Marty the Robot: Your Classroom’s AI Companion

January 14, 2025April 8, 2025Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Post in collaboration with Robotical. Opinions expressed are my own.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept. It has been around since the last century, but it has advanced rapidly in the past few years, especially with the launch of ChatGPT and generative tools. Whether or not we ever realized it, it has been and will continue to be a part of our everyday lives. Think about your daily activities using AI, from the voice assistants on our phones to the recommendation algorithms on our favorite streaming platforms like Netflix. As educators, it’s crucial to equip all students with the knowledge and skills to understand, interact with, and even create AI-powered technologies. But how?

Marty: Your AI-Powered Teaching Assistant

Marty the Robot is a fantastic tool for introducing AI concepts to students of all ages. Marty is a humanoid robot that is specific for education. It is a hands-on, engaging way to provide all students with the opportunity to learn about and explore machine learning, robotics, and computer science. In today’s digital age, artificial intelligence (AI) is all around us. For the younger generations, they have grown up using and relying on AI, and in likely most cases, without even noticing it.

As educators, there are many ways we leverage the power of AI to assist us with tasks, save time, promote productivity, and more. For example, voice assistants respond to our commands, streaming services curate personalized recommendations quickly, and educational apps adapt to individual learning styles, which create personalized learning journeys for students and help us provide the best opportunities for our students.

AI should be part of elementary school students’ learning experience. Whether they learn the basic concepts or have opportunities to work with an AI-powered tool, it is important to move our students beyond passive consumption and empower them to engage actively with these technologies. By understanding how AI works and how to create it, students can become not just users but innovators.

Marty the Robot: A Hands-On AI Companion

I was thrilled when I received Marty the Robot for my classroom. Marty is a mixture of hardware and software that brings AI concepts to life and engages all students. Marty offers a unique opportunity for students to explore the world of machine learning and robotics and have fun in the process!

Why Choose Marty?

Humanoid Design: Marty’s humanoid form fosters a strong emotional connection with students, making learning more enjoyable and memorable.

Versatile Programming: From screen-free coding to advanced Python programming, Marty supports a wide range of coding skills and learning styles. It meets students’ interests and specific needs.

Customizable AI: Students can teach Marty to recognize sounds, images, and other stimuli, allowing them to create personalized and interactive experiences. It gives them more opportunities to create and innovate.

Curriculum-Aligned Resources: Marty has an extensive library of educational resources, including lesson plans, activities, and tutorials, aligned with various national and regional curricula.

Durable: Marty is a reliable and long-lasting educational tool built to withstand classroom use and even some falls.

Real-World Applications of AI with Marty

Image Recognition: Teach Marty to identify objects, colors, and patterns, fostering visual perception and problem-solving skills.

Sound Recognition: Train Marty to respond to voice commands and sound cues, developing auditory processing and language skills.

Obstacle Avoidance: Implement AI algorithms to enable Marty to navigate obstacles autonomously, teaching students about spatial reasoning and decision-making.

Facial Recognition: Use advanced AI techniques to teach Marty to recognize faces, and students can evaluate its accuracy for detecting faces too..

STEM Learning and Beyond

Marty is more than just a robot; it’s a gateway to a world of STEM possibilities. By building and programming Marty, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity skills.

Marty can be used to explore cross-curricular topics, such as language arts, social studies, and art. For instance, students can write stories about Marty’s adventures, create artwork inspired by his design, or study historical figures who have contributed to the field of robotics.

Empowering Future Innovators

By introducing students to AI and robotics through engaging tools like Marty, we are shifting them from consumers and creators and empowering them to become the next generation of innovators. As technology advances, it’s essential to equip all students with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in our rapidly changing world.

Marty the Robot will engage students and spark creativity and curiosity for learning. By embracing AI and robotics education, we can hopefully inspire our students to become problem-solvers, inventors, and dreamers.

It has been so much fun to see students learning about AI and coding with Marty!

To learn more about Marty the Robot, head to https://robotical.io/. You can even request a trial of Marty, too!

About Rachelle

Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth is a Spanish and STEAM: What’s Next in Emerging Technology Teacher at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle is also an attorney with a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. Rachelle received her Doctorate in Instructional Technology, and her research focus was on AI and Professional Development. In addition to teaching, she is a full-time consultant and works with companies and organizations to provide PD, speaking, and consulting services. Contact Rachelle for your event!

Rachelle is an ISTE-certified educator and community leader who served as president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network. By EdTech Digest, she was named the EdTech Trendsetter of 2024, one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers to follow in 2021, and one of 150 Women Global EdTech Thought Leaders in 2022.

She is the author of nine books including ‘In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking,” “Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU,” “The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead,” “Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow’s World, “True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us,” “Things I Wish […] Knew” and her newest “How To Teach AI” is available from ISTE or on Amazon.

Contact Rachelle to schedule sessions about Artificial Intelligence, Coding, AR/VR, and more for your school or event! Submit the Contact Form.

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Teaching Students Cyber Safety Basics

January 7, 2025April 8, 2025Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

As educators, we must teach students how to stay safe online, especially with the rise of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI. With the capabilities of technology expanding so rapidly, teaching students about cybersecurity and cyber safety is more important than ever—these are topics that need to be discussed and explored at all grade levels.

Distinguishing between cybersecurity and cyber safety

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting electronic devices, networks, and sensitive information from unauthorized access. It means proactively taking measures to ensure that confidentiality is protected and thoroughly checking out the resources that we use. Our access to devices and endless types of technology has transformed how we learn and work. However, it has also led to an increase in dangers that can impact our safety and well-being. We need to help students understand how to utilize the technology with a careful focus on how to stay safe online and protect personal information. Cyber safety awareness is critical for everyone.

Cyber safety refers to the practice of responsibly using technology and resources available through the internet. It is especially important to use care when accessing and sharing information online to avoid the risks and potential harm that can result, such as cyberbullying, hacking, phishing, identity theft, or exposure to inappropriate content and other online threats. Because of these risks, we must be intentional about helping students understand how to protect their safety and privacy online.

Continue reading this post on Edutopia.

About Rachelle

Contact Rachelle to schedule sessions about Artificial Intelligence, Coding, AR/VR, and more for your school or event! Submit the Contact Form.

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Tonies: A Screen-Free Adventure into the World of Storytelling

December 17, 2024April 8, 2025Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

In collaboration with Tonies. All opinions expressed are my own.

In our increasingly digital world, where technology has the potential to be used too often, it’s great to discover innovative tools that don’t require a screen. Educators and families alike are always looking for ways to nurture creativity and spark a love of learning without the need for extra screen time. Enter the Toniebox, a brilliant and innovative audio system that reimagines storytelling and learning for children. With its kid-friendly design, engaging content, and screen-free functionality, the Toniebox has become a favorite in homes and classrooms worldwide.

As an educator who has used Tonieboxes with students, I’ve experienced the impact of this simple yet powerful tool. From the first time you use it, it draws you in, and the excitement builds up for more stories and fun in learning.

What is the Toniebox?

The Toniebox is a soft, cube-shaped audio player designed for children. I have a red and a light-blue one that I have used, and they are truly great for children. Unlike traditional speakers or audio tools that may be used in the classroom, the Toniebox is completely screen-free and user-friendly. It operates through the use of Tonies, which are adorable characters that come preloaded with content, such as songs, stories, or educational lessons. Children ages three and up can use the Toniebox without any problems because it requires them to simply place their Tonie on top of the Toniebox, and the content will play automatically.

The design of the Toniebox is perfect for young learners. It is soft to the touch, durable, and easy for children to operate. What I love about its design are its controls. The volume can be adjusted by pressing the “ears” on top of the box, and tracks can be skipped by tapping the sides of the Toniebox.

What are Tonies?

Tonies are adorable characters that come to life through the Toniebox. The Tonies are placed on a Toniebox to play stories, songs, and language learning activities. There are so many great characters, more than 200 to choose from, and more are being added.

The Magic of Screen-Free Play

The Toniebox stands out from other storytelling products because it is screen-free. By encouraging imaginative play, Tonies helps children develop essential skills such as:

Creativity: Children can create stories or adventures using their Tonies as inspiration. Give students a Tonie and ask them to write or tell a story about it. It is a great way to build many essential skills and for them to have fun, too!
Focus and Attention: The variety of narratives and how the Tonies create a more engaging audio experience helps children as they develop their ability to focus and concentrate. They become drawn into the stories, develop close listening skills, and get excited to share what they learn.
Language Development: To develop language skills, students need a variety of learning opportunities. With the Toniebox, they can listen to stories and songs that will help expand their vocabulary, language skills, and comfort in speaking.

Toniebox in the Classroom

For educators, the Toniebox will be a versatile and impactful addition to the classroom.

Artina Ellsworth, an early educator at Lakeside Primary in Prairieville, Louisiana, told me that she uses Tonies in her “pre-K classroom with the 3-year-olds during music and movement time, read-aloud time, and also in my literacy centers. It helps keep them focused and engaged during reading, helps me teach concepts of print, and also story comprehension for retelling stories. During center time, it also helps them follow the story without me having to sit and read the book with them. It builds their confidence in knowing that they can listen and pretend to read stories by themselves!”

There are so many great uses of the Toniebox! Here are some ideas for bringing a Toniebox into your teaching practice:

1. Listening Centers

The Toniebox can be used in a listening center where students can independently enjoy audiobooks or songs. This fosters self-guided learning and a comfortable way for students to practice their listening comprehension and auditory processing skills.

2. Mindfulness and Relaxation

The Toniebox is perfect for creating a calming environment. During transitions or after lunch, use Tonies that provide mindfulness exercises to help students refocus and relax.

3. Story Time

Use Tonies as a way to create engaging story time sessions for students. Students can create their own stories and even work together to build essential skills of collaboration and creativity!

4. Group Activities

Use Tonies to engage students in some discussions about the story. Ask questions and have students create alternate endings. There are so many possibilities!

Inclusion and Accessibility

The simplicity of the Toniebox makes it accessible to all learners, including those with special needs. Its tactile interface and audio format cater to diverse learning styles and abilities, ensuring every student can participate.

Here are some of the standout features that make the Toniebox a must-have for both classrooms and homes:

1. Durability

The Toniebox is built to withstand the wear and tear of young hands. Its soft padding and design ensure it can handle daily use.

2. Portability

With its rechargeable battery, the Toniebox can go anywhere. Whether it’s used in the classroom, on a field trip, or during a long car ride, it offers hours of uninterrupted learning and fun.

3. Content Variety

From fairy tales to educational lessons, the Tonies’ library ensures something that will meet every child’s interest and learning level. And new Tonies are being released, which helps to keep the learning experience engaging and fun!

4. Customization

Creative Tonies provide even more opportunities for personalization. Parents can record bedtime stories, and teachers can create custom lessons or messages for their students.

5. Ease of Use

Its unique design means that even the youngest learners can operate the Toniebox independently, which promotes confidence and autonomy.

And now there are even audiobooks that offer more content for kids 6-9! Tonies offer a unique and engaging way to spark children’s imagination and foster a love of learning. By providing a screen-free experience, Tonies helps children develop essential skills while having fun. Whether you’re an educator or a parent, Tonies is a fantastic option to enhance children’s learning and development. Educators, get started today with Tonies through their educator discount!

About Rachelle

Contact Rachelle to schedule sessions about Artificial Intelligence, Coding, AR/VR, and more for your school or event! Submit the Contact Form.

Follow Rachelle on Twitter(X) and Instagram at @Rdene915

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Empowering Educators with Almanack’s Teaching Tools

December 3, 2024April 8, 2025Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

In collaboration with Almanack. All opinions are my own.

Education is moving fast. Educators have many responsibilities in their work, requiring flexibility and the ability to balance many things at once. Tasks such as lesson planning, creating assessments and grading, differentiating class materials, and finding ways to boost student engagement can be quite time-consuming. In addition to these tasks, educators want to find the best ways to provide all students with a meaningful, impactful learning experience.

All of these responsibilities demand many hours and can also lead to burnout. However, we are teaching during a time of rapidly evolving educational technology, particularly through AI-powered tools. With the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the world and in education, especially over the past two years, it is important to find tools that leverage this power to enhance student learning and benefit educators.

Almanack is a great option for educators searching through the tools available to find something that will help them streamline their workflow. Having one platform that offers a variety of commonly created resources and other materials makes sense. I often tell educators that they need a toolkit. I think that Almanack is an essential toolkit for educators. It offers many options for educators looking to create different resources for students and those who want to save time and become more efficient, which benefits students because educators have more time available for them.

Some of my favorite Almanack features

Almanack isn’t just an educational tool; it’s a robust and comprehensive platform that provides various resources to help educators design and implement effective learning experiences in the classroom. Here are a few examples of why I think Almanack stands out:

1. Slide Decks and Visual Aids: When I created my first slide deck using Almanack, I was amazed at how professional it looked. The layout, colors, images, and information it generated were all impressive. What would have taken me an hour or more took only a few minutes. Almanack enables educators to leverage AI to create visually appealing slide decks that are informative and more engaging for students. The decks can then be customized with your own images and specific content that aligns with the lesson. See below for an example created simply with a prompt! And it can be translated to different languages!

2. Customizable Worksheets: From K-2 literacy and numeracy activities to advanced topic sheets for grades 3-12, Almanack provides templates that can be customized to fit any subject area. I spend a lot of time creating worksheets for my students and want to provide different activities that best meet my students’ needs. Creating worksheets is easy with Almanack.

3. Interactive Classroom Games: Students love playing games, and when they can interact, the benefits are great. Building collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills are essential for future success. Almanack offers a variety of options, including Battleship-style review games, Bingo, Forbidden Words, and Jeopardy. What once took a lot of time to create is now easier, and it adds fun to the learning experience, promotes retention, and encourages student participation.

4. Comprehensive Study Guides and Rubrics: Teachers can quickly create graphic organizers, detailed study guides, and rubrics to provide students with clear expectations and study aids to support their learning.

5. Multilingual Support: As a language educator, I always explore the languages available within the tools that I use. Almanack can translate text lesson plans and resources into multiple languages, ensuring no student is left behind due to language barriers. Select the Output language when creating your resource; the translation will be done for you.

Compliance and Security: A Core Priority

A common concern is data privacy and security. Almanack complies with COPPA and FERPA, which shows its commitment to safeguarding student information. It strictly regulates the collection and use of personal data to provide a secure environment for students and educators.

Standards Aligned

Almanack also has state standards pre-loaded on its platform. This helps teachers to save time when creating standards-based assessments. It also allows teachers to design and map their curriculum to ease the overhead of tracking compliance with school curriculum/state standards.

Innovations in Worksheet and Assessment Design

Recent updates to Almanack have introduced features like the ability to create differentiated worksheets. Teachers can design their learning materials to meet the specific needs of their students, ensuring that each student can engage with the content at a level that challenges them appropriately. You can also create answer keys directly within the worksheet editor, simplifying the assessment process and enabling teachers to provide timely and accurate feedback, which is essential for student growth.

Effective Teaching with Almanack’s Lesson Planning Tools

Educators may implement a variety of lesson planning methodologies, such as Understanding by Design (UbD) and the 5E instructional model, which are commonly used since they meet a range of teaching styles and are appropriate for all subject areas. Other great options include resources that help plan a project-based learning activity or a simulation, which help educators foster an engaging and informative classroom environment.

Ease of Use

When I first use a website or try a new digital tool, I focus on its ease of use and how user-friendly it is. Almanack is very user-friendly, making it easy for teachers to create lesson plans and classroom resources in minutes. They don’t need any prior experience in AI or knowledge of how to use complex software. It is a very intuitive platform, so educators don’t have to worry about losing time learning how to use it. They can dive right in.

Almanack offers teachers a comprehensive set of tools. I always recommend exploring the different options and considering what would benefit you and your students right now. Something with gamification? Opportunities for students to collaborate? Or something to help you save time and design engaging lessons and presentations for your students. Explore Almanack’s tools and its integration with some other favorites! Whatever you need to create, getting started with Almanack will be easy!

About Rachelle

Contact Rachelle to schedule sessions about Artificial Intelligence, Coding, AR/VR, and more for your school or event! Submit the Contact Form.

Follow Rachelle on Twitter(X) and Instagram at @Rdene915

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7 Ways AI is Set to Make Teachers’ Jobs Easier

October 29, 2024April 8, 2025Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Collaborative blog post.

Since the early 2000s, education has had to evolve with the rapid integration of technology into the classroom. From the general use of computers and laptops for schoolwork to the rise of smartphones and tablets in the classroom, teachers have had to be agile to keep up with these changing trends. Unfortunately, despite these advancements, many teachers struggle in their jobs, leading to a mass exodus in recent years. In August this year alone, Statista reported that 51,000 teachers and other educational staff quit their jobs in the United States. As the education sector is struggling to find teachers to replace them, artificial intelligence (AI) could be the next advancement that not only changes how students learn but also improves the teaching profession by making the job easier. In a guest post by Matthew Rhoads, Ed.D., he wrote that AI can improve teachers’ workflow by providing opportunities for them to optimize their workflow and instruction in the classroom. Below are 7 ways that AI will make teachers’ jobs easier.

Grading

One of the biggest reasons for teacher stress and burnout is the extra work they must do in addition to teaching. Grading is one of the most time-consuming tasks and is often done outside of regular school hours, eating into a teacher’s work-life balance. As discussed in A Look Back at AI in Education, AI grading tools can automate this process. AI can appraise student work instantaneously with very little human input needed, thereby increasing the time teachers can spend on other aspects of their job as well as increasing their free time. These tools also provide much faster feedback to the students, which in turn will help with engagement.

Roleplaying

One factor of AI that will provide a new dimension to how students learn about different subjects is Generative AI (GenAI). MongoDB details how GenAI is based on foundation models that can perform tasks like classification, sentence completion, the generation of images or voice, and synthetic (artificially generated) data. This means that teachers can use AI to educate students through roleplaying. Gabriel Rshaid, co-founder and director at The Learnerspace & The Global School, writes on LinkedIn that GenAI systems that can impersonate a famous, historical, or even current person as well as replicate historical situations. He argues that not only will it foster critical thinking, but it will also elevate the level of interest and engagement for students. Lack of engagement in lessons is regularly touted as a common issue in modern classrooms, leading to added stress for teachers.

Foreign Language Teaching

Language learning in the classroom can be very difficult for teachers due to the lack of one-on-one time with students. With AI, students can speak to a Language Learning Model such as ChatGPT or an AI interlocutor to create a dialogue that is exactly pitched at their level. In a previous post on AI Literacy, we asked a student about the benefits of using AI for language learning. She replied: “The chatbot was very helpful. Immersing yourself with technology that helps you learn Spanish or any other language can help a lot. You have real-time conversations, and the chatbot expands the conversation so you can learn even more about the language. It also helps you become more comfortable speaking!” As students engage with the AI on their own terms, foreign language teachers will have more time to address individual needs.

Plan Lessons

Like grading, a good amount of time outside teaching is spent planning lessons due to the amount of research and reinvention needed. AI can streamline and optimize this process by not only creating new plans from scratch very quickly but also analyzing past lesson plans to cater to the teacher’s own preferences and style of teaching. Curriculum standards also change very frequently, and AI can be used to ensure that the lessons are updated with the latest requirements. This decreases the time teachers spend on planning lessons and increases their ability to work with students.

Personalized Learning For Students

One of the major issues that makes a teacher’s job difficult is not being able to adapt their teaching methods for individual students. It is not possible for teachers to create personalized learning plans for each student in their classroom, which can lead to some students getting left behind and resulting in a lack of engagement. AI-powered adaptive learning platforms can analyze students’ strengths and weaknesses and provide personalized lessons and study paths.

Improve Classroom Management

While AI will revolutionize how teachers can adapt their lessons to students to improve their learning outcomes, another important aspect of AI that will make a teacher’s job easier is classroom management. A Medium post notes how “one of the most pressing challenges for teachers has always been classroom management,” with discipline being one of the most difficult aspects of the job. When it comes to class management, AI can create a more harmonious classroom environment by being able to “detect when a student is distracted, struggling with a concept, or even feeling unwell.” This will allow teachers to immediately intervene and address the issues before they escalate and result in classroom disruption.

Reduce Burnout

As the above benefits show, AI can have a positive impact on many different facets of teaching to make the job easier. By improving each of the above aspects, AI will reduce overall burnout in teachers, which is having a massive impact on the industry. HMH’s 9th Annual Educator Confidence Report found that burnout is a critical issue, with 82% of educators citing that what they need most is a more balanced workload. Education and students are changing fast, with one teacher noting that “today’s student is different from students even five years ago.” AI will not only allow teachers to keep up, but it will also reduce their workload and give them more time to focus on their students. This will make their job easier and improve their work-life balance, which will hopefully stem the number of teachers leaving the profession.

About Rachelle

Contact Rachelle to schedule sessions about Artificial Intelligence, Coding, AR/VR, and more for your school or event! Submit the Contact Form.

Follow Rachelle on Twitter(X) and Instagram at @Rdene915

**Interested in writing a guest blog for my site? Would love to share your ideas! Submit your post here. Looking for a new book to read? Find these available at bit.ly/Pothbooks

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Address the “WHY,” not the “HOW.”

October 15, 2024October 2, 2024Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Guest post written By: Maurie Beasley, M.Ed. Counseling (Edited by Jim Beasley)

A student deciding what path to take. To cheat or not to cheat.

Cheating in school — it’s the topic that’s always been there, lurking in the shadows of every classroom and exam hall. For decades, we’ve known it happens, but we often look for the quickest explanation: students are lazy, technology makes it easier, end of story. But here’s the thing: cheating is not just a modern phenomenon, nor is it just about slacking off or taking advantage of new tools like AI. The real reasons why students cheat run much deeper, and if we’re serious about addressing the issue, we need to understand those reasons first.

Let’s be clear: cheating isn’t just some bad habit students picked up recently. It’s been around long before ChatGPT was on the mind of any engineer. And despite the attention AI has brought to the issue, the reasons students cheat are essentially the same as they’ve always been. So why does it persist, and what can we do about it? Let’s take a closer look at these reasons.

Pressure to Perform:

Students today are walking a tightrope, balancing academic expectations, extracurricular activities, and even part-time jobs. The pressure to perform is immense, and it’s no surprise that some students feel they can’t afford to fall.

Let me tell you about my daughter. She was the salutatorian of her high school class. She missed being valedictorian by a hair — a hair that could have been as little as a hundredth of a point. The only B she ever received was from a teacher who told her that grades don’t matter. Her response? “Great, then give me the one point I need to make an A in the class, or better yet, write me a letter explaining to the admissions board at UT Austin that grades don’t matter and being number 2 in my class is ok.” She knew that being valedictorian meant having your first year of college paid for in Texas. My daughter is honest, sometimes to a fault, but several times I was even tempted to tell her to “cheat” a little. That’s the kind of pressure students are under, and when the stakes are this high, cheating may seem like a way to stay on that tightrope, even if just barely.

Fear of Failure:

Beneath that pressure lies an even more pervasive issue: fear of failure. The fear of letting down parents, teachers, and even themselves can be overwhelming. When failure isn’t seen as an opportunity to learn but rather as a personal catastrophe, cheating becomes a tempting escape route. It’s not about cutting corners for the sake of it; it’s about avoiding the crushing weight of perceived inadequacy.

And this fear isn’t just hypothetical. As a counselor, I’ve seen it manifest in tragic ways. I’ve had to make Child Protective Service calls because parents have beaten their children for not performing well enough in school. When failure comes with such dire consequences, is it any wonder some students feel they have no choice but to cheat?

Read the full article on Medium*: [Address the Why, Not the How](https://medium.com/@jim0237/address-the-why-not-the-how-1a7e01d52d56

About Rachelle’s blog

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Sing a Song about Ms. Davey

September 24, 2024September 13, 2024Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Guest post by Rachel Wood, PhD Candidate studying AI and the future of work, education, and relationships: LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/rachelwoodphd

Opinions expressed are those of the guest blogger.

Every night at bedtime, I sing songs with my son. We snuggle close as the lyrics “lullaby and goodnight, go to sleep…” dance off our lips. Lately, he has begun asking me to make up songs about various important objects in his life- blue blankey, mister fox, and big excavators. I sing songs on the spot that tie melodies to his little world of things. One night, out of his mouth comes “sing a song about Ms. Davey”. Delightfully surprised, I met this request with a smile in my heart because of how it exemplified the fondness he feels toward his school teacher.

Educators are irreplaceable. They are far more than academic messengers; they serve as overseers of students’ psychological wellbeing. Learning has been and always will be a social experience. We learn from teachers, from peers, from successes, from mistakes, and from interactions with others. Sure, we learn our academic material, but more so, we learn social and relational skills. We begin to learn our place in the world as we rub shoulders with others. Relationships are the foundation for motivation and learning (McKay & Macomber, 2023). Educators offer numerous key psychological and relational nutrients, two of which are object constancy and friction. These unique human components are increasingly important to instill in students amidst a world of proliferating emerging technologies.

Object Constancy

Definition: object constancy begins when the “empathic parent holds a vision of the future child and in various ways mediates this vision to the child. The child, in identification with it, can then grow. By internalizing aspects of the parent, the child also internalizes the parent’s image of the child…a primary concern for a teacher is the aiding in the growth and development of another. The idea that teacher’s capacity to imagine future growth, anticipate something for the student, hold that in mind for them, and offer that vision is a reflective way of expanding possibilities and potentialities for them. Perhaps in this way, the successful, authentic, and autonomous student begins in the mind of the teacher” (Danze, 2022, pg. 149).

As overseers of students’ psychological and emotional development, educators contribute to the formation of students’ object constancy. Object constancy is a psychological concept describing how we acquire our internal voice. When we are young, parental figures, family members, and teachers speak into us and speak over us. The tone and content of these voices become embedded in our developing identities. Over time, and with enough repetition, these voices become our own internal voice. For better or for worse, what we hear in our early developmental stages sticks with us. Object constancy is when we internalize external voices, making them our own inner dialog.

Educators contribute to students’ developing object constancy on a regular basis; recognizing achievements, applauding kindness, and course-correcting missteps. Teachers even have the privilege of helping rewire negative voices ringing in students’ ears. Neuroplasticity is the science that reveals how we can change our thoughts, feelings, and actions, unlearning that which is detrimental and instead, learning what is beneficial. A consistent, encouraging voice from a teacher can act as a counterpoint to disparaging voices that may be lingering in students’ minds. Just as educators help students internalize positive voices, they also create opportunities for students to learn from challenges.

Friction

Definition: friction is “shap[ing] learning as people with different backgrounds and skill sets engage with each other on real problems if these people are provided with the right context. Productive friction is particularly valuable at boundaries because it exposes people to different ways of seeing problems and the potential solutions” (Ward et al., 2011).

All human relationships contain some degree of friction. Friction is the concept of learning through challenges. Friction may be small or great, it may be above or below the surface, and it may be beneficial or consequential. Friction is a necessary element of relationships because it teaches us to consider others, compromise, and reduces our tendency toward self-absorption. Educators encourage, yes, but they also challenge. Both are equally important. Excellent educators can gauge the individual balance for each student between encouragement and challenge. This both affirms students as they are and calls them forward to who they can be.

AI and Educators

Definition: Artificial Intelligence, AI is broadly defined as giving a computer human-like capabilities, such as understanding, problem-solving, and reasoning (Enholm et al., 2022).

Object constancy and friction are two components of relationships that cannot be replaced by emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). Sure, on a superficial level you could prompt a Generative AI Large Language Model to mimic these relational elements, but they come naturally in human interactions. There are specific use cases for AI that can offer support in the form of augmentation for teachers who are overwhelmed with work yet longing to return to what led them to education in the beginning: the opportunity to positively influence students through relational connection. There is a place for AI in the classroom that does not threaten but enhances the role of the teacher. Drawing the conclusion that we must choose between teachers and AI is a false dichotomy. Augmenting work with AI can serve as a catalyst to redesign the vocational identity of educators. This ever-present help can afford teachers the opportunity to once again return to a primary role of relational facilitator and guide. Bringing AI into the classroom cannot and will not replace educators, but it may open the door for administrative burdens to lighten and therefore relational dynamics to increase.

The vital role of educators extends beyond the confines of academic instruction, shaping students’ emotional and psychological landscapes through concepts like object constancy and friction. Just as the simple yet profound request to “sing a song about Ms. Davey” highlights the deep bond students form with their teachers, it underscores the immeasurable value of human connection in education. Successful integration of AI into the classroom is predicated upon the fact that technology complements, not replaces, the relational essence of teaching. Leveraging AI to assist with administrative tasks allows educators to return to their core mission: fostering meaningful relationships that guide and shape students’ development. So tonight, as we sing about Ms. Davey, and by extension countless other educators, may AI serve as a tool to enhance impact, and bolster ongoing service in the name of young minds.

References

Danze, E. (2022). How the psychoanalytic use of object constancy and internalization can inform our understanding of the teacher/student relationship. ACSA 110th Annual Meeting. https://www.acsa- arch.org/proceedings/Annual%20Meeting%20Proceedings/ACSA.AM.110/ACSA.AM.1 10.20.pdf?v=2

Enholm, I. M., Papagiannidis, E., Mikalef, P., & Krogstie, J. (2022). Artificial intelligence and business value: A literature review. Information Systems Frontiers, 24(5), 1709-1734. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-021-10186-w

McKay, C., & Macomber, G. (2023). The Importance of Relationships in Education: Reflections of Current Educators. Journal of Education, 203(4), 751-758.

https://doi.org/10.1177/00220574211057044

Ward, C. J., Nolen, S. B., and Horn, I. S. (2011). Productive friction: How conflict in student teaching creates opportunities for learning at the boundary. International Journal of Educational Research, 50(1), 14-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2011.04.004

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Screen Time and Eye Health for Students: What Can Be Done Differently?

September 17, 2024September 18, 2024Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Modern education looks vastly different for young students today. With the advent of educational technology, students can experience more interactive and immersive lessons thanks to the proper use of screen time. When focused on education purposes, digital tools can improve visual intelligence, stimulate hand-eye coordination, and strengthen tech knowledge while learning other skills in a controlled environment.

Of course, too much of anything can be a bad thing. A study on screen exposure revealed that children and adolescents are more likely to develop myopia, especially when directly interacting with computers often. This is why it is so important to know the potential repercussions of screen time and how best to navigate it so students reap the benefits.

How screen time is harming student eye health

More than 600,000 children have vision difficulties in the United States. Screen exposure has made eye problems an earlier concern, with 10% of preschoolers already having issues and 30% of adolescents having myopia. Furthermore, the latest CDC statistics even reveal that the number of children under 18 getting diagnosed with vision conditions has increased in the last decade.

The reality is that young kids are exposed to too much screen time, even during their recreational hours, making it harder on their eyes during delicate developmental stages. Blue light exposure is bad enough, but there is also the issue of glare, bad screen practices, and spending too much time in front of the screen. Thankfully, all hope is not lost, and there are ways to do things differently and mitigate the potential negative effects of screen time on students.

How to promote better eye care for kids in the digital age

Promote ocular hygiene

Eye care goes a long way in preventing damage and unnecessary strain. A significant part of this is good ocular hygiene, which ties into other cleanliness practices. A recent study in the National Library of Medicine found students touching their faces 23 times per hour, with 27% involving the eyes. From elementary to high school, students must be reminded to avoid their eyes and keep their hands clean when handling shared digital devices. This trickles over to students who already use corrective vision. Older students who wear contact lenses should clean their lenses regularly and replace their contacts upon expiration. They can even be routed to accessible digital ways of getting new lenses properly, especially when dealing with Dailies like the Acuvue Oasys for astigmatism or biweekly like Avira Vitality. The CDC finds that 40% to 90% of contact users don’t follow their lens care instructions, so teachers and parents need to advocate for them to stay on top of things. It’s also critical to teach students, particularly the younger ones, how to properly clean and use their eyeglasses.

Encourage break time

The American Optometric Association encourages the 20-20-20 rule to prevent digital eye strain. Since screen exposure is inevitable, especially considering how many students have their own mobile devices, it’s good to give them these tools to give their eyes a break. The rule indicates that you take a 20-second break for every 20 minutes of screen time. During this break, you must look at an object at least 20 feet away. The simple rule shouldn’t be hard to teach students, and it’s a genuinely effective method of minimizing strain. When using digital devices as a class, you can even set a timer and have everyone in the class practice the 20-20-20 rule together.

Teach proper screen positioning

Common ed-tech tools require students to be in contact with a monitor. Make sure that the screen is at least 20 inches away from the students’ eyes. For lessons that involve tablets or other handheld devices, teach students to keep at least an arm’s length distance when using larger screens. It’s also a good idea to impose a viewing angle that directs their eyes downward when looking at the middle of the screen.

Know the signs of strain

Many vision problems manifest in unobvious ways, so watch for them. School-aged children can display subtler symptoms like a short attention span, avoidance of reading and other vision or focus-related activities, difficulty keeping track of their place when reading, and turning their heads to the side when looking at something. While other factors may cause these, they can also be manifestations of eye problems.

Post written in collaboration with Maisy Byrne.

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Using Text to Speech to support a more inclusive and engaging classroom

September 10, 2024August 31, 2024Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

In collaboration with ReadSpeaker, guest post by Amy Foxwell

In today’s digital age, technology is a powerful ally in making education more accessible. One notable advancement is Text-to-Speech (TTS) technology, which transforms written text into spoken words. ReadSpeaker, a leading solution in this field, offers a variety of tools to enhance learning, creating a more accessible and engaging experience for all students.

Enhancing Accessibility

For students with visual impairments or reading disabilities such as dyslexia, TTS technology is a game-changer. ReadSpeaker enables these students to access and understand content more easily by converting text into audio. ReadSpeaker also allows users to select the reading language, speed and volume while simultaneously offering a variety of additional study tools to support student reading and writing.

ReadSpeaker Reading and Writing Support

• Bimodal presentation improves comprehension by presenting information in visual and audio formats at the same time

• Reading tools, such as page mask and reading ruler, available for increased readability

• Dictionary lookup

• Multiple languages available for language fluency and multilingual learners

• Translation check and pronunciation of foreign words and phrases

Supporting Diverse Learning

ReadSpeaker helps students with diverse needs by providing an alternative method of consuming information. TTS allows students to listen to content while following along, enhancing engagement and retention. ReadSpeaker offers voice for any content, including courses, PDFs, ebooks, web research, training materials, quizzes, OCR images, STEM content and more. Learners enjoy a more immersive reading experience, resulting in greater comprehension, increased self-confidence, and improved academic performance.

ReadSpeaker and Universal Design for Learning

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework was developed by CAST to enhance course design to meet the needs of diverse learners. Based on learning science, the UDL framework guides the design of instructional goals, assessments, methods, and materials to meet the individual needs of each student. A champion of UDL for many years, ReadSpeaker provides easy-to-access and easy-to-use text-to-speech for any content on any device and can be used individually or seamlessly integrated into learning platforms or LMSs. ReadSpeaker’s speech-enabled learning tools align with UDL principles by providing visual and auditory alternatives, allowing students to engage with and absorb content in multiple ways according to their needs. Learn more about ReadSpeaker and UDL here.

Supporting Multilingual Education

In increasingly diverse classrooms, language barriers can pose significant challenges. ReadSpeaker offers multilingual support, allowing students to hear text in their native language or practice new languages. This feature is particularly beneficial for non-native speakers who might find reading in a second language daunting. By listening to the pronunciation and intonation, students can improve their language skills more naturally and effectively.

Second Language Learning: How Text to Speech Can Help https://www.readspeaker.com/blog/second-language-learning/

Enhancing Focus and Reducing Cognitive Load

Reading large amounts of text can be overwhelming, especially for students with attention deficit disorders. TTS technology helps reduce the cognitive load by allowing students to listen to text in addition to reading it. ReadSpeaker’s learning tools, such as highlighting text as it reads aloud, improve student focus, comprehension, and engagement with the content.

Making STEM content engaging and interactive

How does text-to-speech support a student who needs to hear math expressions in class and when working at home? Not every TTS system can accurately read mathematical symbols, and many aren’t set up to understand the code that presents math digitally. ReadSpeaker’s advanced math-reading tools remove this barrier to access by providing accurate audio versions of mathematical expressions and text at once with some of the most lifelike AI voices available.

Improve STEM Accessibility With Text to Speech for Math

https://www.readspeaker.com/blog/readspeaker-launches-web-based-math-audio-reader-for-publishers-to-make-their-educational-content-more-accessible/

Accommodations and Assessments

ReadSpeaker’s text-to-speech solutions provide improved digital accessibility to various populations of learners, including those with learning disabilities, visual impairment, or literacy challenges. TTS tools can be integrated into a secure learning environment or e‑assessment platform, even in locked browsers and proprietary proctoring systems. This capability allows instructors and administrators to better address the diverse needs of students while more easily meeting accessibility accommodation requirements.

Easily speech-enable assessments

LMS Integration

ReadSpeaker for LMS provides text-to-speech plugins and audio-enhanced learning tools that can be easily integrated into any LMS. The ReadSpeaker Listen icon will appear in the course window. The learner can then choose whether to activate the ReadSpeaker tools or not. When activated, the ReadSpeaker Listen button can be moved to wherever the learner prefers. The cloud-based solutions ensure that when course content is updated, it is immediately speech-enabled.

By supporting students with disabilities, accommodating diverse learning styles, promoting inclusion, facilitating multilingual education, and enhancing focus, ReadSpeaker helps create a more equitable learning environment. Embracing such technologies can ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed and realize their individual goals.

For more information or to set up a personalized demo for your institution, email us at education@readspeaker.com or visit www.readspeaker.com/education

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TeachAid: Saving Time for Teachers

September 3, 2024August 31, 2024Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth 1 Comment

Guest post by laura steinbrink, posted in education

Teachers everywhere are aware of the effect AI is having on students and education in general. While that may bring back pencil and paper activities to help students do their own thinking, AI can offer teachers some much-needed help. Meet TeachAid, which can be, according to their website, “your AI teaching assistant. Time is precious. Spend it teaching! Let us handle the rest.” That appeals to me because there is never enough time in the day to plan engaging and effective lessons, grade student work, attend meetings, and have a life outside of school. Anything that saves me time is worth a try, and the more I look over what Teach Aid can do, the bigger fan of it I become. I have been teaching for 28 years, and while the formative and summative assessments are pre-planned each year, creating the path to those assessments is up to me. After exploring Teach Aid, I believe it is a platform that can be of value to all teachers by providing actual units, activities, lessons, and learning targets. If nothing else, it can spark ideas for lesson activities.

TICKING AWAY THE MOMENTS THAT MAKE UP A DULL DAY

Teach Aid begins the AI unit creation by asking for specific unit information that will help them generate all the teaching materials needed to effectively teach your unit according to your local curriculum, including lesson plans, presentations, assignment descriptions, rubrics, and more. There are 5 steps to creating the unit:

Basic Information
Unit Timeline
Final Assessment
Customization
Review

YOU FRITTER AND WASTE THE HOURS IN AN OFFHAND WAY

It only takes a few minutes, and then the magic happens. At each step of the way, you can edit or revise what is created before clicking for the AI to continue building the unit, lessons, activities, etc. It really is like magic. Things that might take me several minutes to think through appear before my eyes in seconds. The entire unit may take a few minutes, but it is incredibly fast, provides opportunities for editing, and creates everything needed for teaching the unit. The interactive slides have presenter notes on how to teach or conduct the activity. New teachers can have all the help they need with just a few clicks, and experienced teachers can find inspiration and fresh ideas for current units.

KICKING AROUND ON A PIECE OF GROUND IN YOUR HOMETOWN

Depending on where you live, Teach Aid may already have your state or country’s standards loaded into their system. If not, reach out to them so that they can begin to add them. There are also some limitations currently in the subjects available, depending on where you live, but I also expect this list to grow as the company grows. If what you need isn’t listed, you can still build a unit with standards from another state/country or subject to see what ideas you might get from what is created until your subjects or standards are added to those available. I demonstrated how Teach Aid worked for about 30 2nd year Missouri teachers, and I could hear minds exploding. Audible gasps. There are some content limitations currently. PE and art teachers were envious of teachers of the available subjects, but everyone was duly impressed with the speed, thoroughness, and quality of the units, lessons, activities, etc., produced. We were all impressed with the customization built into the unit creation process.

WAITING FOR SOMEONE OR SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU THE WAY

Even the lesson activity building allows for a lot of customization, even if you choose to have it auto-generated.

At this time, Teach Aid is free for teachers to use, and there is enough content there already for you to experience creating units even if your standards or subject matter has not been added yet. Do click the button to request the standards or subject you need, and then explore states or countries that are included and might be similar enough to what you need for you to develop and customize a unit, lesson, and/or activity.

So when you hear AI discussions going on in your building or department, remember Teach Aid and shed some light on the possibilities AI can provide to teachers. Time is a commodity that is in high demand for our profession, so anything that can free up time for us is a win. A no-brainer. Dive in.