[Brian Harrington]

Lesson plan: Researching Endangered birds using Microsoft Search Coach
Curricular Area: SESE: Geography and Science
Class Level: 6th class

Learning Outcomes:
The students will be enabled to
1. Use Search Coach to find information on endangered birds in Ireland
2. Learn the importance of choosing trustworthy sources in research
3. Use filters and keywords like “endangered birds Ireland” to refine their search
4. Research one endangered Irish bird in terms of habitat and conservation efforts

Outline of lesson

1. Whole class discussion (10 mins)
• Ask: “What birds do you see in your garden or local park?”
• Introduce the idea of endangered species and why birds might be at risk.

2. Presentation from teacher (10 mins)

• 63% of Ireland’s bird species declining
https://birdwatchireland.ie/nearly-half-of-all-bird-species-in-decline-globally-but-63-of-irelands-bird-species-declining/

• Farmland birds like curlew, lapwing, snipe, kestrel, skylark are most affected.
• Over 20% of species in Ireland are threatened with extinction
• Discuss efforts to protect the corncrake
https://species.biodiversityireland.ie/profile.php?taxonId=11289&taxonDesignationId=2

Home

3. Search Coach Tutorial (10 mins)
• Demonstrate how to use Search Coach:
Choose students to come up to the interactive whiteboard to practice using the tool

4. Research Time (20 mins). pupils work in groups of 3.
• Each member of the group has a role
 Conducting searches
 Scribe
 Giving feedback to the group

• Pupils choose one endangered Irish bird to research and then Use Search Coach to find information on the following:
 Habitat
 Why bird is endangered
 Conservation efforts

5. Feedback on results of research from each group

Follow up activities:
Visual arts: Pupils create pictures of endangered birds using a variety of media (e.g. painting, drawing, collage)
Mathematics: Data and Chance: Pupils represent data on endangered birds in Ireland using various types of charts and graphs

There have been many interesting AI tools outlined on this course. As I have very little experience using AI, I plan to use the following as a starting point in my teaching:
• Search coach
• Reading coach
• Speech Coach
• Scratch

[Brian Harrington]

Hi Justine, This sounds like a really good lesson. I am also hoping to use search coach to teach the pupils about using reliable sources when conducting research for projects

[Brian Harrington]

Hi James, I am also interested in introducing Scratch to my pupils. I agree, the simple block design is a very good way to introduce children to coding and it also teaches them the importance of each command in a sequence of code.

[Brian Harrington]

I would be interested in introducing Scratch to my pupils.

I used Minecraft Education edition a few years ago with a special class I was teaching. Some of my students had already played Minecraft and adapted well to the Education Edition. While other students found it quite challenging. It was also a very steep learning curve for me as a teacher!

I have heard of Scratch before but have never actually used it. I tried one of the beginner lessons ‘Make it Fly’, which involves changing some of the commands in a game to make a cat fly in different directions. What I really like about this program it that it starts at a beginner’s level, that doesn’t presume prior knowledge. It also teaches coding skills in a clear, enjoyable and interactive way. There are also some very good resources for teachers on the website, including a guide on how to teach a workshop on Scratch.

[Brian Harrington]

Hi David, I am also planning to use Speaker coach and Reading Coach. As you said, speaker coach could really help build up children’s confidence. I haven’t used much AI in my teaching either up until now. I am starting to see the possibilities of AI after completing this module.

[Brian Harrington]

As mentioned in some of the other posts, there was a great wealth of material explained very clearly in this module. Two of the tools that could improve my own teaching, learning and assessment are:
• Reading Coach
• Speaker Coach

I have never used either of these tools, however I hope to use them in the future.
Both of these tools offer the possibility of individualised learning and consistent feedback. Reading coach uses adaptive learning to challenge the learner. Neurodiverse students such as students with ADHD could benefit greatly from Reading Coach as it appears to break learning into manageable chunks and has a clear visual format.

Another advantage of these tools is that students might take feedback less personally from an AI than from a human (for example, if Speaker Coach gives a student feedback to speak more slowly).

Nevertheless, teacher oversight is very important with a tool such as Speaker Coach, in my opinion. Correcting everything an AI suggests, such as a student’s use of colloquialisms or slang, might not always be necessary.

[Brian Harrington]

Hi Gerard,

I agree with you about the ethical implications of using AI without proper research.

I also found the video at the end of the module unsettling. As the neuroscientist who was asked about the headbands pointed out, EEG is a complex technology that cannot be just be rolled out in classrooms to measure children’s attention levels.

[Brian Harrington]

AI could improve teaching and learning in many ways. A programme such as Minecraft Education Edition could be a great way to use game-based learning in the classroom. Creating quizzes in Microsoft Forms or Google Forms could reduce administrative work such as correcting classwork. In addition, I recently read about a programme called Alpaca which uses AI to screen for dyslexia.

However, there are various challenges to implementing AI tools in the classroom. An AI tool could reflect the bias of its creator. If a school uncritically embraces particular AI tools, it could lead to the undue influence of private companies on education systems. Bias mitigation training would be an important way of addressing this potential challenge. In relation to GDPR, the school’s data protection policies would need to ensure that students’ data is secure.

Finally, as illustrated in the video on the use of AI in China, the ethical use of AI is of central importance. Transparent AI systems that ensure that students’, teachers’ and parents’ rights are respected are essential in relation to the use of AI in education

[Brian Harrington]

Hi April, I completely agree with your point that we have to avoid “children using AI to think or feel on their behalf”. While AI offers great opportunities to enhance learning, it can never replace lived human experience.

[Brian Harrington]

AI provides both a challenge and an opportunity for educators, in my opinion. As Sal Khan, pointed out in his TED talk, AI chat bots could potentially become personal tutors. I can see many potential uses for AI in teaching and learning: for example, asking a group of students to solve a Maths problem and then comparing the solution to the problem generated by AI. Naturally, this process would need close teacher supervision, given the possibility that AI could get the answer wrong! The process of correcting the AI answer could be a lesson in itself.

My principal concern in relation to AI pertains to the area of assessment. For example, if a 6th class teacher asks their class to write an essay, monitoring this task to ensure it has not been AI generated could be a problem. In same way that handwriting with a pen and typing on a word processor can co-exist, I believe older forms of assessment should be used such as public speaking or debating. I think it’s possible to use AI judiciously along with other forms of learning to ensure that cognitive skills can develop without an over-reliance on AI.

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