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Part 1
Give two examples of how you can use some of the tools identified in this module to improve your own teaching, learning and assessment.
The 2 resources I have see at this time that I am excited at using in the new school year in regards to supporting my teaching and learning are Magic School and Microsoft Learn.
Magic School looks like a really useful tool. The teacher tool of multiple explanations will be a useful tool for me as a SET teacher. This tool will support me as a teacher in being better able to differentiate and assist children to be able to access the class work in a better supported way. I really liked its suggestion of the 80/20 rule in using AI.
The classroom use of this platform is huge. When I put in what i needed as a teacher from AI it came back with a list of different tools that would support me in developing material for my students to meet their learning goals. AS an SET teacher I can use this tool for developing 1:1 material to meet specific learning targets but also help create material to support students in the classroom. The impact on teaching is huge, the different learning needs of children are becoming more pronounced and we are being asked to differentiate tasks for students with less support available. Being able to take for example a creative writing lesson and generate more specific scaffolds to support the needs of students in the class that need more to complete the same but different task is a game changer
Microsoft Learn offers me the opportunity to continue to learn about AI and what services are available . As a teacher in this changing and developing area of education I feel it is important to continue to learn and adapt my teaching and this platform will assist me with this. The potential for students and teachers of the AI tools that the Microsoft platform offers is great. Microsoft Reading Coach is what I am most excited about. AS an SET teacher I have a number of students who are not reading at their class age, who are not excited to read because it’s hard. Being able to generate text that can be tailored to fir their age, reading age and interests is exciting. The impact that this will have on teaching and learning is huge. In the past we have been restricted in text availability and this has impacted the reader who is not reading at class/age level. Being able to give child text, that is age appropriate but can support their learning is promising
I am also keen to use Diffit to supplement reading materials and help tailor reading and comprehension to interests of child to support the reluctant reader
.Like the other comments cost is something I feel is going to be the biggest challenge we face in the embracing of ai and the accompanying technology. Many of the ai tools recommended bar the exception of chat gpt and its like is that they require a subscription cost to make use of the full capabilities. Add to this ensuring there is sufficient access to devices including laptops, tablets is expensive. Maintaining and upgrading technology to get the most from what is available is expensive. Where is the money going to come from?
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 tool
Immersive reader is something that i feel will be of use in my classroom. I am an SET teacher and have children who struggle with accessing the in class text, use of this will be similar to the old text to speech programs we used that were expensive. Natural reader is a similar program I have since learnt about.
I have gone down a rabbit hole inspired by this course and have found that grammarly, a program I have used in the past to assist children in spelling and grammar correction now has an ai add on that will assist with speech to text.
This is something I have been looking for as have a number of students with expressive language difficulties. The children find it difficult to express and organise their thoughts in writing but find verbally expressing their ideas easier. Previous programs that offer this have been unreliable.
The challenge i perceive I will face the most is time. As an SET teacher time is limited and there is so much you want to do and teach in a short period of time. I do think children will grasp the use of ai quicker than we anticipate as it is novel, which makes it fun and not seem like standard learning.
I am lucky that my school has invested in technology as the biggest challenge is that with the chronic lack of funding by the dept, providing all children with access to laptops, tablets etc is going to be the biggest challenge.Ross great ides about the use of AI that I hadn’t thought of, I really like the idea of using it in creative writing
I have used AI in a number of ways including marking and correcting grammar in both English and Irish which is very exciting. I even took a screenshot of a daily mental maths page and it corrected it for me. The use of AI in the classroom is so exciting and like you I am doing the course to find more ways that it can be used to enhance the learning experience of my students and prepare them for the future.
Reflect on the potential classroom use of AI tools and how this can impact on future teaching, learning and assessment.
I have been an early adaptor of AI and have used it in many ways in the past 2 years to help me with my teaching. I have used it to reword and articulate my thoughts in a more coherent way to help formulate support goals and even report card comment, I have used it to generate art ideas for confirmation and even generate a picture for a card of thanks for visitors to the school. I am excited by what it can offer me as a teacher. Ihe potential that AI has on teaching, learning and assessment is endless and I believe if we teach children how to use it effectively it can be only positive. I know that people are concerned that AI may replace learning, but I disagree. Yes a child could get AI to generate a response to a question, but how is that any different than the child in the past who copied information direct from a text book. We as educators need to show children the power and use of AI and how it can support their learning.
As a tool for assessment I haven’t really embraced but see the real benefit. Having AI generate a marking rubric is the key way that I feel it could only benefit educators and students. Having a clear definitive guide to provide to students at all levels will support learning and guide teaching
Overall ! am excited by the potential of AI in the education spaceMichelle, I love the idea of adding vaseline to the children’s hands so they can really grasp the concept. Lots of opportunities for hands on learning
I had not used this book in this way before, what a great idea. Your lesson ticks so many boxes but opens so many new opportunities to extend in many different ways. Thanks
Hi Louise,
I really like the idea of having a constant astronaut/animal travel to each of the planets, so many ways to incorporate this, from changing outfits to suit the temperature and elements of the planets etc
Hi Rebecca,
This is always a nice quick lesson to get the kids excited about science and i really like Frances idea of extending the lesson to make more inquiry based. Great ideas thanks
I liked the lesson about spacecraft design and think it would be a great lesson to start space week.
I would start with reviewing what the students know about space and space travel. I would then show a short video clip of a rocket launch to capture the students’ attention.
Next, discuss the basic parts of a rocket: the body, fins, and nose cone, using simple diagrams or models.
Move on to a hands-on activity where students make their own paper rockets. Provide materials like paper, scissors, tape, and straws. I would make this as teacher hands off as possible to allow the students the opportunity to investigate and explore the materials independently. Once the rockets are assembled, let the students decorate them with markers or stickers.
After the rockets are ready, head outside or to a large indoor space for a launch activity. Use straws to blow air into the paper rockets, demonstrating how air pressure propels the rocket forward. Let each student take turns launching their rocket, observing how the different designs affect flight distance and stability.
I would conclude the lesson with a review and reflection looking at what the students learned about rockets and space travel. Encourage them to think about how rockets need to be strong and streamlined to travel through the atmosphere.
End with a fun fact about space to leave them excited and curious to learn more over the week.
To finish the week I would like do the rocket with the effervescent tablets as a demonstration and feel is a nice way to conclude with how we started Space Week.
Video links that I feel may be useful to watch of rocket launch. There are few nice videos that teach about the launch also
We began an informal school self-evaluation on science more specifically STEM at the end of the 2021/22 school year. It was a useful exercise as it allowed us the opportunity to see as a school what we were doing to teach and encourage science through the school and also made us conduct and develop an inventory of the resources we had as a whole school. We were able to identify our strengths and weaknesses.
The evaluation has lead to improved teaching strategies, better curriculum alignment, and more effective use of technology and resources . It Helped a small bit in identifying and addressing gaps in students’ knowledge and skills. Training and upskilling for teachers has been th most important outcome I feel of the process. Reading and learning a little about the EU-UNAWE program I am excited to use this as a way to evaluate the teaching and learning about space specifically in our school.The program emphasises Making learning about space fun and interesting, increasing student enthusiasm for science. Provides well-designed materials that simplify complex astronomy topics. Equips teachers with the knowledge and tools to effectively teach astronomy. It allows a way for us as a school to target and assess learning with the outcome of improving students’ comprehension of scientific concepts.What I am most excited about is the opportunity to create whole school and home/community involvement through events like stargazing nights, creating a broader interest in science.
Space and aliens
An infant based lesson that can also be extended for older classes on space and aliens
Begin with discussion about what space looks like and what might be out there.
First, we’ll learn about the planets in our solar system and discuss how each one might look and feel different. Use of pictures and models to see examples of rocky planets like Earth and Mars, and gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn.
Next, a sensory activity! Have available in tubs or trays different stations with materials representing the surfaces of planets. For rocky planets, we might use sandpaper to feel rough textures, and for gas giants, we could use balloons filled with air to feel smooth surfaces.
Discuss what felt at each station and compare it to the planets learned about. Talk about why planets have different surfaces and what makes them unique.
Art extension- create own planets using clay or playdough. Each child will make a planet with a surface texture they choose, like smooth or bumpy, to represent what they’ve learned.
To extend and discuss life on other planets
Read simple space books “Is there anybody out there ?” By Laura Krantz would be a good choice
This lesson can be extended in coming weeks to look at designing and landing a space shuttle, based on the surface of the planet what would be required ? What would we need to survive there? What must an alien be like to exist on the chosen planet?
For my lesson for 1st and 2nd class we would investigate the sun and shadows. The sun is a great area of space to investigate with classes with many areas able to be covered from heat and energy making smores in a solar oven to light
For a lesson on light and the sun and shadows I would begin by asking the class about how shadows are made, then investigate by using flashlights to shine light on different objects. We would observe how shadows change when the light is moved closer or farther away, and from different angles. After our observations, we’ll discuss and make guesses about why shadows change size and shape. If possible as with the Irish weather it is difficult to predict we would go outside to see how the Sun affects our own shadows throughout the day, Tracing our shadow in chalk at the start l, middle and then at the end of the day . marking its changes over the day.
