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I chose Fantastic Fairgrounds because AI is becoming a bigger part of children’s everyday lives, and I think it is important that my class learns about it in a fun and age-appropriate way. The Minecraft world lets pupils explore a virtual fairground and solve different problems using an AI assistant. They learn about AI, data and some of the ethical questions around using AI.
I think this would work well with my class because Minecraft is engaging and gives children a chance to learn by doing rather than just listening. It also links well with the Irish STEM curriculum, which encourages children to explore, investigate, think critically and solve real-world problems through technology and engineering.
I would adapt the lesson slightly. I would give my class more time to discuss the challenges and ask them whether they think the AI made the right decisions. I would also finish with a class discussion about where they already see AI in everyday life. This would make the lesson more relevant to them and give them an opportunity to share their own ideas and opinions.I think this lesson would be very useful in any class. We are always looking at ways to try and address this topic in a way that is engaging for the children and they are also interested in Minecraft. I think this would be the perfect way!
I would like to use the resource ‘Code Green’ to help 4th class to investigate whether AI can tell if a plant is healthy or not. I hope that this would help them to understand what AI learns from data and that the examples given to AI can affect its decisions. I would like them to be able to recognise that AI can make mistakes and its answers should be verified by people.
Activity
Show pupils two or three pictures of plants – one healthy, one dry/wilted, one with damaged leaves and discuss how to tell if the plant is healthy, What clues we can give AI and If we showed an AI 100 healthy plants would it automatically know what a healthy plant looks like? Watch the section of Code Green episode 4 where the pupils explore plant health and train an AI model.In pairs, pupils become the “AI”. Give each pair 8–10 plant cards/photos and ask them to sort them into healthy or unhealthy plants. They should decide on the features they used eg colour of leaves, drooping/wilting, brown or damaged leaves. Then deliberately introduce a tricky example eg a plant with some brown leaves but lots of healthy growth and have them think about whether our AI would know what to do.
As a class finish by discussing whether we gave the AI enough examples, what further information what might be needed and whether we can always trust an AI’s decisions?I agree, it is important for children to identify that the reliability of AI is based on the standard of examples it has been given – if it hasn’t been trained effectively it is liable to fail.
https://arcade.makecode.com/S57180-16820-57048-72611
This is a chaser and invader game called Space Mushrooms – It is set in a star field in space where a spaceship is being chased by mushrooms while trying to zap them. The spaceship has three lives and loses one each time it is hit by a mushroom. It can be moved using the buttons and can zap when the button A is pressed. A score is added every time the spaceship zaps a mushroom. I used decomposition when creating this game – I broke the game up into element and built each element incrementally. I would link this to Science – learning about how objects such as spaceships move in Space and investigate concepts such as gravity, thrust, direction and speed.
I really like the way that you have linked your game to Maths class Clodagh and how clearly you have explained your computational thinking!
https://makecode.microbit.org/_iyEJp37qAWi6
My project is called ‘Heads or Tail’ – When you shake the microbit it will randomly select heads or tails and display a ‘H’ or a ‘T’. I would use this in a lesson on probability – evens. After programming their Microbit each pair could try 100 shakes and see how close their answer is to 50/50. They could create graphs in maths to show their results and write their results as a percentage. It would be an interesting challenge to see if they could later adapt their program so that the microbit records the number of heads and tails there have been and reports the results when you press one of the buttons. This would e a great test of their collaboration and problem solving.
We have tried this program in school and it is so engaging, the children love completing it and it’s such a novelty to use the dice when playing maths or board games. Once you start this program with them they quickly spot the pattern of the algorithm and love to complete it themselves – this gives them a great sense of achievement!
I feel that our school is particularly strong in the first area of the Digital Learning Framework – Learner Outcomes. Our students are generally confident and comfortable using digital technology to support their learning. They use a range of digital tools to research information, collaborate with others, create content and present their learning. Digital technology has become a natural part of classroom practice, and students are encouraged to use it in meaningful and responsible ways.
I feel that our main area for development is the second area- Teachers’ Individual Practice. While many teachers are confident using technology, there is some variation in how effectively and consistently it is used to enhance teaching and learning. We could benefit from more opportunities for professional development, sharing good practice and exploring new digital tools. Developing teachers’ confidence and skills would help us to use technology more purposefully and ensure that it has a greater impact on student learning.
Our measurable actions would be having each teacher complete an online course to improve their confidence and asking each teacher to share one idea or program which has worked well for them with other teachers in the school.
I am thinking in a similar way to you Deirdre in that I would like to focus more on unplugged activities for computational thinking particularly with junior classes. The collaboration and problem solving skillls that are required allow pupils to develop their thinking in the most important ways before they even turn on a device and will help them to feel more confident when they are programming later.
I agree Clare that AI is our way of engaging students in a new way that can keep up with their fast paced lives. We need to embrace it and develop our competencies within this realm. The range of free tools which can revolutionise the way that we work really is amazing.
I hope to use AI into my teaching in several ways –
– by using generative resources on Like Magic Schools, Twee, Gamma , Youtube AI translation, Quizziz and Diffit to create resources which support my teaching and are differentiated, relevant and engaging for the pupils in my class
– For literacy and language development – using Microsoft Reading Coach
Using AI tools which develop digital literacy such as Scratch, Khan Academy, RoboGarden, Image Creator and Osmo.
– For teaching students about responsible, safe and ethical use of AI – bias, fact-checking etcA Lesson on Recognising Bias in AI
Class Level: Sixth Class
Subject: Digital Literacy / SPHE
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes1. A discussion about what bias is and introducing the idea that AI can have bias too (10mins)
2. An investigation into how AI learns the things that it tells us (5 mins)
“Who gives the AI the information?”
3. Group Activity: Spot the Bias (20 mins)
Instructions:In small groups, students receive cards with scenarios. They must:
Read the situation.
Decide if there’s bias.
Explain how it could be made fairer.
Group Share: Each group shares one example and what they’d change.
5.Reflection and Follow up activity – Create posters: “Help Make AI Fair” – with student drawings or slogans (25 mins)I had forgotten about using Image Creator to practise creating prompts, I am really looking forward to trying this!
I would also like to try Robogarden this year! I think my class will love the idea of solving puzzles.
I have used Scratch and Scratch Jr quite a bit but I feel that I would like to try Khan Academy next year as it seems engaging and self paced for children. It gives children control over their learning in a fun and structured way and helps them to feel that mistakes are ok and that they can master any topic f they persevere through it. I would start out with a simple topic like place value and after introducing the app on the SMART board I would let the class work through activities at their own pace. I feel that earning badges and completing activities would be very motivational for the students. I think it is important to communicate with parents about what the class are using and how they could use it at home too.
