current teaching methods can use a a one-size-fits-all method, leading to disengagement among children who may have varying learning styles and capabilities. As demonstrated in this module, AI-driven platforms such as Squirrel AI, Carnegie Learning and Century AI among many others can analyse individual learning habits, personalised learning based on their strengths, early detection of possible weaknesses, enhance teaching to tailor educational content accordingly, leading to more informed decisions and better outcomes for the children learning.
Scoil Mhuire, Rosslare, Wexford as depicted in this module utilise Intelligent tutoring systems and can use adaptive learning systems to assess student performance in real-time, allowing for customised resources that cater to each learner’s unique needs. In this way, students can receive support that helps them thrive, regardless of their academic level. Similarly, in Carlow they adapted Mash.plus which could create units of work, and engaging lesson plans on a simple prompt.
Conversely, it is acknowledged that AI wont make a teacher better, but if harnessed it could create original and more engaging content. Privacy concerns, data protection, ethical frameworks, parental and community engagement are all considerations which would need to be further investigated to ensure successful implementation of AI without the detriment to children’s mental well and increased pressures to their lives with many additional monitoring systems such as that shown in China.
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You’ve made a nicely balanced point here, Angela. The personalised learning side of AI is one of the more interesting possibilities, especially for children who don’t fit neatly into a one-size-fits-all approach. The examples you mentioned, Century AI and Squirrel AI, show how useful it could be if a programme can spot where a child is struggling and pitch the work at the right level. That could be a genuine help to teachers too, particularly when you’re trying to hold a wide range of needs together in the one room. I liked that you brought in the school examples from the module as well. It makes the whole thing feel more real when you can see schools already trying these tools out, rather than AI being talked about purely in theory. Your last point is the important one, though. AI might help create resources or lift the engagement in a lesson, but it still has to be handled with care; data protection, privacy, parental awareness, and the children’s well-being all have to come first.
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It is very obvious from this module that AI is here to stay and will eventually lead the way for teachers in the future. I was very impressed with Carnegie Learning and Mathia x as I’ve only used Chat Gpt previously. I especially would like to look further in to Mathia x as I have 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes this year and maths is the one where the most jumping around between classes takes place. I presume it may help me tailor some streamlined lessons in Maths eg. Capacity, where as you specify in this module, input requirements and be specific with learning objectives for the 3 levels and direct this tool to differentiate so 3rd will be challenged as the lesson proceeds and their lesson objectives are achieved . This would eliminate the need to feel confined to the maths book but still cover the Maths curriculum.
Gemini , co pilot and Chat GPT would also be useful here. I would also delve into Dreamspace to create some problem-solving suitable for all 3 class levels to start with and ask it to add some more challenging problems along the way.
I would be confident that I would be able to embark on using AI for whole class teaching but I feel most teachers would need more in service training for some of the individualised tools you have mentioned.
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AI can transform teaching and learning in a classroom by making learning more personalised, interactive, and efficient and allows teachers to spend more time on instruction.
This module outlines 4 key areas where AI is important in education: It allows for personalised learning and attends to the unique needs of every student. It allows for administrative efficiency as a teacher and as a whole school and it frees up valuable time and allows greater time for teacher instruction. It analyses educational data and identifies gaps in their learning and informs decisions based on this information. It enhances teaching strategies and allows lessons to be more engaging for pupils.
This module provides lots of examples of implementing AI tools in my own classroom and school. One that I am particularly interested in engaging with is the Immersive Reader and I can already see how it would make reading for some children in my class a lot easier. It was great to see a demonstration of how it used in a classroom setting and it is one I am keen to implement in my classroom.
One of the main challenges of implementing AI tools is the lack of professional development for teachers in this area. I have gained so much insight as to what AI tools are available in education in this module alone and I am keen to share this information with my own school.-
Hi Barbra, thanks for your response in Module 2.
I have to agree, the DEY have strides to make in ensuring teachers get appropriate CPD for this ever evolving technology. It is important that teachers have some baseline support with AI, understanding of its transformative potential for both classroom instruction and administrative efficiency is one thing but we need to be critical in our use and take a human centred approach always.
Immersive Reader is fantastic, it is an great practical tool for making text accessible and is especially great to support building reading confidence for diverse learners. -
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Thank you for sharing Barbara. I agree that there is a lack of professional development for teachers to fully adapt and implement AI technology at present. The immersive reader tool is something I will definitely implement to some students when I return to school. Realistically another major consideration is financial support to update and implement technology correctly.
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I think AI will transform my teaching as it is so readily available and easily accessible. I can type the subject area, class level and the specific needs of the group I will be working with in SET and it will immediately generate differentiated learning experiences. Tools like the Immersive Reader will help model the reading process and give opportunities for repeated reading in a different context, for struggling readers. All of this without adding to my preparation time. Time spent on Lesson planning can be reduced with more time available for teaching. I wonder can AI insert data on a specific template? While the benefits are clear, the greatest challenge I see will be the slow roll out of teacher training in AI. As with the implementation of any new programme professional development is necessary to ensure its proper usage. I was delighted to learn of the Minecraft Education Site as many of the children are already so familiar with Minecraft from home. This will enhance home-school learning at another level.
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I found this module very interesting but also a little frustrating. A lot of the content in this module presumes that there is almost constant or daily access to chromebooks and unfortunately that is not the case in our school. There are 25 chromebooks to share between almost 400 pupils and so in reality my class would have access for around 1 hour per week. I would love to be able to use more of the online learning tools and assessment tools but that would not be possible.
In saying that the use of AI for lesson plans was very informative. It’s great to see the detail of the prompt used for the numeracy lesson plan. I wouldn’t have thought of using that level of prompt. Also, I did not expect that it would give the learning objectives, learning outcomes etc. I thought it would be more general. I especially love how it included ideas for multiplication games and concrete resources. I like the conclusion suggestions from Chat GPT.
With regard to the ‘attention bands’ and surveillance camera’s in schools in China I feel this is a step too far, I agree with the boy who says it is an invasion into their privacy.
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A good point made here about the availability of IT, particularly in a primary school context. I know alot of secondary schools make it compulsory for a child to have a laptop of similar device and all books and resources are then put on the device. There are great benefits to that but a big concern around children constantly being on devices both at school and at home and the negative implications of that. As a parent of children of 11 and 13, I’m very concerned about that. While I welcome that benefits of technology and the potential of AI for better use of technology, I want my children to spend as little time as possible on devices. I want them engaging with teachers and peers face to face, building up their social skills and friendships. I’d like to see really effective and discerning use of technology to enhance learning for short periods but also have technology supporting teachers by taking the laborious work our of analysing data and preparing content, freeing them up to focus on quality teaching.
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Hi Carol,
Welcome to the course and thank you for your engagement with this module.
This is an honest and practical reflection. I completely understand your frustration regarding device access; resource constraints are a very real challenge in many schools, and it is vital to acknowledge these practical limitations.
It is brilliant to see how you have identified a way to harness AI behind the scenes, regardless of pupil screen time.
Your ethical stance on classroom surveillance is also spot on, highlighting the crucial need for critical thinking when implementing these technologies!! -
Paula that can be a real challenge to using A.I. when the internet is poor. We had this issue some years ago and with the new broad band roll out it has improved. We also invested in Ipads some years ago and they now have little or no memory left. So upgrading is important as big investments from a few years ago go very quickly out of relevance!
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I had the same thought, Naomi. It would be really helpful if the course gave a clear breakdown of which tools are free versus subscription-based, as schools are already stretched thin with existing digital subscriptions. Teachable Machine being free is great, but as you say, tools like Squirrel AI and Carnegie Learning likely come with a cost that many schools simply won’t be able to justify without dedicated funding.
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Yes I agree. I’m very interested in the various AI tools and but cost will be an issue for schools. Of course, like a lot of teachers we end subscribing ourselves to various online resources as they can benefit our teaching by easing our workload in many ways. I presume with the formulation of school policy in terms of AI usage in schools, cost will be assessed by school management going forward.
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I too found some elements of this module quite frustrating. While I can acknowledge that individualised teaching platforms could transform a child’s learning, the idea of any child relying on a computer or device to explain something to them feels so impersonal, and honestly a bit wrong to me. As both a teacher and a parent, I struggle with the over‑emphasis on screen time in schools. We already use interactive whiteboards throughout the day, and now the suggestion that these programmes might provide differentiated support across multiple subjects feels like we’re encouraging children to spend even more time on devices. Striking a balance is becoming increasingly challenging.
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Martha, your point about balance really resonated with me. I’m very interested in the potential of of AI and technology in education and I’ve seen the benefits of AI first hand this past school year in my own approach to school work and as Ive outlined in my reflections here but I also wonder about the wider expectations around technology in schools. Are teachers increasingly expected to be constantly connected, whether through dojo, email, phones, whatsapp groups or digital platforms as well as incoporating technology into their teaching? On a personal level, Im becoming more conscious of how constant phone use can affect attention, mood and even our ability to retrieve information for ourselves. I suppose the challenge for me if how we embrace useful technology and remain relevant as teachers while still living in a real and balanced way.
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Fully agree that the lack of device availablilty and funding for their maintenance can be a big challenge for schools Carol. It means children must share technology fairly, and would need to ensure that AI activities complement hands-on learning rather than replace it. However, when used effectively it can be a great tool to augment efficiency and allow focus on areas that make best use of your time.
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I totally agree Carol and am relieved to see your post as I felt I was missing something from this module seeing the gushing responses from other participants. Yes AI could transform a child’s learning but in a class of 30 with only 30mins access to ipads a day I’m not sure how impactful it can practically be?
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Student access to technology is definitely an issue and it is hard to get the balance right between so much learning happening on devices and access to these devices. For the moment I feel that in my case the vast majority of interaction with AI will be from my own perspective and that targeted specific, well prepared and monitored tasks will be restricted to the scheduled times devices are available to the students.
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Going forward AI could really improve teaching and learning by making lessons more personalised, engaging, and efficient. When information around children’s strengths, weaknesses, interests and abilities are inputted into one of the AI sites we looked at, then activities, resources and plans could be generated and tailor made for the children in question.
For those struggling with Maths or reading, we saw how AI can make lessons more personalised and interactive. Using AI can spark an interest and children are set up for success by meeting each learner where they are at rather than a generic class lesson. These personalised resources support those who are struggling and challenge the more able students.
There will definitely be challenges to using AI effectively. We as teachers need to ensure that the children know this is a support to their learning and doesn’t replace independent critical thinking.
There would be concerns around Internet safety, data protection and misinformation/ AI hallucinations, so teachers will need to up skill and engage in CPD to use AI in a meaningful way in their classroom.
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Hi Joanne, thank you for this comprehensive reflection. You have perfectly captured how AI can transform the classroom by moving away from generic lessons and instead tailoring activities to individual strengths, weaknesses and interests. Meeting each learner where they are at is the core of effective differentiation and also allows you to begin to implement the UDL .
Your evaluation of the challenges is equally impressive. You are spot on about the vital importance of maintaining independent critical thinking so that pupils don’t rely blindly on technology. Furthermore, your emphasis on data protection, internet safety and upskilling through CPD shows a highly responsible, professional approach to integrating these tools meaningfully.
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I think until listening to all in Module 2 I was unaware of how helpful AI can be in the classroom. I like the idea of creating content to cater for different levels of ability. Obviously we always did this anyway but I think this will generate ideas much faster and more specific to the needs of pupils if the correct prompts are used.
The Immersive Reader looks like something I will definitely try to use, it seems to have endless potential. We have had a session with Microsoft who introduced us to Dreamspace, it was a fantastic opportunity and the children engaged with it fully, in a fun way but learning lots also. It is something I feel I’ve been reminded to revisit, I wasn’t aware of the RTE addition, so I will use this to get children to think outside the box in a fun, challenging way.
With regard to the Chinese approach, I find this quite disturbing, it is overkill in the extreme! You don’t need a band on a child’s forehead to be able to tell if they are concentrating or engaging in your lesson.
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Hi Fionnuala, thank you for this fantastic and honest reflection. It is great to hear how this module has opened your eyes to the helpfulness of AI, particularly in streamlining the differentiation process. As you rightly noted, the secret is in using the correct prompts to generate specific, targeted ideas much faster.
Your plans to utilise Immersive Reader and revisit Microsoft Dreamspace—especially with the RTÉ addition—are excellent ways to encourage children to think outside the box.
Your perspective on the Chinese surveillance approach is spot on. You are entirely correct that a teacher’s intuition and connection with their pupils will always far surpass a headband when it comes to measuring true classroom engagement. Great insights!
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Module 2 overall has been very informative on specific uses for AI within the classroom. AI can be used for everyone’s benefit in the classroom by making learning more personalised and differentiated while allowing the teacher to be more efficient. It also provides opportunities to make lessons more interactive and interesting for the children.
I think the potential for differentiation is the biggest advantage of using AI in education. I have taught second class for the past few years and have seen a lot of reading difficulties emerging for children at this age. It is often an age where reading challenges and potential dyslexic tendencies come to the fore as reading lessons become more challenging. I really like the idea of the ‘Immersive Reader’. I think it’s great to have access to a tool that would provide opportunities for repeated reading while modelling the reading process for children. It also seems very engaging for children, which I love! If children are engaged, it helps them to learn/persist with something much more easily.
I think the rate at which AI is developing can be challenging for teachers in terms of continuing professional development. It would be a great idea for schools to offer all teachers some opportunities to upskill in this area during Croke Park hours. If funding was a challenge, peer tutoring among colleagues could be a good work-around.
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Hi Paula,
Thank you for your engagement with the module and also for this excellent and highly constructive reflection. You have highlighted a brilliant advantage of AI in the classroom—its immense potential to make learning more personalised, differentiated and engaging, particularly for second-class pupils navigating early reading difficulties.
Your enthusiasm for the ‘Immersive Reader’ tool is spot on; it is a fantastic, interactive way to model the reading process and build confidence in children facing literacy challenges. Furthermore, your point about the rapid pace of AI development is very well made. Your practical suggestions for utilising Croke Park hours and setting up peer tutoring are wonderful solutions for professional development that ensure no teacher gets left behind. Brilliant insights!
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I think the biggest challenge is the fear teachers may have about AI. The unknown about is and especially for those of us who are not as up to speed with technology as the younger people of society. For example my son who is an Engineer in his twenties can sort an issue for me in jig time. Sometimes that makes me feel inadequate in many ways. Also students in a classroom can be more aware of how to do things using I.T. more so than teachers. This can be undermining for us educators. I suppose we need to remain open minded and ready to engage in learning about A.I.
I was very impressed with the tool Immersive Reader. As I am in SET I could see me using this with a pupil who has dyslexia. It would give him great confidence in decoding words and improving his reading ability. I really like the way the backgrounds change colour, how the print size can be increased and separated out into lines. I will certainly be using this tool in September.
I am really impressed with Immersive Reader. I am in SET and I could see me using this with a boy
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Hi Martina,
Thanks for this reflection, undoubtedly, fear and particularly fear around digital technologies is very common place in schools. It is completely normal to feel apprehensive when comparing ourselves to “younger” generations. Your determination to stay open-minded is inspiring.
As an SET teacher, your instinct to deploy Immersive Reader for a pupil with dyslexia is fantastic, embracing this type of targeted tool proves that your unique pedagogical wisdom is what truly matters, far outweighing pure technical speed. -
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Before completing this module, I was aware of AI tools but had not fully appreciated the potential they have to transform teaching and learning. One of the biggest advantages I see is the ability to personalise learning and quickly differentiate tasks to meet the varying needs of pupils in my classroom. AI could help generate activities at different levels, ensuring all children are appropriately challenged and supported.
I also see AI as a valuable way of reducing teacher workload. Many time-consuming tasks, such as planning, creating resources and analysing assessment data, could be completed much more efficiently. I was particularly interested in the idea of using AI to analyse Drumcondra test results and generate personalised follow-up activities for individuals or groups based on their specific learning needs. This would make assessment much more meaningful and targeted.
Another feature that stood out to me was Immersive Reader in Microsoft Word. I was unaware that this free resource existed, and I can see how beneficial it would be in supporting a child with dyslexia by making reading more accessible and promoting greater independence.
There are, however, challenges to consider. GDPR, data protection and the potential for bias in AI-generated content mean teachers must use these tools carefully and critically. The cost of AI subscriptions is also a concern, and with so many options available, it can be difficult to know which tools are genuinely worth investing in. Practical guidance on the most useful and cost-effective AI tools for teachers would be a valuable addition to this course.
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I completely agree. Immersive reader was a revelation to me in this module. I had previously seen it in the recommendations section of an educational psychology report and assumed it was a licensed program with a subscription like TTRS. I would definitely explore this more when I go back in September.
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Hi Naomi,
Your focus on using AI to personalise learning levels and reduce administrative burdens is spot on. However, your caution regarding GDPR and inputting sensitive child data is an essential reminder of our ethical duties.
Discovering Immersive Reader for supporting pupils with dyslexia is a huge win for promoting independent decoding. Your call for a practical guide on cost-effective, curated AI tools is an excellent suggestion that would benefit schools immensely during digital procurement!
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I too found the idea of using AI to analyse Drumcondra test results very interesting. Most of the time they are processed and put onto our Aladdin system and nothing more comes from them. With the use of AI it would be great to see how we could use the results to further help us to plan for individual children.
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One of the biggest challenges I face in the classroom is trying to meet the needs of all learners. Every class has a wide range of abilities, and it can be difficult to provide enough support for those who are struggling while also challenging the more able students.
From this module, I can see how AI could make differentiation much easier. It could help me create different versions of worksheets, quizzes and reading activities in a fraction of the time it would normally take. AI could also help with lesson planning, generating ideas for activities giving me more time to focus on teaching and working with individuals.
That said, I do have some concerns about how realistic it is to use AI regularly in schools. The more we rely on AI in the classroom, the more we assume that every child has access to a laptop, tablet or iPad. In reality, many schools only have class sets of devices that can be booked once or twice a week, and that’s assuming all the devices are working properly and fully charged. If AI is going to become part of everyday teaching, there will need to be significant investment from the Department of Education in digital infrastructure and devices for schools.
Having spent a bit of time exploring some of the AI platforms mentioned in this module, I also noticed that while tools like Google Teachable Machine are free, many others, such as Squirrel AI and Carnegie Learning, require paid subscriptions or school licences. Schools already pay for a wide range of digital programmes and subscriptions, so adding more AI platforms could become quite expensive. Unless funding is provided, it feels like many of these tools won’t be accessible to a lot of schools or students anytime soon.
Overall, I think AI has huge potential to improve teaching and learning. With the right training, funding and investment in technology, AI could become a valuable part of everyday classroom practice. Until then, I think access and affordability will remain some of the biggest barriers to its widespread use.
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One challenge we face in our school is the creation of SESE resources and lessons based on our local environment. All curricula in relation to SESE subjects will focus on starting with your immediate environment- teach the children first about the world they live and broaden from there. We are blessed to be located in an area rich in potential SESE resources that we are not taking advantage of. There are local aspects to all major historical events, e.g. monastic life, plantations, age of revolution, presidents of Ireland etc. etc. In terms of geography and science we are located beside a bogland, a woodland, a stream, an SAC, 2 km from a salmon-rich river, 5km from a mountain range and 8km from the seashore. However we have very little in relation to that in our school plan and what we do have is haphazard. The reason we haven’t tackled into this in any organised way is the size of the task- we almost have too much on our doorstep. We’re overwhelming by the mamoth task of getting all this into plans and lessons. That’s where the potential of AI is enormous- gathering and organising information and creating age-appropriate plans, lessons, field trips and assessments around this. Tools referred to in this module such as Mash+, CoPilot or ChatGPT have the potential to be enormously helpful in meeting this challenge.
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Hi Patrick, thank you for engaging with Module 2 and for this post. Having so many local resources is wonderful, but I agree with so much local potential, the workload of structuring plans for rivers, boglands, and historical sites is understandably daunting. Your plan to use AI tools to organise this data into age-appropriate lessons and field trips is a fantastic approach.
This approach highlights how GenAI can act as a collaborative planning partner, taking the heavy lifting out of curriculum design. This is a brilliant way to build a sustainable, localised SESE plan for your school!
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I think you are so right Patrick. AI can help us quickly make resources that are customisable to our school environments and our particular contexts. Your post made me think about that. I think giving the right prompts and up;oading images or documents will be critical to the quality of the resource. I look forward to playing around with some of the tools to make those resources quickly!
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This module has really opened my eyes to just how many practical AI tools are already available for classroom use. The Immersive Reader in particular stood out to me — being able to change background colours, increase text size and have text read aloud could make a huge difference for pupils with dyslexia or reading difficulties, and it’s reassuring that it’s already built into Word for free. I also liked seeing Minecraft Education and the Microsoft DreamSpace demo, as these are tools children already recognise, which should help with engagement and home-school links.
In terms of transforming my own teaching, I can see real benefits in using tools like Copilot or ChatGPT to draft lesson plans and differentiated resources, freeing up time for actual teaching rather than resource creation. The numeracy lesson plan example in this module showed how detailed and specific these prompts can be.
That said, the challenges feel significant too. Data privacy is a major concern, especially with young children, and the video on China’s use of AI monitoring in classrooms was genuinely unsettling — I don’t think that level of surveillance has any place in an Irish classroom. There’s also the practical issue of device access; like others have mentioned, most schools don’t have anywhere near enough devices for daily use. Overall, I think AI has real potential here, but only with proper training, clear guidelines, and a firm emphasis on the teacher remaining in control.
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Hi Darragh, thanks for your engagement in this Module.
Your conclusion is spot on: AI is a powerful assistant but the teacher must always remain firmly in control. You have also perfectly captured the main anxieties shared across the primary sector. Your reaction to the classroom monitoring video is entirely justified; ensuring that data privacy remains ironclad and that surveillance never enters Irish education is very important.
Agreed, Immersive Reader as a built-in accessibility tool for dyslexia is excellent and utilising familiar platforms like Minecraft Education is a brilliant strategy for boosting engagement and strengthening home-school links.
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Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform the learning and teaching experience in the classroom in many positive ways. It can cater to individual students’ needs by providing more personalised learning experiences and adapting content to suit different abilities and learning styles. AI also reduces teachers’ administrative workload by assisting with tasks such as grading, assessments, and data management, giving educators more time to focus on teaching and supporting their students. Through data-driven insights, AI can identify gaps in learning, provide real-time feedback, and help teachers make informed decisions about their teaching strategies. It also offers modern and engaging teaching methods that can enhance student learning and motivation. AI can improve the accuracy of assessments, support language learning through interactive tools, and prepare students for future careers for e.g. Mine craft education offers children the chance to create with code, do science experiments and build cities etc- thus inspiring future engineers, designers and biologists. Overall, AI has the potential to make education more innovative, personalised, and effective for both students and teachers.
One of the main challenges is the cost of introducing AI technologies, as well as providing appropriate training for teachers to use them effectively. It can also be difficult for educators to determine whether work completed by students is genuinely their own or has been generated using AI. Data protection and student privacy are important concerns, as schools must ensure that personal information is stored and used securely. There is also the risk of bias within AI systems, making it essential to use reliable tools and regularly monitor their outputs. In addition, schools need to engage parents and the wider community to build understanding and confidence in the use of AI. Ethical issues, such as the responsible and fair use of AI, must also be considered.
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Hi Fiona,
Your connection between data-driven assessment and reduced teacher admin workloads is spot on. You have also balanced this opinion perfectly by identifying the core AI challenges around privacy, bias and ethical use.Re appropriate training, Oide, Technology in Education is an excellent national resource that provides an AI hub filled with guidance, webinars and short courses to help your school safely and confidently navigate AI for the whole school community.
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AI could really change things in my classroom, especially with tools like Carnegie Learning. I like that it adapts to each pupil’s level, so if one child is struggling with fractions, it can give extra practice and hints straight away, while another pupil can move on to harder work. That kind of instant feedback would save time and help me spot gaps quicker. The teacher dashboard is another big plus because it shows where pupils are getting stuck, which makes planning small-group support much easier.
That said, I think there would be challenges. Not every pupil has equal access to devices, and I’d need time to learn the system properly. I’d also want to make sure AI supports my teaching rather than replaces it. Used well, though, Carnegie Learning could make lessons more personal, engaging and less stressful for everyone in the long run.-
I also like the idea of Carnegie Learning and how it adapts to each child’s ability. I hadn’t come across it before, but it seems like a really useful tool. I like that it can provide extra support for pupils who are finding a topic challenging while also offering more advanced work for those who are ready to move on. I do think, however, that teachers need appropriate training so they feel confident using AI tools effectively in the classroom.
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I think that AI has the potential to transform the teaching and learning in my classroom by making learning more tailored to each pupils indiviual learning needs, more engaging for learners, more creative, and more effecient. AI is very beneficial for faster lesson planning, creative multimodal methods of assessment and for creating a diverse range of engaging resources. I believe that some of the potential challenges associated with using AI in the classroom might include teacher over relience, accuracy and false information, and too much screen time in classrooms.
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AI can support both teachers and students by creating more personalised learning experiences while helping teachers work more efficiently. For example, AI can help generate lesson plans and activities that are tailored to different ability levels, making it easier to meet the needs of all learners in the classroom. It can also save teachers valuable time by helping with planning and paperwork, allowing more time to focus on teaching and supporting students. For students, AI can be a useful learning tool by providing instant feedback on their work. This allows them to identify mistakes, improve their understanding, and make changes before submitting assignments. However, there are also challenges to using AI in the classroom. Students can become too reliant on it, and I have seen this in older classes where some students use AI to complete projects instead of doing the work themselves. It’s also important to remember that AI is not always accurate, so any information or ideas it generates should be checked carefully. For AI to be used effectively, students need to be taught how to use it responsibly. This includes understanding that AI is a tool to support learning rather than replace their own thinking, as well as developing skills in fact-checking and recognising misinformation.
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Hi Sinead,
Your post has really hit on a wider point that many children (and adults alike) are guilty of. Checking the validity and reliability of information is essential. We can all too often believe things that we see or read all too quickly. Indeed, social media algorithms can often lead us down this path. Rumours often begin to circulate and are forwarded/shared and become recognised as truth. Teaching children from an early age about the importance of checking information, analysing whether it seems plausible and identifying ways in which to corroborate information is so important for learners to become ethical and responsible users of AI and other technologies.
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I agree with this post about screen time and the over reliance on screens. I feel there is definitely a space for AI and screen time in our classrooms but it is very important for everyone to be aware that social interactions and talk is so important for everyone.
There is no doubt that the benefits of AI are huge but teachers /parents and students need to remember that it is a tool and should not replace social interactions.
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As I am an infant teacher, I feel that AI can transform teaching and learning in junior and senior infant classrooms by making lessons more interactive, personalised, and accessible—while also giving teachers powerful tools to support early development.
AI tools can turn abstract concepts into hands-on exploration, something that is extremely important in the infant room.
If you were to use DreamSpace it lets young children experiment with coding, digital creativity, and problem‑solving through guided activities. For infants, this can mean simple block‑based coding, digital storytelling, or playful STEM challenges.
Teachable Machine allows children to train simple AI models using images, sounds, or poses. In an infant classroom, this could look like:
A “classroom helper” model that recognises tidy vs. messy desks.
AI systems can spot patterns that indicate, speech delays, phonological awareness difficulties and early numeracy gaps. This supports early intervention, something that our school is keen to implement. Microsoft Immersive Reader would be an excellent tool to help teacher recognise and support any struggling readers.
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Hi Joann,
Thank you for sharing this with us her. I think we all could benefit from enlisting the assistance of your AI-generated ‘classroom helper’. However, this is a perfect example of how children can see and learn how AI works and the development involved in training such a model. At the senior end, children could look at ways in which the model could be tricked or fooled, which would be a perfect example of the need for a critical eye when analysing AI generated content and how we can’t just immediately believe everyone we see or read.
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Hi Joann,
Thank you for sharing this with us her. I think we all could benefit from enlisting the assistance of your AI-generated ‘classroom helper’. However, this is a perfect example of how children can see and learn how AI works and the development involved in training such a model. At the senior end, children could look at ways in which the model could be tricked or fooled, which would be a perfect example of the need for a critical eye when analysing AI generated content and how we can’t just immediately believe everyone we see or read.
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As I mentioned earlier in response to a post from a participant, cost is a factor in terms of AI development in schools. In terms of access to the AI platforms and also access to computer technology for the children.
I used the Chat Gpt platform last week to create a Reflection Log for my pupils who were completing the Summer Programme. I was amazed at the quality of the Log that was created. The use of key words was very important- must be child friendly, Canva style pictures etc. There was a bit of fine tuning and because I didn’t have the subscription for the platform I had used my number of changes for the day and I’d to wait to return to make changes the following day.
I can see the value of creating programmes of work and I have been looking at using AI for my programme of work for development of UFLI phonics in the classroom using the following prompts e.g. Create five engaging activities for the UFLI sound /m/ suitable for Junior Infants.”, “Generate a decodable story using only the sounds m, a, s, t.”, “Create a week’s worth of morning phonics activities aligned with UFLI Lesson 12.” -
I think AI will have a significant impact on teaching & learning in Irish classrooms of the future – but it will take time, refer to the new Maths curriculum and the significant amount of time that took to full implement. Combined with the other curricular changes planned over next three years, AI may not get the full focus it requires. There will be significant teacher CPD required, more specifics and details than is outlined in the National AI strategy. It’s quite possible that AI introduction into schools will be pupil led!
I agree with your suggestions of:
– introducing gradually.
– embedding AI into certain aspects such as admin, planning, assessment
– Encourage pupil collaboration on AI projects.
– Ongoing AI training for teachers.
We are a Google school, so I’m unsure if some of the AI options such as Azure, Immersive Reader will work. I will definitely try the “Teachable machine” on Google. I must also try out the Microsoft Dreamspace programme.
I am unsure about how realistic the short term implementations of AI in schools will be due to:
– Device access (refer to the videos, every pupil on a device. We are not there yet.)
– Simple things like what platform you are on Google, Microsoft etc
– Concerns over bias in the content, inaccuracies, GDPR ( refer to the video of pupils in China, where is that data going and who has access?)
– Teacher training, teachers being comfortable and embracing AI.But, it will get there as it is doing in all other aspects of life.
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Hi Matt, thank you for your contribution to Module 2.
I completely agree, competing priorities and bandwidth, with teachers already managing phased curriculum changes with our PCF over a multi-year timeline means AI implementation could naturally take time rather than happening overnight. However, we do need to move with it!
Acknowledging that pupils may naturally lead this shift emphasises the vital need to foster critical digital literacy
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I am currently not a mainstream classroom teacher. I’m working as a HSCL in a DEIS school. I would like to use AI more to help me deliver in class interventions where parents and children work together on Science, maths, literacy or art projects that are age appropriate and that involve parents and children working together creatively in open ended ways. I’ve tried prompting Chat GPT and Gemini by giving them a materials list and a science skill like ‘Design and Make’, for example, and asked them to help me develop a lesson plan that sets a time bound challenge for parents and child to create using the materials provided. I used similar prompts to those given in the numeracy lesson plan example. I got some great ideas that will need refining. I think using generative AI in this way will help make sure that when I offer inclass interventions to teachers which bring parents in to the classroom, I can make sure to align with content they are currently working on in particular curricular areas or with skills they are working on developing. It will make my inclass interventions more beneficial to everyone involved.
Like other course participants, I am a bit overwhelmed with the range of AI tools designed for use with children. I can see the benefits of personalised learning that is attractive and motivational to children and provides customised feedback to teachers but I think I would need training and time to become familiar with these tools. I think the advice to try in small ways first is good. That makes it less overwhelming for me.
I was also alarmed by the video about tracking of students in Chinese primary schools and think it will be so important to think about ethics and balancing educational progress benefits with observing basic human rights! I also tend to think we need to limit the time children are using screens in our schools as they need so much support with social interaction and emotional regulation so making sure we use AI as just one learning tool is important too, I think.
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‘AI has great potential to transform the classroom in terms of making the teacher more productive and efficient and helping create lessons that can be used for the different levels within the classroom. AI can help check pupils strengths, weaknesses and their overall progress. Pupils can benefit from AI using interactive learning platforms to develop problem solving skills. Undoubtedly there are many challenges in using AI in the classroom. where pupils need to use their critical thinking and are aware that AI can often present misinformation. The video of the school from China seems a step too far in terms of the way in which they are using AI. The headbands to track their attention etc could be quite problematic in terms of invading pupils privacy and adding unnecessary anxiety onto pupils school experience. I think AI should be more of a tool for teachers to use to reduce their administrative workload and maybe pupils use it on minimum level when monitored closely by teachers.
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100% agree that the school in China is a bit too far! I think in terms of teachers planning and assessment that it will be hugely beneficial and time-saving for creating lesson plans and simpe assessments at the end of each topic. In terms of teaching children how to use the various apps themselves, I think it will take a lot of time and practice to implement effectively.
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I also agree that China is taking AI too far in the classroom. It’s sad that students are expected to perform at such high levels. School should be a place for studnets to play, explore, collaborate and have fun while learning. I also found it interesting that all parents in the classroom had access to everyone’s learning and output. Ethically this would definitely be a breach of data and would bring about privacy and bias concerns.
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I strongly agree with Caroline that the video from China is a step too far. The headbands appear to be very questionable in terms of privacy, accuracy and effectiveness. I would imagine the headbands would cause considerable stress and anxiety on children for minimal benefit and progress.
I also agree that I would hope to utilise AI as a way of reducing teacher workload in terms of planning, worksheet creation etc…. But will use it sparingly in the primary classroom to avoid over reliance on it and prevent these tools blocking pupil creativity and individuality.
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When I think back to a particularly challenging time in my teaching, AI would have been incredibly useful when I welcomed a lot of Ukrainian pupils into my classroom who had very little English. At the time, I relied almost entirely on Google Translate, but looking back now, I can see how much more AI could have offered. It would have helped me generate differentiated worksheets to support their English language development while also giving them access to the wider curriculum. It would have made it much easier to adapt resources to their needs and help them feel more included and confident in the classroom. I think having those tools available would have made a real difference, not only for the children but also for me as a teacher in my planning and differentiation. The biggest challenge I feel I will face is simply getting my head around all of the different AI tools and deciding which ones will genuinely enhance my teaching rather than adding extra work. It will also take time to teach the children how to use AI responsibly and appropriately so they see it as a tool to support their learning instead of relying on it to do the work for them.
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Hi Arlene,
Thank you for this post. I like how you have reflected on how the main challenge will be on identifying the specific AI tools that will add value to your practice, rather than simply adding to your workload. This is essential, as AI should be allowing us to take more time and use it for non-mundane preparation and teaching activities. AI can provide us with so much information to wade through, but getting more adept at using specific tools and how we prompt can certainly ensure we are using it in the most time and labour-efficient manner.
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I agree with Arlene, I also think AI could have made the experience of joining my classroom better for Ukrainian children when they arrived. Although we used iPads for games and learning progress was slow both on my part and on the part of the children. AI tools could have helped with creating worksheets / games to enhance the learning of a new language.
I also agree that I feel so behind with AI that I look forward to learning the best tools to use that can help my teaching and time management and not make classroom preparation more difficult.
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This module provided a plethora of AI websites that can be used to enhance, engage, and support teachers and learners. AI can personalize learning for students struggling with maths, reading, languages, etc. I was blown away by the number of websites available to schools and educators.
As an SEN small group instructor for reading, maths and EAL support these websites would be a helpful tool to support student learning and to provide personalized, differentiated instruction. The main problem I would see with these sites is the cost. A school would need to be on board with funding a program and it would need to be used ethically, with integrity and also with teachers leading the instruction and support.
I have experience using personalized learning platforms with my students. Google Classroom, Immersive Readers and Microsoft learning tools can provide teachers and students with different ways to represent their understanding of the curriculum. I have used Flip-Grid in the past, and the students love this way of presenting information to the class! It’s engaging, immersive and fun for all learners to showcase their curricular knowledge.
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I think a lot of us felt the same way in this module Mary, there really are so many AI tools and websites out there now that it can feel a bit overwhelming at first. You make a good point about cost too. It’s great to see what is available, but realistically schools have to think about budgets, and value for money and whether a tool will actually be used enough to justify paying for it. I also agree with you that the teacher still needs to lead the learning. These tools can support us, but they shouldn’t take over from good teaching or from knowing the children in front of us.
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Personally as advanced and essentially impressive as it appears many of the AI applications used globally do not appeal to me at all. I am not an old school style teacher by any means, I always try to make my lessons engaging and enjoyable but I favour a significantly more personal style of teaching than that which is described by the applications like Carnegie learning, squirrel AI and Century AI. The closing video even further reinforced by concerns about the pressure being placed on children to achieve what appears to be entirely one kind of success (academic) this is never the kind of teaching I would aspire to. I value every child’s unique potential and do not feel I am wrong in thinking that success looks differently for everyone. Many parents of kids in my school send their children to the Khan Academy and whilst I honestly have no personal experience of it, mere anecdotal evidence that I have heard makes me feel it is not a one for all methodology. This is perhaps one challenge that may present itself in future, particularly if parents aren’t accepting of their children’s honest capabilities. An aspect of AI which I shall however definitely use going froward in my teaching is the lesson plan creations that were demonstrated in slides 33,34 and 35. The style of prompts provided gave me a much better insight into how I could use AI to make my planning time more efficient. As the primary curriculum is changing it will help greatly in enabling us as teachers to become better acquainted with it, a challenge however that may present is that our only developing knowledge of the new curriculum may reduce our ability to spot any errors in content suggested to us. As an EAL teacher I shall use AI to help me differentiate for the children I work with.
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I agree Martha, the examples of squirrel, carnegie learning did not agree with me straight away. They may have benefits as an add on for early finishers, or perhaps a student who needs extra differentiation and has trouble working with the class as a whole. But to be.used as a primary resource for each student would seem extreme and transform doing written work, using concrete materials, working in small groups, and limit the classroom into just working on a computer following an individual program.
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Hi Martha, thank you for your engagement in Module 2 and for your insightful and human-centred reflection. I agree, valuing each students unique potential over rigid metrics highlights the heart of effective teaching. I can understand your caution regarding commercial platforms like Squirrel AI.
It emphasises more how necessary it is that we as educators strike the balance between utilising AI for practical admin support, like lesson planning and EAL differentiation while keeping relational teaching at the core.
Your point about needing strong curriculum knowledge to spot potential AI inaccuracies during a time of curricular change is spot on. -
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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.
Also, please respond to at least one other participant’s post in this forum.
AI tools can have a very positive effect on the teaching and learning in my classroom in providing comprehensive resources that can be made quickly and allow time to be spent on teaching and helping students. I will find it particularly useful in introducing new topics and and in particular providing activity sheets and interactive quizzes to enhance assessment of learning in an novel way. It will also be very helpful in creating class groupings based on assessment of work.
I am so far a little reluctant to ‘transform’ the teaching and learning in my classroom with AI. I have been looking through the many examples of AI tools and I haven’t found one that I would be confident in using as a primary resource for my teaching. The chat gpt lesson plan was informative and I’m hoping to see other tools outside of the LLM tools that could be used.
A significant challenge with using AI tools is choosing which one to use – the personalised student type ones are not free and would need considerable buy in from the school principal and also parents. The sheer amount and variety of tools also make it hard to assess which ones would be worth the subscription. So far I feel i would like to use the AI tools to add onto my teaching and learning rather than start a classroom system based primarily around laptops/tablets
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Hi David, thank you for your engagement in Module 2 and for your practical and realistic reply.
Using AI to supplement and enhance your existing teaching as opposed to overhauling your entire classroom system is essential to making AI work for you as a professional. AI is fantastic for quick resource generation, interactive quizzes and differentiated grouping while keeping teacher-led instruction at the centre. Your point regarding the cost and overwhelming variety of subscription-based platforms highlights a genuine hurdle for schools. We have all fallen victim to the notorious “Paywall”!
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This module really opened my eyes to all the positives to AI the classroom.
There can be no doubt about the potential of AI in the classroom setting. the benefits are endless like the personalisation of learning for pupils and of course the differentiation. This is a major help to teachers who with the correct prompting can get a huge amount of individualised work for their pupils if needed. When used thoughtfully an ethically AI can complement the expertise that teachers have. The benefits of AI such as personalised learning, early detection, enhanced learning, informing decisions and better outcomes are all hugely beneficial and supportive to the teacher. This module highlighted some great AI tools like Immersive reader, Microsoft Dream Space , Minecraft in education to name but a few. I can see these being very beneficial in the classroom setting while helping to engage inspire and help pupils.
I do , however feel more education, and training is needed in this area to help teachers going forward.
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I’m glad the module opened up the positive side of AI for you, Sinéad. Differentiation is such an important part of teaching today, and being able to build activities at a few different levels, or adapt a task for one particular pupil, could save a fair bit of time and make the work more accessible for the children. I’d agree with you; the teacher’s role stays central through all of it. AI can throw out ideas, resources, or a starting point, but it’s the teacher who knows the class and decides what’s actually going to suit them. The tools you mentioned, Immersive Reader and Minecraft Education, could help with engagement too, especially for pupils who tend to struggle with the more traditional tasks. Your last point is maybe the most important one, though. Teachers need proper training and the time to actually explore these tools, or the whole thing just ends up feeling overwhelming.
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This module is very interesting and informative showing so many practical methods of utilizing AI in the classroom on a daily basis. The Microsoft Learning tools, Immersive Reader and Microsoft forms appear to be very useful and I envisage using them regularly in my future teaching.
My school uses a group reading program called ‘Literacy Lift-Off’ which provides structured short term intervention in reading. As part of this program we have various reading based independent work stations and we often struggle to come up with meaningful ,engaging and interesting tasks that require minimal teacher support. I think that AI tools such as Microsoft Forms, Immersive Reader and picture generators will be so handy to use to create tailored worksheets based on the topics they are reading about that day, quizzes based on what they have read previously and image based challenges for the students. Immersive Reader should also be very useful for the ipad work station allowing us to tailor the tasks to the ability of the reader rather than just their class/age level.
In my class I try to do a morning brain teaser or challenge every day to ease the children into the day ahead and get them warmed up and focused. I find it hard to find free and age appropriate challenges once I have used up all the Twinkl resources aimed at our age group! It is very time consuming to create my own. Seeing how the instructor used the 3 different chatbots to generate a lesson plan has shown me that I might be able to do something similar to create morning challenges and brainteasers and will be able to request specific themes, topics and areas of focus depending on what we are focusing on each week etc…
The biggest challenges I envisage for the above uses will be the reliability of the WIFI in a rural school in the West of Ireland and the availability of devices as we have a small number to cater for 150 children. I am also very aware that I will need to monitor and pre assess tasks that I create and differentiation that I introduce to ensure they are suitable overall and also suitable for the Irish curriculum and that the age/class/grade corresponds correctly.-
I like that you’ve picked out very practical ways the tools could actually fit into what you’re already doing, Fiona, rather than adding something completely separate. The Literacy Lift-Off example makes a lot of sense. Those independent stations can be hard to keep fresh, especially when the tasks need to be meaningful but also manageable without constant teacher input. Using Forms for quick quizzes, Immersive Reader at the iPad station, or AI-generated picture tasks could be a great help there. I also liked the idea of using AI for morning brain teasers. That should allow you to source challenges linked to whatever topic or theme you’re covering that week.
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I found Module 2 very informative on various AI tools that could be used in education. I thought the Immersive Reader seems like a great resource and so easy to use being built into Word. I thought the syllable splits could really help early readers or readers experiencing difficulty. I liked how parts of speech like nouns and verbs can be highlighted and this could be a useful support in grammar lessons.
I thought Century AI also seemed like a great tool to help individualise learning and assess progress. I think it would also be very useful for school leaders as it provides clear data on the progress of a particular pupil, class or year group.
One of the challenges that we would face in my school is the access to technology. We have one iPad trolley for 18 classes meaning each class has one 45 minute slot per week with children working on iPads in pairs. If these technologies continue to demonstrate educational benefits, it may be worth considering further investment in additional devices. A further potential challenge for me is that I teach in a junior school and the children would need help logging in and navigating their device.
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Firstly, your honest appraisal of device access—sharing one trolley across 18 classes—captures a common infrastructure challenge in primary schools across the country.
I agree with your focus on Immersive Reader as it highlights how accessible built-in accessibility features can directly support early reading and grammar development. It really is a great tool! -
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One challenge I face in a 1st/2nd class classroom is meeting the needs of children with a wide range of abilities while having access to only a limited number of iPads. It is not always possible for every child to use technology at the same time, so careful planning is needed to ensure it enhances learning rather than becoming a distraction.
From this module, I can see how AI could support both teaching and learning even with limited devices. Rather than using iPads as a whole-class activity, I could incorporate them into literacy or maths stations where small groups rotate through AI-supported tasks. For example, children could use Microsoft Immersive Reader to support reading by listening to text aloud, highlighting words and improving comprehension, while another group works with the teacher and others complete independent activities. This would allow children who need additional support to work more independently while I focus on targeted teaching.
AI could also support me outside of lesson time. Tools such as ChatGPT or Gemini could help generate differentiated worksheets, phonics activities, comprehension questions or maths games that I could adapt to suit the learning objectives of my class. This would reduce planning time while allowing me to create engaging activities for children with different learning needs.
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Anthony, I think that is a great idea to incorporate iPads into stations rather than using them whole-class. We have the same problem in my school that we have a limited number of devices for the school. Using them in that way would mean that multiple classes in a stream could be have access to the devices at the same time then as each class would only need a smaller number of them. It could also help teachers to share ideas of different AI tools with other teachers and reduce planning time.
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There’s no doubt that this module has been very informative in showing me the array of AI tools out there. However, I still feel very unclear as to ‘how’ to use it in my classroom of 30 Senior Infants in September.
I can use it to create differentiated and individualised resources and I can absolutely see how it will help me with my planning and monthly reports. I also can see how I will have more confidence in moving away from workbooks and create more meaningful and relevant activities based on my lessons using CoPilot of Chat GPT or Gemini.
But looking at other responses I feel like I am missing something more from this module, I’m just not sure what it is.Immersive Reader looks incredible and I look forward to sharing it with parents and my SET colleagues.
Dream Space TV on rte.ie/learn also looks great and will also share that with my colleagues teaching more senior classes.
Mash.plus is great to give ideas and show what can be generated and I will also share that with my colleagues.The obvious challenges are the lack of resources in our primary schools and the increasing demands that are being put on our already stretched teachers.
Children are also spending huge amounts of time on devices outside of school (I am not critising here, it is part of their lives now) but with this in mind we also as educators have be mindful of not increasing this screen time unnecessarily.-
Hi Ciara,
Some very realistic points raised here. As teachers we like to know exactly how to use this new technology and where it will be beneficial in our everyday teaching. We all have digital tools with each of our schemes for the various subjects and this in itself can be overwhelming. We also have to be very careful on having an over reliance on screens in our classroom. They should be used as tools/resources and to enhance a lesson. Certainly AI when use efficiently and ethically should save us teachers much time in planning and preparation and help us to navigate the internet and all that it has to offer in a much faster and effective way.
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Hi Ciara, thank you for engaging in Module 2.
I have no doubt you are not alone in your point regarding screen time, protecting hands-on, play-based learning for young children must remain the priority. Using AI as a backend support for planning, monthly reports and creating tailored resources without placing infant pupils in front of screens is a completely valid and the approach we would expect. Leveraging AI to streamline your administration allows you to spend more meaningful time teaching, you are completely right!
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<p style=”background: white; vertical-align: baseline; margin: 0cm 0cm 19.2pt 0cm;”><span style=”color: #163c42;”>AI is a fantastic tool and is extremely beneficial in the way that it provides access to information and teaching resources in a specific and meaningful way. It can transform the teaching and learning experience in the classroom by helping to make lessons relevant, interactive and given the correct, specific prompt, exactly what the teacher requests. It was amazing to see such a comprehensive, detailed lesson plans created by the AI platforms and it seems like a good idea to put the specific prompts into a few AI platforms and choose the best fit for your class. </span></p>
<p style=”background: white; vertical-align: baseline; margin: 0cm 0cm 19.2pt 0cm;”><span style=”color: #163c42;”>A potential challenge I might face in implementing the AI tools mentioned in this module would be access to devices. We have a limited number of iPads in the school and thus have limited access. I could see how Teachable Machine by Google and Minecraft Education Addition would be ideal in a classroom setting but unfortunately, we would have limited opportunity to use these. Another challenge is knowing how to access and implement these tools within the classroom. The concept of AI is very new to me and I feel that I need to upskill to ensure that my class are getting the best from whatever tools I am trying to implement.</span></p>-
I agree Edel that the lesson plan examples were impressive. It’s a bit of an eye-opener when you see how much detail can come back from one well-worded prompt. I like your idea of trying the same prompt in a few different AI tools and then choosing what suits your own class best. That feels like a sensible approach, because one tool might give a lovely structure, while another might give better activities or differentiation ideas. The device issue is a very real one though. Tools like Teachable Machine or Minecraft Education sound brilliant, but they’re not much use if the school only has a small number of iPads or if access is limited. Sometimes the best starting point is using AI for teacher planning first, where it can still save time without needing every child to be on a device.
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Completing this second module has enhanced and altered my perspective on the role of Artificial Intelligence in the Irish primary classroom. I now see AI as a tool that can enhance teaching and learning rather than replace the teacher. For example, AI could help me create differentiated literacy and numeracy activities to meet the varying needs of pupils in my class. It could also generate lesson ideas, quizzes, and visual resources, saving valuable planning time. I also believe AI can support pupils by providing personalised learning opportunities and immediate feedback, helping them work at their own pace. For older primary pupils, AI could be used to support creative writing, research projects or coding activities while developing digital literacy and critical thinking skills. These opportunities align with the Irish Primary Curriculum Framework’s emphasis on active, inclusive and learner-centred education.
However, implementing AI also presents challenges. Teachers need appropriate training to use AI confidently and ethically. There are also concerns about data privacy, unequal access to technology, and ensuring pupils do not become over-reliant on AI. It is important that AI complements, rather than replaces teacher judgement, collaboration, creativity and hands-on learning. Overall, I believe AI has significant potential to enrich learning when used thoughtfully, responsibly and in ways that keep children’s needs at the centre of classroom practice. -
I think AI can transform teaching and learning by aiding the teacher when planning in the classroom. In sort it is taking the pressure away when preparing some lessons. Using AI tools as a basis to help with planning for content and differentiation enables the teacher to focus more on the individual child and how the content will best serve them. I think AI works well as an assessment tool with options such as Google Forms as mentioned in the module.
The immersive reader for me is a fantastic tool that I most definitely will get use of in my senior classroom where some children have access to ICT when completing literacy activities. How best to use ICT has been a struggle for me so areas like incorporating ICT in a lesson for some children is an example of where I said that AI can take pressure off a teacher. It means I have more time to figure out the content for the student who needs differentiation with the support of the ICT ideas.
I think the biggest challenge for implementation is to actually use all the resources mentioned in the module. As a teacher for almost 20 years I felt almost allergic to AI and not realising how much it can help me to ensure the time I spend on my work is the most beneficial to me and my students. More teacher training in the area is needed. I think this is something we could implement at a school level even by sharing our knowledge of AI with all staff. I know I could learn a lot from the younger members of staff!
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<p style=”text-align: left;”>Your honesty regarding initial hesitations with AI after nearly two decades of teaching adds tremendous value to your insight. You have accurately identified the true purpose of AI in education which is to reduce our workload and to free up our workload so we can become more pupil centred. I am excited to try out immersive reader this year!</p>
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Before completing this module, my experience of AI was mainly through ChatGPT. The module introduced me to other AI tools and helped me think more about the practical ways they could support teaching and learning in the primary classroom. Immersive Reader was the tool that stood out to me the most. I could see how features such as reading text aloud and breaking words into syllables would support children who struggle with reading. I was also interested to learn more about Minecraft Education. It is something I often hear children talking about, but I had never really considered how it could be used to support learning in the classroom.
For me, the biggest benefits of AI are that it can make learning more personalised and interactive while also saving teachers valuable time. If it can help with planning or creating resources, it allows teachers to spend more time supporting children and responding to their individual needs.
The module also highlighted some important challenges. The video showing the use of AI in a Chinese classroom made me think about issues such as privacy and the ethical use of AI in education. It also reminded me that schools will need to ensure staff receive appropriate training and that parents are kept informed and reassured about how AI is being used. Overall, I see AI as a useful tool to support teaching and learning when it is used thoughtfully and responsibly.-
Hi Catherine. I think a lot of teachers are in the same place, where ChatGPT might be familiar, but tools like Gemini, Vidnoz or Minecraft Education are still new territory. Immersive Reader is a great one to pick out. The read-aloud feature and syllable support could make such a difference for children who find reading tiring or frustrating, and it’s useful that it can support lots of pupils without singling anyone out. I liked what you said about Minecraft Education too. Children already talk about Minecraft so much, so it’s interesting to think about how that enthusiasm could be used for learning, rather than seeing it only as a game.
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I believe AI has the potential to transform the teaching and learning experience by making learning more personalised, engaging and efficient. ChatGPT can be used to create quizzes, provide personalised feedback and generate lesson plans to suit students’ strengths, interests and abilities, making lessons more effective and enjoyable. Microsoft Teams can improve classroom collaboration by simplifying communication, homework tasks and feedback. OneNote Class Notebook helps organise resources and student work in one accessible space. Tools such as Immersive Reader help aid children with their reading and Microsoft Learning Tools can support students with diverse learning needs by improving accessibility and literacy. Flip encourages students to share their learning through creative video responses, increasing engagement and confidence. AI can also reduce teachers’ administrative workload by assisting with lesson planning, grading, attendance and maintaining student records. However, implementing AI successfully may be challenging due to concerns around safe and responsible use, student privacy and limited access to devices and reliable technology and internet connection within schools.
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Based on what I have learned throughout this module, I believe AI has the potential to really transform teaching and learning in my classroom. I can see myself using AI to support lesson planning, differentiation, creating resources and developing activities to suit the different needs and abilities within my class. I am particularly looking forward to using Immersive Reader, as I feel it could be a very useful tool for supporting children with reading difficulties and helping them to become more independent and confident learners.
One of the main challenges I see around AI is still the fear and uncertainty surrounding it. However, I think we need to embrace AI and learn how to use it effectively and responsibly rather than avoid it. Another challenge is cost. I know many teachers are currently paying for different AI tools themselves, which is probably not sustainable in the long term.
This module has made me wonder what the best approach would be for a whole school. Are there schools that have already invested in AI tools for all staff, and what has worked well for them? I know our school is interested in investing in AI, so I would love to explore which tools would provide the greatest benefit across all class levels.
Overall, I am excited to begin using more AI tools this year and to see how they can enhance both my teaching and the children’s learning.-
Hi Laura. I like that you can see the potential of AI for the planning, the differentiation and the resource-making, but you’re keeping an eye on the practical side of it too. Immersive Reader is a great tool to start with. It’s simple enough to use and it really can make a real difference for a child who finds reading hard or who needs a bit more independence with text. I’m with you on the fear and uncertainty around AI as well. A lot of teachers are curious about it, but equally not sure where to begin, or what’s safe and actually worth the bother. And of course, cost is a big factor, especially if its individual teachers reaching into their own pockets for these tools. Your question about a whole-school approach is a good one to raise. It’d probably make sense for a school to trial a small handful of tools first, across a few class levels, and see how they get on before putting money behind anything long term.
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The potential of AI to enhance teaching and learning was very much presented in this module. There is no denying that it represents massive opportunities particularly in the area of bespoke, personalised learning.
As mentioned by many others ‘Immersive Reader’ offers such support and differentiation for many students. This works perfectly as Gaeilge too which is a real asset in Irish Primary Schools. Microsofts dictation (text to speech) also works very well in Irish which has transformed learning for many children who are struggling in the area of literacy. It was interesting to read that the greatest recognised benefits of AI are in the areas of Language learning and Assessment and Testing.
I too, was very disturbed by the surveillance of Chinese students but this is coming from someone who dislikes ring doorbells and tracking on phones as ways of monitoring people’s activities. (just a personal thought)
One of the greatest challenges for me is the lack of CPD directed at AI use in the educational setting. There is a wide and varied engagement with AI in every staffroom and there is a need for every school to discuss, agree and adhere to schoolbased protocols as identified within a wholeschool policy and approach to the use of AI. While the DEY have issued guidelines the chances of all teachers having read them are slight and I feel that it is imperative that whole school CPD be provided in order that these guidelines are communicated to all schools and teachers and that the conversation around AI use within our own schools is rooted in common principles.
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AI has the potential to transform teaching and learning in my classroom by making learning more personalised, creative and accessible. One way I could use AI is to differentiate activities for pupils with different abilities. For example, I could use AI to create different levels for a reading comprehension or maths activity while still focusing on the same learning objective. This could help me to meet the needs of individual pupils and allow children to work at an their own pace.
However, I feel that at this stage AI is much more beneficial to me as a planning tool rather than an interactive tool in the classroom. I feel that Irish schools, certainly our school, are not set up to fully embrace the technological advances of AI. We have limited access to devices, and even our Wi-Fi is not fully reliable. We also have the need for many whiteboard updates, therefore while I fully embrace the concept of using AI and the many tools shown in module two, I feel that they are more useful to me in a planning and assessment capacity at the moment.
I also found the video of the children in China with the headbands excessive. I do not feel that education is solely about academic achievement. I feel that children need hands on, creative learning that is not connected to technology; leading to a more holistic education.
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I think you’ve summed up the reality in a lot of schools, Pauline. AI has great potential for differentiation, but for now it might be most useful behind the scenes with planning, making resources, and adapting work for different levels. Limited devices and dodgy Wi-Fi are real issues, so it makes sense to focus on what’s actually manageable in your own setting. You can still get plenty out of AI without ever having the pupils use it directly in the room.
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I believe Artificial Intelligence can help with the teaching and learning experiences in my special class. My students often require highly individualised instruction. I can see how Artificial Intelligence tools could be used to tailor the lessons and resources. Artificial Intelligence would allow me to quickly differentiate lessons across multiple cognitive levels. It also would definitely reduce time with paperwork. I can see how it could generate specific personalised assessments also. Using AI to draft reading passages on a topic and using immersive reader option on word would be beneficial in my classroom.
Of course implementing AI tools does present challenges, such as student privacy and GDRP compliance. Inputting of prompts is very important. AI output is as good as the information you feed into it. While it is very beneficial and time saving, the teacher still needs to know their students, and widespread teacher training is needed.-
Hi Marie Clare, I totally agree with you in relation to a challenge of these AI tools being privacy issues. This is something that we have to be super vigilant of and ensure that we have the proper parental consent for each child. However, like many things you often need to weigh up the benefits against the challenges and decide is it worth it.
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I completely agree with you! The ability to instantly tailor reading passages to different cognitive levels and pair them with tools like Immersive Reader is a game changer. It really frees up valuable time that we can put directly back into supporting our students. Your emphasis on GDPR, data privacy was interesting. AI is only as good as. the input we give it, and it can never replace a teacher’s deep knowledge of their students’ individual needs. Proper teacher training is definitely going to be essential as we move forward.
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I can see AI tools completely transforming the teaching and learning experience in my classroom by taking the heavy lifting out of daily preparation and admin. For example, during our English or History slots, I can use a tool like Gemini or ChatGPT to instantly adapt a reading text into different levels of difficulty. This means my struggling readers can access the exact same topic and core information as everyone else without feeling isolated or left behind. I also plan to use Copilot Image Creator to generate custom visual prompts tailored exactly to our class themes, which is an amazing time-saver for oral language lessons.The massive benefit of this is pure efficiency. When you are run off your feet trying to manage thirty children, having an AI helper to spit out tailored worksheets, vocabulary lists, and quiz questions in seconds saves hours of evening planning.However, the implementation challenges are definitely a worry. Data privacy is a massive deal, and we have to be so careful never to type real student details or names into these public tools. There is also the issue of “hallucinations,” where the chatbots simply make things up, meaning we always have to keep our own professional judgment at the center of it and check everything before it reaches the pupils. It is a fantastic assistant to make our lives easier, but it will never replace the real human connection of a teacher.
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In this module I was introduced to a number of new applications and programmes that can be used to enhance teaching and learning, most of which I would have been unfamiliar with prior to this course. Application like MATHia X and Squirrel AI are great examples of programmes that can provide students with education at a level that suits them best, providing hints where necessary and would be a huge help for a teacher when it comes to planning for differentiation. I also explored mash.plus and found this particularly useful as their is weekly lessons and resources available without any delay which would be fantastic in terms of time saving for teachers. In terms of challenges I feel the main one for me would be the cost (if any) involved in introducing these applications to my school/ class when there is already so many finances facing schools.
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Artificial intelligence will have a positive effect on teaching and learning in the classroom. It can make learning more personalised by adapting work to suit different students’ abilities and learning styles. AI can also help teachers with tasks such as marking, assessments and organising information, giving them more time to focus on their students. It can also identify areas where students are struggling and provide quick feedback.
AI can make lessons more interesting and interactive too. For example, Minecraft Education allows children to use coding, carry out science experiments and build cities, which could encourage them to become interested in careers such as engineering or design.
I do think there are some challenges. AI can be expensive to introduce into schools, and teachers need proper training to use it. It can also be difficult to tell if students have done their own work or used AI. Privacy and data protection are important, and AI systems can sometimes be biased or give incorrect information.
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Personally, this question is exactly why I wanted to do this course. I want to find efficient ways to manage the ever increasing paperwork demands. The reason behind this is so that as teachers, we can properly show up for the children in the classroom instead of being burned out before 9am has even come around. I would like to explore Mathia X with my class this year as I think the availability of prompts will help negate the learned helplessness which seems to be more prominent every year. In terms of Squirrel AI, I love the concept of the knowledge map and the pre-assessment. I could see this being extremely beneficial before going into a block of literacy or numeracy stations. This programme could be used at the independent station rather than a task that is simply ‘busy’ work that requires correcting but doesn’t actually challenge or progress the students in their learning. Using AI in this way, it is clear to see how beneficial it can be. The teacher can set the tasks and make the necessary edits/changes deemed appropriate beforehand meaning the materials etc have been vetted and the children can work away safely whilst still being engaged and taught in a style that has been tailored to their needs. Using AI in this way, children are no longer remaining stagnant in their learning due to a lack of teachers available for station teaching; this of course being a direct result of understaffing by the Department of Education. Century is the programme I would like to explore further as I love what the programme can do with the data. I will bring this up with our team in September and also ask what changes need to be made in terms of our AUP as a result.
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AI has immense potential to reshape my daily teaching practice simply because it is so accessible and efficient. By inputting the subject topic, class level, and specific learner needs, I can instantly generate tailored learning experiences for my Special Education Teaching (SET) groups. This ensures seamless differentiation without bloating my prep hours, directly reducing administrative planning time so I can focus more on face-to-face instruction.
Assistive technologies like Immersive Reader provide essential support for struggling readers by modeling fluent pronunciation and offering low-stakes, repeated reading opportunities across different contexts. I am also interested to see how AI can streamline paperwork further, such as populating pupil data directly into standardized school planning templates.
However, the primary hurdle will be the pace of professional development. Just like any new educational initiative, comprehensive teacher training is vital to ensure AI tools are used effectively, ethically, and purposefully in the classroom.
Finally, exploring Minecraft Education is a fantastic takeaway. Leveraging a platform that so many of the children already play at home creates a natural bridge between home and school learning, driving active engagement through a familiar digital medium. -
Having seen how tools like Khan Academy, Squirrel AI, Carnegie Learning and Century AI operate, it is clear they offer some real benefits in tracking where learners are currently situated in their knowledge. Tailoring lessons to where a student is and scaffolding any weak spots is a positive. I think immersive reader would be an excellent resource in SET lessons.
However, I wonder how this shift will impact university admissions. If personalised AI helps every student reach their full potential and outcomes plateau at a high level, how will universities differentiate between applicants? If standard test scores like the Leaving Cert start yielding far narrower grade gaps, selection may become more complicated. The widespread rollout of these technologies in China is particularly alarming. This level of invasive monitoring places immense pressure on young children, creating an almost dystopian atmosphere (1984). It also raises serious concerns for neurodivergent students, such as those with ADHD, who could easily end up feeling hopeless.-
I completely agree Ruth that the roll-out of ‘personalised learning/monitoring’ within education in China is very invasive and very alarming. The neurologist in the clip questioned the accuracy of EEG use in education due to the various interferences yet the children and parents and measuring the childrens academic competencies solely on the data it provides. It is very worrying that education could be percieved in this way and I’m concerned that its creating a culture of discipline within education, not because of interest but rather fear of being found out or shamed on the data sharing with parents. Also, it is very worrying that those parents do not know where their childrens’ data is going.
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Yes, I absolutely believe AI can transform the teaching and learning experience in my classroom. Even after completing Modules 1 and 2, I have already been generating so many practical ideas in my head for my students when we go back in September. I plan to use tools such as Gemini to quickly design differentiated reading passages/ geerate scheudles and timetables, quiz questions that match varying student abilities. This allows me to adjust content without taking hours of planning time. Additionally, visual tools like Pictory will help me transform topic summaries into engaging multimedia openers to capture my students’ attention immediately, making it personal to the students also.
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The introduction of the National AI Strategy, AI Here For Good, has been a positive development, particularly as it relates to Primary School education. With its stated goal being the “provision of digital, technical and complementary skills at all education levels, from primary school upwards” (strand 6) and the provision of a fully resourced and well structured strategy, I am hopeful that Ireland will be well set to effectively embrace AI in education, at all levels.
As our setting provides copilot and the Microsoft suite of software, I was somewhat surprised that I had never used Immersive Reader as a teaching aid. It is a simple tool that is quite easily mastered, yet it took the basic demonstration presented in Module 2 to draw me to it. What is particularly appealing, is the simplicity of the interaction. Many of my students are suffering trauma and can react angrily when they perceive guidance as undermining. I’ve no doubt I will integrate its use into my classroom and it will enhance the learning.
I have found the range of AI teaching options a little overwhelming, so I have had to limit my review to products that are readily available through Microsoft and another that I have tried is Minecraft, which I shall try to implement on my return to the classroom. Many of my students crave familiarity with classroom activities as a buy in for learning, I believe Minecraft will be effective in providing this.
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Module 2 has highlighted how AI could become a valuable support within both classroom teaching and wider school planning. Its ability to adapt learning, organise information and generate resources could make differentiation more manageable while giving teachers more time to focus on meaningful interaction with pupils. I was particularly interested in the potential of tools such as Immersive Reader to support children who experience difficulties with reading by providing accessible and engaging ways to practise independently. I also see considerable potential for AI to help schools make better use of their local environment by organising information into structured SESE topics, activities and project work. However, successful implementation will depend on teachers having sufficient training and confidence, as well as clear guidance around privacy, reliability, cost and academic integrity. Overall, this module has broadened my understanding of how AI could support more inclusive, creative and efficient teaching while still requiring careful professional oversight.
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Hi Sabrina,
Thank you for this post and for sharing your reflections with us. I think you have raised a really good point around the intersection of AI use and the responsible and ethical use of it in our classrooms. It is such a rapidly evolving area, and policy is struggling to maintain the pace – as educators, its so important that we are given opportunities to interrogate our use and be given specific guidance on certain aspects to ensure it is being used in an age-appropriate manner,
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This module has made me think differently about how AI could be used in my classroom. Before starting the course, I mainly associated AI with tools like ChatGPT, but I now see how it can support both teaching and learning in practical ways.
One area where I think AI could be particularly useful is lesson preparation. It can help create worksheets, quizzes, and differentiated activities much more quickly, giving teachers more time to focus on working directly with students.
I also think AI can support pupils with different learning needs. For example, it can provide simplified explanations, generate questions at varying levels of difficulty, and offer instant feedback. This could help students become more independent and confident learners.
However, there are challenges. AI is not always accurate, so students need to learn how to evaluate information critically. There are also important considerations around privacy and responsible use.
Overall, I see AI as a useful tool that can enhance learning and reduce workload, but it should support, not replace, the role of the teacher.
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Hi Robert,
Thanks for this post. It provides such a clear and succinct description of some of the many benefits which AI tools can bring into the classroom. These benefits are for both teachers and pupils – I find your description of using AI to provide differentiated learning opportunities particularly useful. Being able to pitch learning at various different levels in the classroom is hugely challenging, but AI tools make this task far more achievable.
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Exactly—finding the time to pitch every lesson at three or four different levels can be overwhelming. Having AI do some of the heavy lifting on differentiation frees up so much time.
I like how discrete it is for the pupils—they get tailored tasks or hints at their own level without feeling singled out, which does wonders for their confidence. AI tools like these would have helped me a lot when I was in primary school.
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I agree with your post. In a special class, AI could be really helpful for creating resources at different levels and adapting work to suit individual pupils. I also like your point about using AI to generate reading passages and combining them with tools like Immersive Reader to make content more accessible.
At the same time, I agree that AI is only a support tool. Knowing our students and their needs is something technology can’t replace. Your points about privacy and the need for proper teacher training are important if AI is going to be used effectively in schools.
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There are so many benefits to ai in the classroom, as discussed immersive reading really helped a child in my 6th class who finds writing and reading a real challenge gain some independence and were so proud of themselves. However it is still very early days and can be very broad in responses. Also technology will never make a classroom feel safe for a child, which is where real learning happens Also this is more a question can it work as gaeilge ?
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Leo, It’s great to read about the positive AI experience with the student in your classroom. I agree with you that AI will never have the personal connection with the students and know their mood and what works for one child might not work for another. You are right when you say that AI will not make a classroom feel safe and secure for the students.
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One particular challenge I face in the classroom is planning and resource creation for a multi-grade class. While I try to align teaching objectives whenever possible, there remains the task of differentiated activities, resources and assessments. This can be very time-consuming as I need to ensure each class receives appropriate instruction while keeping students engaged and learning effectively. I feel AI could help immensely by making lesson planning more efficient and manageable. Once sufficiently familiar with AI, I could use it to differentiate lesson plans and resources based on the same topic. I also feel AI would be invaluable in the collation and data analysis of assessments and subsequent well-informed feedback to parents on a student’s progress.
As I navigate through these AI tools I am mindful of being cautious with their use. It has been mentioned in both modules that inaccuracies and biases exist within all AI models and that oversight of content by the teacher is of paramount importance at all times. I would, at the beginning, use AI tools myself until I am confident and reasonably proficient in their use before allowing students to use them as a tool.
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AI could be used in many ways within a classroom setting. I’d say the biggest benefit is leaning towards personalised learning. AI possesses the capabilities to adapt and develop plans for teachers and individual students on a multitude of topics in the curriculum. It would allow for teachers to tailor make questions/tasks for weaker/more academic pupils which would keep them engaged and challenged at their own level. All this could be accomplished by listing clear instructions into any Generative AI programme that would create appropriate questions for the pupils involved.
AI could also become more interactive. Pupils could use an application like Vidnoz AI to create conversations in different languages, describe/explain a topic or announce something using their famous people from history, TV or sport etc.
I suppose the biggest challenge of using it in class, is that pupils will use AI to complete an assignment rather than read & research it for themselves. With intelligent prompts, it may we quite difficult to discern if the school work was authentic or not.
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Hi Martin,
I would certainly agree with the key benefits of AI in education you’ve outlined here, particularly its potential to support personalised learning and and differentiate for different learners. What you’ve mooted, such as generating tailored activities and using tools like Vidnoz AI is a brilliant way to bring learning to life and provide the all important stimulus to engage.
To build on these kinds of AI uses, i would suggest including opportunities for children to critically evaluate AI-generated content, helping them develop mission critical AI literacyy while maintaining their own understanding and independent thinking.
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I agree that personalised learning is one of the biggest advantages of AI in the classroom. The ability to quickly create different levels of tasks and questions could be a huge support for teachers and help keep all pupils engaged and appropriately challenged. I also like your idea of using tools such as Vidnoz AI to make learning more interactive and bring topics to life. However, I share your concern about pupils relying too heavily on AI to complete their work. I think teaching pupils how to use AI responsibly, while still encouraging independent research and critical thinking, will be really important.
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AI can make a huge difference in the classroom, particularly when it comes to personalizing learning and helping with our daily workloads. Instead of sticking to a one-size-fits-all approach, adaptive tools allow us to offer true differentiation that meets pupils at their exact level.
Global examples show just how practical this can be in day-to-day teaching:
Real-time Math Support: Platforms like Carnegie Learning’s MATHia give pupils step-by-step hints and instant feedback as they work, letting them learn at their own pace while keeping track of their progress.
Targeted Gap Filling: Programs such as Squirrel AI use diagnostic testing to pinpoint exact learning gaps, automatically offering short explanatory videos or targeted exercises to help children catch up.
Interactive Languages & Adaptive Practice: Tools like Knewton’s Alta continuously adapt content based on a learner’s strengths and weaknesses, making subjects like language learning far more engaging and interactive.
For teachers, AI is an incredible assistant for planning and assessment. It can help us design tailored lesson plans, generate quizzes, and evaluate understanding both before and after a topic is taught.
Ultimately, embedding AI into assessment and planning helps create a far more responsive, supportive, and inclusive classroom environment for everyone.
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Hi Tracey,
I really resonated with your point about AI as a “co-pilot” rather than a replacement—your maths example of adapting problem questions and generating glossaries on the fly is exactly the kind of responsive teaching we strive for but rarely have time to produce manually.
Your caution about data privacy really struck a chord with me too. I’ve started a personal rule: any pupil name, school name gets chnaged before I paste anything into a public AI tool. I also share your unease about surveillance-style tracking; personalised learning should empower the child, not monitor them.
One thing I’m experimenting with to mitigate hallucinations is asking the AI to cite its sources or provide the reasoning behind an answer, which makes it easier to spot errors before they reach my children.
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Another powerful use is formative assessment. AI-powered tools can analyse pupils’ written responses in real time, highlighting misconceptions about sentence structure before I’ve even collected the books. This means I can intervene earlier and more precisely.
The benefits are clear: greater personalisation, reduced workload on repetitive tasks. However, challenges are significant. Like Tracey, I’m deeply concerned about data privacy—any tool processing childs work must be GDPR-compliant and approved by my school. There is also the risk of over-reliance; if I stop developing my own questions, I may lose my professional judgment. Ultimately, AI works best as a tool not a substitute for the teacher’s profe sional expertise and relationships.
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AI provide so many opportunities for the classroom environment, being at the beginning of my journey in utilising it I feel I’m only starting to understand its potential. Even though I feel confident I can embark on using AI tools in my everyday teachings the questions can feel like where to start at times. The thing that appeals a lot to me is the conversation around personalised learning. How it cannot just tailor to a student’s abilities but also accommodate at the right pace, and its power to give alternative assessment.
I believe it has the ability to transform my teaching in how I prepare for lessons, through creating resources and time allocated to planning. Firstly, how efficient I am with my time. And by doing this giving me more time to focus on the needs of my students. I feel it will move me to more of a role of a facilitator of learning as the students become more accustomed to using the different AI tools. I would like to see the potential of Immersive Reader in my classroom in helping some of struggles students have in their language development.
Unfortunately, I do see a challenge in how different schools will roll it out, where the use of basic technologies still is lacking. And that can come down to a confidence thing more so than an unwillingness to change. Looking at the example in China where is the limit too, a dangerous level too far in my opinion. -
This module changed my understanding of how AI can support teaching and learning. I had not fully appreciated the range of opportunities it can offer within the classroom, particularly in relation to meeting the individual needs of pupils. AI can assist teachers in creating differentiated and personalised resources, which can be particularly valuable when working with pupils of different abilities and learning needs. I also learned that, when used responsibly, AI can work alongside a teacher’s knowledge and experience rather than replace it. It can support areas such as identifying learning needs, creating engaging activities, improving accessibility and helping teachers make informed decisions. I was introduced to a number of useful tools, including Immersive Reader, Microsoft Dream Space and Minecraft Education, which I feel could help make learning more engaging and accessible for pupils. While I can see many advantages to using AI, I also recognise that teachers need appropriate training and guidance to use these technologies effectively. Continued professional development in this area will be important as AI becomes a greater part of education.
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I completely agree with your takeaways, especially regarding how AI serves as a powerful partner to teacher expertise rather than a replacement. The point you raised about meeting individual pupil needs hits the mark; being able to personalize materials efficiently transforms how we handle inclusion day-to-day. Tools like Immersive Reader and Minecraft Education are fantastic examples of how technology can dismantle learning barriers and make abstract concepts hands-on and accessible. I also share your view on the absolute necessity of ongoing professional development. Having access to these platforms is only half the battle; having the structured training, clear guidance, and dedicated time to integrate them meaningfully into our pedagogy is what will ultimately make the difference. Moving forward, balancing this tech-driven engagement with safe, ethical classroom practices will be an exciting challenge for all of us as educators
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Based on this module, I believe AI can fundamentally shift my classroom from a standardized model to a personalized learning environment. Instead of pacing lessons for the average learner, AI tools allow me to differentiate instruction in real time. For example, I can use adaptive learning platforms to instantly adjust reading levels or practice math problems to match each student’s current proficiency. Generative AI can also help me draft tailored lesson plans, scaffold assignments for diverse needs, and deliver quick formative feedback. The primary benefit is improved engagement and equity—students receive targeted support without waiting for one-on-one time, while I save administrative hours to focus on direct mentorship. However, implementation comes with distinct challenges. Data privacy and ethical safety are immediate concerns when introducing digital tools. Additionally, mitigating academic dishonesty and preventing students from relying on AI as a shortcut—rather than a cognitive aid—will require clear boundaries, explicit digital literacy training, and a focus on critical thinking.
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AI can transform the teaching experience and learning postively I think AI has the potential to be a very valuable tool in the classroom. When used properly, it has the ability to reduce workload for teachers – support planning, coming up with new ideas and help to create fun learning experiences for children. Using the right prompts, AI can make lesson planning much more manageable. It can help create yearly plans based on the curriculum, generate lesson plans, produce worksheets, and suggest ways to differentiate activities to meet the varying needs of students in the classroom.
It can help teachers create assessment questions and revision materials, and also provide students with additional support when they are finding a topic particularly difficult- example problem solving in maths.
. It should be seen as a tool to support teaching and learning. Teachers still need to review and fact-check anything AI produces, ensuring that the information is accurate and meets the needs of their students.
AI can make a huge difference in the classroom, particularly when it comes to personalizing learning and helping with our daily workloads. Instead of sticking to a one-size-fits-all approach, adaptive tools allow us to offer true differentiation that meets pupils at their exact level.
Challenges we can face, is children using at home for project work, maybe dimming their creative flair through the ease of AI and causing them to become over reliant on it. Also teaching children to fact check their work.
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