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Part 1:
Prior to undertaking this course, I was apprehensive about incorporating AI tools into my teaching and this came from a lack of understanding in this area. I think in September I will prioritise using 3 AI tools with my class such as GAMMA, chat GPT andmicrosoft reading coach. I will certainly use Microsoft reading coach from September, to assist me teaching new vocabulary every fortnight from the children’s reading scheme. I will dip in and out of the many resources available on magic school also. I am excited to use chat GPT and quizizz for certain topics to assist with assessment at the end of SESE topics. In time the children could create their own quiz for their peers.
Part 2:
I have taught 3rd and 4th class for the last few years and one topic I enjoy teaching is Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius. Teaching the same topic can get repetitive and stale so I am excited to change my lesson plans around this topic by incorporating AI tools into my teaching and learning. One of the main take aways from this course that I will bring into my teaching next year is, AI is there to supplement our practice as teachers. We still need to use and rely on our own pedagogical skills to interpret the data generated by AI tools to suit the learning needs of the pupils in our classroom. This is why I have chosen a topic in SESE that I am familiar teaching.
Lesson Plan: Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius for 3rd class
Duration: 50 – 60 minutes
Learning Objectives
- Students will learn about the historical significance of Pompeii and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79 AD
- Students will identify the location of Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius on a map
- Students will use creative skills to recreate aspects of life in Pompeii before the eruption.
Materials Needed
Interactive whiteboard
Images of Pompeii and Mt Vesuvius
Tablets or laptops for students
Printed maps of Italy
Introduction: briefly introduce the topic of Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius. The children will be shown an AI generated image (created by the teacher) on micro soft co pilot image creator. Discuss in pairs.
Video Clip: Show a short, engaging video clip (3-4 minutes) about the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius and the destruction of Pompeii.
Historical UnderstandingStorytelling: Narrate the story of Pompeii, highlighting daily life before the eruption and what happened during the disaster. I will use Gamma to create a PPP suitable for my class level to explore Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii
Discussion: Ask students questions about what they think life was like in Pompeii and how people might have reacted to the eruption.
Geographical AwarenessMap Activity: Distribute printed maps of Italy. Have students locate Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius.
Google Earth Exploration: Using Google Earth, virtually explore Pompeii. Show students the ruins and the proximity to Mt. Vesuvius. Allow students to navigate for a few minutes on their tablets/laptops.
Interactive QuizQuizizz: Conduct a short quiz (8 – 10 questions could be differentiated to suit all learning abilities in the class) using Quizizz to reinforce key facts about Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius. Questions can include:
What country is Pompeii located in?
What natural disaster destroyed Pompeii?
When did Mt. Vesuvius erupt?
ConclusionRecap: Summarize the key points learned during the lesson.
Q&A: Allow students to ask any final questions about Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius.
Preview Next Lesson: Briefly mention what will be covered in the next class to build anticipation.One area I would be keen to explore in more detail with my 4th and 5th class in September is using chat GPT to generate articles from different perspectives to help teach the children about bias and explore different historical perspectives. From reading different comments in the forum this is a very popular avenue to explore. I have used scratch with previous classes and I would be keen to also upskill my own skills using this programme. I will be teaching my class about the great famine next year and I am excited to use Chat GPT to accumulate resources such as newspaper articles from that time period from both the Irish and British perspective. There are so many activities that could stem from this such as debating from the perspective of a British landlord and an Irish farmer. We will be doing the novel ‘Under the Hawthorn tree’ and in groups the children could create prompts for Microsoft co pilot image creator to help them visualise the charatcers and different scenes from the novel. This topic will be great for teaching the children the importance of inputting detailed and specific prompts into chat GPT.
I found this module very beneficial and practical, it really show cased how AI tools can be integrated and used in the curriculum in a positive and creative way. Every single AI tool mentioned was new to me and I was impressed with how easy they are to use and can definitely see myself using a handful of them in the next academic year. Below are some example of how I plan on using some of the AI tools mentioned in this module in my teaching and learning.
Microsoft copilot image creator. This tool would be excellent in helping pupils visualise their ideas and new vocabulary. For example, if I was teaching my 3rd class about the Vikings, we could ask Microsoft co pilot image creator to create images of Vikings, their long boats, weapons, clothing etc. It would be particularly beneficial for children with language difficulties as it would help them connect an image to a word and hopefully build on their vocabulary.
Microsoft reading coach: This tool would be excellent when we are doing Narrative writing. It is more interactive and visual for children, and it can help them plan and write their story. The feedback feature at the end is very beneficial and the learning paths are very useful to guide children with the next steps of their learning. I particularly liked how the words the child struggled with are put back in the next passage. AI generated feedback at the end is great for assessment and saves the teacher so much time.
Microsoft speaker coach. This year I taught my students in 3rd and 4th class how to make a power point presentation, however I noticed when it came to presenting their slides to the class the majority found it very difficult and were naturally nervous. I will implement Microsoft speaker coach to assist children prepare for their presentation. It is time efficient, and it is personalised to each pupils presentation, they can do it in their own time and at home with their parents for homework. I would then introduce the students to Gamma and we would use this AI tool to generate a PowerPoint presentations about our next topic.
From engaging with this module there are many ways AI can transform the teaching and learning in my classroom. I have taught a multigrade class for the last couple of years and AI can certainly assist me with planning tasks to suit all abilities in my class and help me to differentiate accordingly. For example if I am teaching my 3rd and 4th class about the Romans, AI could assist me with designing creative and fun tasks for the different abilities in my class so that all children can achieve success at their level.
Similar to Orla, I also used chat GPT at Christmas to help me write a play for our whole school Christmas concert.I asked chat GPT to write a script for 24 parts appropriate for 10 year olds, that was 15 minutes long, was funny and had a Christmas theme. It saved me so much time (and money!) and the children loved performing the play.
When it comes to teaching and learning AI tools can help me to develop students critical thinking and creativity. AI tools would tie in quite well with the new primary maths curriculum and assist children with maths talk activities.
In terms of challenges there are many that could be encountered. Looking beyond teaching and learning in my own classroom I can foresee challenges at a whole school level with implementing AI tools. For example, it can be quite difficult to get buy in from all staff memebers should a whole school approach be utilised to incorporate AI tools into teaching and learning. It is also important the school is well resourced and has a set of laptops/tablets for the children to access AI tools. I also think data protection is a key area that needs to be discussed. Schools would need to update their data protection policy with all relevant AI information that is appropriate to the teaching and learning within the school.
There are many benefits of using AI tools in the classroom and these can greatly impact future teaching, learning and assessment. For example:
As Shane stated, it can assist in creating a fear free environment and make learning more accessible for students of all abilities.
Support integrity in learning. My friend teaches English to second level students, and she uses AI to check for plagiarism from her pupils assignments.
Assessment strategies: AI can assist with formal assessment and can provide feedback during the learning process to pupils.
Interactive and creative learning: AI has the potential to make lessons more interactive and visual for pupils. It can also assist teachers refine their lesson plans and incorporate more creative content. AI can also assist teachers differentiate accordingly within their class by providing examples of mixed ability tasks for pupils.
As stated in the slides, educators need to be aware and ask questions when it comes to using AI for teaching, learning and assessment. Is it reliable, safe and trustworthy? Am I using AI for the common good and does it protect the privacy of individuals.