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

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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6 Fresh Ideas For Fall Using CoSpaces Edu!

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

In collaboration with CoSpaces Edu, All opinions are my own

Now that the school year is in full swing and we head into the fall of 2024, many educators are coming up for air and looking for new ideas. For me, it’s always the perfect time to consider how our year has started and look for ways to introduce fun, innovative ideas to our classrooms to boost engagement even more! What I love about technology, is that there is always a way to bring it into our classrooms for our students, and that is what I have found with CoSpaces Edu!

Whether you’re teaching elementary, middle, or high school, focused on STEM, language arts, or any other subject, we know there is an increasing need to equip our students with skills to be successful in the future. In my opinion, I think what better way to do that than with CoSpaces Edu!

CoSpaces Edu is a versatile, very user-friendly platform that brings learning to life for our students. Through augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), with a variety of wonderful features that enable students to engage in 3D creation, coding, and collaboration, CoSpaces Edu can be integrated across all grade levels and subject areas. I have come up with six ideas for getting started with CoSpaces Edu in your classroom this fall. At all grade levels, you can foster creativity, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and digital literacy—skills, all of which are essential for today’s learners.

1. Virtual Tour of Student Interests

One of the easiest and most engaging ways to get started with CoSpaces Edu, which I use every year, is having my students explore its gallery of available projects. Whether they’re in elementary school or high school, students absolutely love the time they have to explore existing projects such as games and virtual museums. By giving them time to explore, not only can it boost their own creativity, but it also helps us learn more about their interests, which is essential.

How to start? Direct them to the gallery and ask them to choose a project or space they find interesting. After exploring, ask them to consider why it captured their attention. Was it the design? The characters? The actual activity itself? Encourage them to think critically about what they might create or how they might change or enhance what they explored. For example, if they enjoyed exploring a historical simulation, maybe they can build their own historical event space or propose redesigning a famous historical space. Moving through in this way not only fosters critical thinking but encourages student discussion, idea sharing, and brainstorming ideas. And the best part is that CoSpaces Edu allows them to explore both virtual and augmented reality so they can fully immerse themselves in and connect with the content they’re learning.

I have used this activity as an icebreaker for new school years or any time throughout the year. It benefits by giving students the opportunity to explore, discover, and connect with their classmates over shared interests that they may not have realized they had in common. Talk about fostering a real learning community!

2. Create an “About Me” Space

Every new school year, educators spend time finding ways to get to know their students better and for students to get to know each other. A new idea is to have students create an interactive “About Me” space. Not sure where to begin? CoSpaces Edu has a ready-to-use template that students can then customize and add fun characters, animations, and even their voice recordings to create a virtual introduction to themselves.

This activity is more than just fun—it builds digital literacy as students learn to manipulate 3D objects and text and even dive into coding. It’s a great way to build a learning community in the classroom as students explore each other’s spaces, and you will see the excitement as they learn from each other. You can easily adapt this project to any grade level. It is also a great way to introduce younger students to AR and VR in a structured way while also allowing older students to dive more into basic block-based CoBlocks or advanced coding with JavaScript.

My students have had a blast designing their virtual world to represent themselves. The About Me is a great way to spark creativity and help students develop essential communication skills as they express interests, hobbies, and goals with their classmates and teachers.

3. Interactive Storytelling in Virtual Worlds

Storytelling is an impactful way to promote learning whether you teach elementary or high school students. Now, students can bring their stories to life in immersive 3D environments with CoSpaces Edu!

In my STEAM course, I work with the other content area teachers to have students leverage what we are learning and connect it to their other classes. Students have created animated and interactive recaps of stories they’ve read, and some have written their own narratives. The magic is when they bring these stories to life using 3D characters in a variety of settings. For example, students could adapt a classic story or novel they have read and add a twist, such as an alternative ending. Many students enjoy using their imagination to create stories. Once they set the scene, they can use CoSpaces Edu’s coding tools—such as CoBlocks—to add interactivity, allowing their characters to move, speak, and more. We can share their work with classmates, which adds more meaning to and engagement with the learning experience.

These types of projects foster creativity and problem-solving and build communication skills. Students not only have to write their narrative but also decide how to visually and interactively represent it. They engage in a process that encourages collaboration, especially when students work in teams to script, design, and code their virtual worlds. This was a game-changer in my Spanish II class!

4. Revolutionize Language Learning with AR/VR

Interactive storytelling can also be an excellent tool for language learners. In my experience, students in Spanish II created virtual worlds in which their characters engaged in dialogues, which helped them build their language skills in a dynamic and engaging way. It also led to greater retention of the content.

One project involved students creating a virtual Spanish-speaking city where they placed shops, restaurants, and other landmarks. Each student had a role in the virtual environment and had to speak in Spanish to describe their location or interact with others. This project increased student engagement, content retention, and enthusiasm for learning the language. It was also a unique way to reinforce grammar and vocabulary.

Incorporating AR/VR into language learning allows students to “live” the language, making it a more authentic and enjoyable experience. This kind of immersive learning fosters deeper connections with the material. It helps students retain what they’ve learned, which is essential in all areas, particularly in building confidence in language skills.

5. Collaborative STEM Projects

With CoSpaces Edu, students can design and code virtual prototypes, models, and even entire experiments. One of my favorite uses for the platform is collaborative STEM projects. Students can work in teams to design and build virtual spaces or objects, such as a virtual physics experiment exploring Newton’s laws or an architectural model of a bridge or building.

CoSpaces Edu’s collaborative features allow multiple students to work on the same project in real-time from different devices, making it perfect for group projects, whether students are in the classroom or learning remotely. Think about global collaboration possibilities, too! We want students to build teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills and manage their time. Because they can collaborate in CoSpaces Edu, it makes opportunities available for STEM learning that is more engaging and hands-on.

6. Virtual Museums and Global Collaboration

Building global awareness is so important. Our students must learn about other cultures and have experiences connecting them with authentic and real-world learning opportunities. What if students from around the world collaborate to create a virtual museum that represents items from their different locations? With CoSpaces Edu, this is not only possible but easy to implement. Teachers can connect classrooms from different countries, enabling students to collaborate on a global scale to build and curate virtual museums on various topics, from world history to art or any topic they choose.

Students can design a virtual museum showcasing the art of different cultures. Using CoSpaces Edu’s 3D creation tools, they can build exhibit halls and import 3D models of art pieces or artifacts. Each student can contribute a different exhibit and then link them together into a larger museum space. A project like this not only fosters creativity and digital literacy but also deepens cultural understanding and instills empathy as students explore and share knowledge from diverse perspectives.

Where to begin

I have used CoSpaces Edu for many years. It is definitely way more than just a tech tool for students. It is a transformative platform that fosters the development of critical future skills like creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and digital literacy. Whether you’re teaching elementary students to create 3D models or high school students to code virtual worlds, CoSpaces Edu offers endless possibilities for engaging, interactive, and collaborative learning experiences.

CoSpaces Edu shifts students from consumers to creators! My students are always wowed by what they explore when we get started. These are only six ideas to explore, and there are many more possibilities and lesson plans available for educators to explore right away.

CoSpaces Edu is easy to use, works on any device, and offers a secure, COPPA- and FERPA-compliant environment, which is critical. Dive into CoSpaces Edu this fall and watch your students’ creativity and future-ready skills soar.

About the Author

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

************ Also check out my THRIVEinEDU Podcast Here!

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Digital Citizenship

October 1, 2024April 8, 2025Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Digital Citizenship Week is celebrated in October each year. The focus is on building digital citizenship skills, and there is a designated digcit week with events planned for schools to join in and learn more. These are concepts that teachers and schools should focus on throughout the year as well. With the increased use of digital tools in our classrooms and the amount of technology used in everyday life and work, we must consistently provide learning opportunities for students to develop “digcit” skills.

Being a responsible digital citizen means that all individuals are able to use technology ethically, responsibly, and effectively. It is important to develop an understanding of the impact that one’s digital actions can have on other individuals and on society as a whole. Students and teachers must be able to keep themselves safe, know how to protect their privacy, learn how to critically analyze information, and engage in respectful interactions online.

Teaching digital citizenship skills

Privacy and security: With increased data collection and online tracking of websites we use and how our information is shared, understanding how to safeguard our privacy is key. With more students using digital tools and at a younger age, it is essential to build in activities that will help students to better understand how to protect themselves and to respect the privacy of others as well. For instance, teaching students how to create unique passwords is key for securing personal information. With the increase in cybersecurity attacks over the past few years, updating passwords and even using two-factor authentication (TFA) will help to keep everyone safer.

Communication: With the variety of social media platforms available and how quickly we can post and respond, providing opportunities for students to practice responsible posting is an area that we need to focus on regularly. Even with young students, simulating a Twitter (X) chat or other online discussion can be done using Post-it notes, for example. Depending on grade level, another option is to use a tool like Padlet to help students learn how to properly post and interact with one another.

Continue reading the original post on Edutopia.

About the Author:

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

************ Also check out my THRIVEinEDU Podcast Here!

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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.

HEADINGS ARE PARTIAL LYRICS FROM THE SONG, TIME, BY PINK FLOYD.

Connect with Laura via @SteinbrinkLaura on Twitter/X

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

************ Also check out my THRIVEinEDU Podcast Here!

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Tips for Back-to-School

August 27, 2024August 25, 2024Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

As we head back into our classrooms for a new school year, educators are thinking about class schedules, grading, lesson plans, school meetings, observations, and so much more. Getting back into the daily teaching schedule can be a challenge, especially after having the summer “off.”

However, many educators don’t take the summer off. Instead, they take advantage of the extra time to engage in professional learning. Whether by attending conferences, joining book studies, participating in online learning events, or even heading to their classroom to prepare for the new school year, being prepared for school is always on teachers’ minds. Having the summer off, even if only for a few weeks, is nice because it provides time to relax and recharge and also time to be better prepared than the year before.

No matter how many years of experience an educator has, a new school year can be stressful. I think it is important to start the year with goals and use our prior experiences to set clear focus points for ourselves and our students.

For many years, I remember conversations with colleagues about how they couldn’t sleep the night before the first day of school. Attributing it to being excited and nervous about starting a new school year and doing it right. In my experience, I always slept well and never really worried about being prepared for the first day of school. For me, it was always the second day and every day after that. For me, the first day of school was simply the time to introduce myself to students, talk about what they could expect in my class, and provide any materials they needed to take home for their families. I started each year with rules and procedures. Unfortunately, I did not realize that the content could wait. I should have placed more importance on creating a supportive classroom community and focusing on building relationships first. Now that I know better before the year starts, there are some questions that I ask myself:

Did I reflect enough on my teaching practice, and have I identified areas I want and need to work on?

Am I prepared with new ideas, whether different methods or digital tools, to bring into my classroom to help engage students in learning?

What are some ways that we can build relationships and get to know one another?

How can I create a welcoming classroom space that fosters creativity and curiosity for learning?

Many more questions cross my mind and likely cross the minds of educators everywhere. It comes down to thinking about and reflecting on what we learned about our practice and methods used during the past school year. What activities and methods have made an impact not only on student learning but also on building essential social-emotional learning (SEL) skills? Which methods or tools helped students feel more connected with their classmates and the content? Cultivating a learning environment where students have choices, feel comfortable, and become more confident amplifies their learning potential. It leads to a supportive classroom community.

As we head into a new school year, it is always the perfect time to try a few new ideas and see how the students respond and the impact on learning and then decide where to go from there. Teaching the content material is important, but finding ways to boost student engagement and foster the development of essential SEL skills is also important. With so many things to consider, I am choosing five focus points for starting the new school year:

Build Relationships: Starting on day one, we need to get to know our students and let them get to know us, too. When we create opportunities for students to connect with each other and build a collaborative and supportive space, we will see how it positively impacts the learning that happens in our classroom. By starting with relationship building, we will create a space where students feel comfortable making mistakes and know they are supported by us and their peers. Creating a comfortable, supportive space is essential for learning. Have students create an “About Me” or use icebreakers to get to know each other and make sure that you participate too.
Set goals and reflect: At the start of the school year, have students set some goals for themselves in your class. Not just students it’s also important that we set goals for ourselves and share them with our students. When we do this together, we hold each other accountable and provide the support that we all need in our classroom space. We know the importance of SEL and by setting goals and reflecting on them throughout the year, we will be focusing on self-awareness and self-management in particular, which are essential for student learning and being prepared for the future. Provide some questions for reflection, such as: How do I think it went? What would I change? Are there areas that I can improve upon?
Create a community: Students need to know how to access resources for the class and to be able to connect with the teacher and classmates. It is important to set up a space or have a system for being able to communicate with students. Sending an email every Friday with a recap of the week, using a messaging app, or designing a class website are all good ways to create a learning community. Having a space where students can interact and access the resources they need to be successful is important, and we have definitely learned how essential it is after our experiences over the past couple of years. Another thing to consider is how to involve students more in the design of the learning experiences in the classroom and have them truly be a part of the learning community.
Promote collaboration: In preparing students for the future, we know that one of the essential skills they need is the ability to communicate and collaborate with others. Students need opportunities to do this in the classroom as well as in a virtual space. Using different methods, like station rotations, where students can work with peers, or through digital tools like Padlet, we can promote collaboration. Students can build content area skills while also building digital citizenship skills and SEL skills.
Foster creativity and curiosity for learning: When we create a learning environment where students feel welcomed and supported, they will feel more comfortable participating in class activities, interacting with their peers, and taking risks with learning. Provide students with different choices for creating and sharing what they have learned. Use methods like Genius Hour or PBL to spark curiosity and promote student-driven learning. Offer choices in digital tools that foster creativity, such as Book Creator, Canva, Genially, Storybird or Storyboard That.

Start the year with some focus areas and involve students in the discussion. Get their feedback, ask for ideas, and enjoy the learning process together. Don’t be afraid to take some risks with new ideas or tools. With new ideas, we can boost student engagement and creativity, spark curiosity for learning, and student needs and interests are better met.

About the Author:

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

************ Also check out my THRIVEinEDU Podcast Here!

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Collaborate with Walter, Your AI Teaching Assistant

August 20, 2024August 13, 2024Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

In collaboration with Noodle Factory, all opinions are my own.

As an educator constantly seeking innovative methods to enhance learning and teaching, my exploration recently led me to an exciting platform: Noodle Factory. When I find a new tool, especially when it comes to AI, I love sharing my experiences so that other educators can get started.

It has been fun exploring its various options and, in particular, its standout features, such as Walter+, the AI teaching assistant designed for grades K through 12. Walter+ is designed to help educators enhance and transform the learning experiences they provide for students. Noodle Factory makes it easy to get started by providing guidance, being available for questions, and even doing a demo! For any educator wondering where to begin with AI in their classroom, I definitely recommend exploring Noodle Factory and seeing the impact on student learning. Giving students a chance to learn about and interact with AI is important.

Why AI in Education Matters

The integration of AI in education is reshaping how educators deliver the content and impacting how students engage with the material. With purposeful use and the right pedagogical practices, AI tools can assist educators in various ways. It can help to personalize learning, automate grading, and create engaging, interactive content while complementing traditional teaching methods. Noodle Factory provides tools that are not just innovative but also intuitive and effective for use in the classroom. Especially as educators seek more efficient ways to deliver instruction and provide feedback to students, knowing how to leverage the power of AI is key. Noodle Factory offers innovative tools that enhance both learning and teaching processes.

First Experiences with Noodle Factory

When I first started with Noodle Factory, I was quite surprised by how easy it was to generate personalized learning resources for students. By uploading some of my teaching materials onto the platform, I saw how Walter+ tailored these resources into personalized learning experiences. I was impressed with its AI-driven dialogue system, which engages students in meaningful conversations and helps enhance their overall comprehension and retention of the content.

Using AI-powered tools such as Walter+ to create personalized learning experiences has been a game changer. I uploaded my teaching materials and waited briefly while Walter transformed them into interactive, engaging learning modules specific to my students’ needs. Noodle Factory’s ability to generate context-aware conversation flows and also, its ability to provide multilingual support enables educators to effectively reach students coming from different language backgrounds.

My favorite Noodle Factory Features

There are great features in Noodle Factory that will significantly impact teaching and students’ learning:

AI-driven Personalized Learning: Walter+ adapts to each student’s learning pace, helping to promote a more inclusive and effective learning environment.

We know that in order to accommodate students’ diverse learning needs, we have to understand where they are in the learning process and provide authentic, meaningful, and timely feedback. When this is possible in real-time, teachers can adjust, and each student can receive tailored educational experiences, which we know is crucial for learning. It provides students with instant, constructive feedback, which is key to fostering their academic growth.

Automated Grading and Feedback: We know that grading can take a great deal of time, especially when providing specific feedback for students. With Noodle Factory, educators can save time and provide students with immediate, actionable feedback, helping them understand their strengths and areas for improvement. This, of course, means that teachers can spend more time working directly with students, too!

Engaging and Interactive Content Creation Tools: With the various options available, I am able to boost student engagement. Noodle Factory’s tools enable me to transform traditional lessons into more interactive sessions that spark students’ interest and foster deeper learning. Student engagement, which can be a challenge, is now an area that we can boost because of the tools available to us.

Results: Positive Impact on Teaching and Learning!

By using Noodle Factory, educators will see a boost in student engagement and learning performance. Noodle Factory helps with our productivity through its features, such as automated grading and real-time insights into students’ progress. Being able to grab a quick glimpse into where students are in the learning journey is so helpful for targeting our instruction as needed. Gathering feedback from students is also important as it helps us to know what works for them and how to enhance their learning experiences. It also assists with providing a personalized approach through an interactive learning environment.

The real-time performance tracking and flexible assessment modules help teachers tailor their teaching strategies in real time to best meet individual student needs. Give Noodle Factory a try today and see the impact it makes in your classroom, for students, and for your work as an educator!

Interested in experiencing this transformative tool? Great news! I’m offering an exclusive code for my readers to try the premium plan (Educator Plus) on Noodle Factory. Discover how Walter+ can enhance your teaching and provide your students with an unmatched educational experience. And be sure to let me know how it goes for you!

P.S. Check out my podcast episode, where I chat with the Co-Founders of Noodle Factory Yvonne and Jim! Listen here!

About the Author:

Contact Rachelle to schedule sessions about Artificial Intelligence, Coding, AR/VR, and more for your school or your 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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Connecting your classroom to home

July 30, 2024July 12, 2024Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Building a strong home-to-school partnership with families is important throughout the school year. Students need to have consistent support both in and out of the classroom, and the best way to achieve this is by establishing relationships between the school community and the families and students that we support. I start the year by emailing families and students using our gradebook messaging system. I introduce myself and share my excitement for the new school year, provide some resources that we will use in class, and make sure that families know that I am available to support them and my students. Many times I receive an email from families right away and it is great to start forming those connections and learning about my students and their families.

Why the home-to-school partnership is essential

We want to engage families in their children’s day-to-day learning experiences. Establishing consistent collaboration with families will help us cultivate an environment for learning at home and at school.

Continue reading the rest of this article on Edutopia.

About the Author:

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

Contact Rachelle to schedule sessions about Artificial Intelligence, Coding, AR/VR, and more for your school or your 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

************ Also check out my THRIVEinEDU Podcast Here!

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A look back at AI in education

July 16, 2024July 17, 2024Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

A slight update of my first post on AI in 2018. Image above generated by AI.

Over the past seven years, I have focused on learning more about artificial intelligence. Initially I thought I understood the meaning of AI. But I did not.

In early 2018, I noticed that AI was becoming an increasingly popular topic of discussion in the blogs that I was reading and in social media posts. When I first started thinking of AI, I had a flashback to the 2004 movie I, Robot, which starred Will Smith. In the movie, set in 2035, robots filled public service positions and were able to think like humans and take action. Then, I thought about virtual assistants such as Alexa and Siri. But what is AI, and how do we use it daily?

What is AI?

A quick Google search turns up more than 615 million results. AI is computer code that displays some form of intelligence, learning and problem-solving in what has been referred to as a “super intelligence.” AI “learns” on its own, and makes adjustments and improvements based on past iterations. As AI becomes “smarter,” its knowledge base grows, and it is able to complete more tasks. Digging a little deeper, I found #AskAboutAI, a research project launched by Getting Smart, which identified over 100 applications of AI.

Shehzad Najib, CEO and co-founder of Kinteract, told me a few years ago: “You shouldn’t notice that AI is working. You should notice that life is easier and you’re saving time.”

Keep that in mind. Here are a few ways that we interact with AI daily:

Communication: We all use email and receive a lot of spam. AI is used to streamline the amount of spam allowed through filters, and it continues to learn over time as you mark items as spam.
Travel: If you use driving apps such as Uber or Lyft, you have experienced machine learning, a form of AI that determines your estimated arrival time. In the airline industry, “human-steered” flight time is estimated to be about seven minutes, leaving the rest to autopilot, which is AI.
Social networks: Most people are engaging in some form of social media use. Years ago, Facebook shared results of how AI successfully detects spam but was not as successful at detecting hate speech or cyberbullying. When photos are used in social media, AI uses facial detection to suggest a name for photo tagging. If you’ve wondered how it recognizes your friends and family without even typing a name into the platform. It learns over time.
Shopping: Many people use Amazon and similar services. They are quite helpful, and who doesn’t appreciate it when suggestions are provided for other items of interest? AI analyzes your prior data and makes decisions based on your preferences over time.
Fraud protection: When making purchases online or in person, systems analyze your purchasing trends and locations and can immediately flag and send alerts for unusual transactions.

Were you familiar with all of these AI uses? Thinking back to Shehzad’s statement, these do save time and often go unnoticed because they are just performing what they have been programmed to do.

What can AI do for education?

One of the most interesting articles that I read during my initial research, came from an article in Forbes, which highlighted 10 ways to use AI in education. Looking at these, how much has changed? Remember, this article is from nearly 10 years ago, which was the original post before its update in 2017.

AI can automate basic activities in education, such as grading.
Educational software can be adapted to student needs.
AI can point out places where courses need improvements.
AI tutors can help support students.
AI-driven programs can give students and educators helpful feedback.
AI is altering how we find and interact with information.
AI could change teachers’ roles.
AI can make trial-and-error learning less intimidating.
Data powered by AI can change how schools find, teach, and support students.
AI could change where students learn, who teaches them, and how students acquire basic skills.

Regardless of the technology we choose to explore and use in education, we have to focus on the technology’s purpose. What are the benefits of using AI? Is it practical to use AI?

Time is always a consideration, and when it comes to providing authentic, meaningful, and personalized learning experiences for our students, we need to make the most of it. AI can make an impact here.

For example, students and teachers can connect and have instant access to resources that meet their specific needs. AI will make decisions based on responses and interactions.

AI can save teachers time in grading and help to provide differentiated instruction that adjusts as students continue to work through class materials. AI analyzes data faster, so teachers can act on it faster and, again, have more time to work with students.

We must actively explore the resources that are being shared in the education world today. There are many blogs, books, podcasts, webinars, and other learning opportunities for educators. We have so many digital tools available to choose from. Have fun exploring but be mindful of not just the possibilities, but always focus on our responsibilities as educators.

If you want to learn more, check out recent Edutopia and Getting Smart blogs. Many AI books are available, including my recent book. Keep on learning and growing, and don’t be afraid of not being the expert. We are all learning as we go!

About the Author:

Contact Rachelle to schedule sessions about Artificial Intelligence, Coding, AR/VR, and more for your school or your 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

************ Also check out my THRIVEinEDU Podcast Here!

Join my show on THRIVEinEDU on Facebook. Join the group here.

*

Effective Professional Development on AI

July 9, 2024July 3, 2024Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Over the past few years, we have seen many changes in education. We live in an increasingly digital world that involves rapid technological advancements through emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). The technologies are not only impacting our lives as educators, but they are impacting the world of work our students will enter.

To best prepare our students, educators must constantly adapt and evolve to keep up with these changes. However, there are challenges when it comes to these technologies: a lack of professional learning opportunities, not enough time to participate, and uncertainty about the best options for learning. Bringing in new technology can also feel like adding to an already overflowing plate.

Beyond the basic technology skills that educators need for every day teaching, they also need to be knowledgeable about emerging technologies, particularly AI, and how to bring them into their classrooms. With these technologies impacting our work, especially with the capabilities of AI to generate content and concerns about the impact of this technology on our work, it is essential that educators receive training. Over the past five years, my work has focused on collaborating with teachers to get them started with emerging technology including, more recently, AI. Here are some things that work when designing AI-related professional learning.

AI professional development for educators

Professional development focused on implementing classroom technology goes beyond simply training educators to use it and apply it to their curriculum. It requires rich and personalized learning experiences that will engage educators and enable them to see the possibilities for amplifying learning through educational technology.

Continue reading the original post via Edutopia

About the Author:

Contact Rachelle to schedule sessions about Artificial Intelligence, Coding, AR/VR, and more for your school or your 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

************ Also check out my THRIVEinEDU Podcast Here!

Join my show on THRIVEinEDU on Facebook. Join the group here.

A Huge Opportunity for Adult Education: Preparing and Navigating an AI-Driven Future

June 18, 2024June 8, 2024Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth Leave a comment

Guest post by @MattRhoads1990 Matthew Rhoads, Ed.D.

As generative AI continues to evolve and reshape the way we work, the need for a workforce that can thrive in this new landscape is becoming increasingly apparent. How can we ensure that adult white-collar workers are equipped with the necessary digital, data, and AI literacy skills to meet the needs of businesses and communities? One promising solution lies in adult school CTE programs that focus on reskilling and upskilling adults for the AI-driven future. With an emphasis on lifelong learning and adaptability, these programs can serve as a catalyst for expanding adult education and bridging the skills gap.

The New Landscape of Adult Ed

As we navigate a world of AI, adult education has an opportunity to provide non-credit and credential programs that prioritize digital, data, and AI literacy. These programs can be in various forms, from short-term, intensive courses to flexible online, blended, and in-person learning options. What does this mean for adult learners? With an array of choices at their fingertips, they can now customize their learning experience to align with their needs, interests, and professional goals to meet the ever-evolving world, which will require consistent retooling and upskilling.

Let’s jump into one example of this that is happening now. The Los Angeles Valley College offers a “Data Science Bootcamp,” an intensive, hands-on program designed to equip adult learners with the skills needed to analyze, visualize, and interpret data in today’s data-driven world. Programs like this demonstrate the immense potential of adult education in preparing workers for the future.

Tailoring Programs to Local Communities

To maximize their impact, adult CTE programs must be tailored to the unique needs of local industries and communities. By understanding the specific demands of their region, adult education providers can design relevant and effective programs that truly resonate with learners.

Take, for instance, the partnership between the San Francisco Adult School and local tech companies. By collaborating with these businesses, the adult school has been able to create a curriculum that addresses the specific skills needed for employment in the thriving local tech industry. This close collaboration ensures that students gain the most relevant skills for their local job market while businesses benefit from a more skilled and prepared workforce.

Emphasizing Lifelong Learning in Adult Education

As the world of AI and technology continues to evolve at breakneck speed, becoming a lifelong learner is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity. Adult CTE programs must prioritize fostering a growth mindset and a commitment to continuous learning among their students.

One way to achieve this is by creating learning environments that encourage curiosity, resilience, and adaptability. For example, an adult education program might incorporate real-world projects, mentorship, and peer collaboration into its curriculum, allowing students to learn from one another and apply their newly acquired skills in practical contexts.

Section 4: The Role of Adult Education in Bridging the Skills Gap

By reskilling and upskilling adults in digital, data, and AI literacy, adult CTE programs can play a critical role in bridging the skills gap in the workforce. The economic and social benefits of expanding adult education in this area are immense, but realizing this potential requires collaboration between adult education providers, businesses, and governments.

Take, for instance, the initiative launched by the state of California to invest in adult education programs aimed at equipping workers with the skills needed for in-demand jobs in the tech sector. This investment demonstrates the importance of collective efforts to support and invest in adult education as a key solution for the challenges ahead.

Conclusion: Navigating an AI-Driven Culture

As we navigate the AI-driven future, the importance of adult education cannot be overstated. Adult education providers have a unique opportunity to redefine and expand their role in this new landscape. By embracing this challenge, they can help to ensure that our workforce is prepared to thrive in the world of AI.

References

To brainstorm and develop various drafts of the blog, the following prompt was utilized on GPT-4 by Open AI. The AI Generative Response was edited and revised: I am an education innovator in adult education. I am writing a blog post on generative AI and how we will have to re-train the adult white collared workforce to meet the needs of our businesses and communities in the world of AI. The premise of the blog is that adult school CTE programs can offer a wide range of programs that integrate digital, data, and AI literacy to reskill adults in our communities to work in these new work environments. Additionally, we will need to have an emphasis on our programs to teach our students to be lifelong learners where they will have to reinvent themselves often to navigate the world we live in. Focus on how non-credit and credential programs we can offer locally can help solve this program for our local communities. Outline in-depth how this is a huge opportunity to expand adult education – keep this as the central theme.

About Rachelle:

She is the author of nine books, 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 your event! Submit the Contact Form.

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