Author: crogers (Page 1 of 3)

There has been a remarkable shift in society’s use of the internet. With the publication and expansion of A.I. models like generative AI and large language models (LLM), educators are faced with a new decision on how to incorporate, or ban, its use in the classroom. Some view AI as a tool, whereas others fear its effects on critical and creative thinking. In this week’s reflection, I will be outlining my own views on where, when, and how to use Generative A.I. and LLMs ethically and responsibly in the classroom.

What is it?

Generative Artificial Intelligence is tool that can generate new content such as text, images, and videos. An example of this is ChatGPT, which can generate an output based on extraction of multiple different internet resources. The more the source is used, the more ‘accurate’ it becomes. This does not mean ChatGPT is never wrong; the system is extracting data from human-generated content and cannot decipher factual from fictional. That means as an educator, we must be critical of the content that Gen A.I. platforms create and teach our students how to do the same.

When Should I Use it?

Developing an understanding of how AI platforms like Large Language Models (LLMs) work can take time and some effort. What is most important is to understand that these programs are not 100% accurate. These models accumulate and gather data from human-entered resources. That means that it too can be very susceptible to giving misinformation.

Using AI should serve as either a collaborative or supplemental process, not a replacement of your responsibilities. For example, asking ChatGPT to write a paper on the Industrial Revolution is replacing all of the critical thinking and reflective processes you would be expected to do. Instead of asking the model to write your paper, you could perhaps ask the program to find reputable resources that cover this topic. That being said, you must do your due diligence of vetting all answers it gives to you. This has also been outlined in the SD5 policy.

Using AI should not be used to replace a challenge. In fact, pursuing, overcoming, and achieving challenges is a vital and important part of our personal growth. What this means is we must find balance between limited thinking/low stress and instances causing a high cognitive over-load.

“How can we stay open to the discomfort of learning, rather than using AI to smooth it away too quickly?” – Kelly Fyke, AI Literacy for Educators Presentation

Why Should I learn about AI?

1. Show students that AI can make mistakes.

Here we see an inaccurate map of Canada created by ChatGPT-5. This would be a great example to show to a group of students to reveal that even the most up-to-date AI models can make very silly mistakes. You can also make this into a hands-on learning opportunity, where you ask the students to see if they can ‘trick’ AI. For example, you can ask AI to explain a made-up theory and see what answer it provides.

2. Have a discussion on the risks and impacts

AI has many benefits as well as many risks. Take a moment to reflect on these with your students. Provide real-world examples, and ask students what they have heard or seen. This is not intended to scare them away from using this resource. Rather, the purpose is to ensure every person is informed and educated on how AI programs operate.

3. Show the opportunity

For our group inquiry assignment, our team researched virtual field trips, which is a virtual, immersive, and interactive way to explore space, time, and different geographical locations without ever stepping foot outside of the classroom. This opens so many doors for students whose opportunities to participate in field trips were hindered by accessibility requirements, language barriers, or financial reasons.

Gamification refers to “the integration of game elements like point systems, leaderboards, badges, or other elements related to games into “conventional” learning activities in order to increase engagement and motivation.” This is a great way to increase motivation, provide sequential feedback, and even provide more individualized challenges for students to tackle.

When we play games, our brains produce a powerful neurotransmitter called dopamine, which is the root of our feelings of pleasure. Generally speaking, this neurotransmitter is heightened when we achieve a goal by overcoming some sort of challenge. Willis in their article describes this as “no pain, no gain”. Studies have also shown that dopamine levels have a direct connection with our memory retrieval systems and performance. This means that by incorporating games into the way we teach, we can help students learn and master content without them even realizing it.

Music

Mathematics

English Language Arts

Science

During my time in the Nass Valley, I taught Grade 8 Science and Social Studies. For our Science class, we did test reviews by playing Jeopardy. I purchased an editable Jeopardy template from Teachers Pay Teachers and filled in the categories to match the content we had been learning about. For example, our final unit was Earth Sciences. Questions were a combination of true and false, fill in the blank, and multiple choice. Students would be divided into teams of four or five. It made me happy to see how excited they would become once I pulled up the Jeopardy game. It seemed to really help them with recall and retention of previously learned information.

Digital literacy is becoming more and more essential as we progress through this new age of technology and AI. I remember going through my elementary years and not touching a single computer at school until grade 6 when we learned how to type. During our various in-situs in our courses, I have seen students as early as kindergarten working with devices like iPads. Whether we like it or not, many students will be exposed to a from of technology from a very early age. Our responsibility as educators is to teach them how to use it as a tool for learning, as learning, and of learning.

During my six-week practicum in a grade 3 class, we helped students develop their typing and Microsoft office knowledge through the incorporation of Microsoft Word. Students learned how to login, locate the application, and how to format a paragraph. Many of these skills become almost unconscious to an adult after multiple years of practice. The COVID-19 pandemic was revealing to the educational community in the sense that we must develop this skills from an early age.

Along with developing skills in Microsoft office applications such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, introducing resources like Canva can help students create an array of graphic representations of their learning. For example, Canva’s platform allows me to create videos, posters, presentations, worksheets, and even websites. This can be applied to multiple different grade levels and scaled to suit the student’s needs and abilities. Create-US offers an overview on how to introduce Canva and develop skills for using it for kids.

Here is a video you can show in your classroom to introduce Canva.

Other Resources

There are tons of online resources available to help students design their own graphic. Providing them access to these tools will allow them to use them in a way that suits their individual needs. Here are a few other resources that haven’t already been mentioned:

1. Pexels has millions of different stock photos that takes away the extra step of ensuring we are following licensing guidelines. When I look for images for my blog posts, I must ensure the image is properly sourced and is distributable. A quick search on Pexels with the prompt ‘graphic design’ provided lots of different visuals I can incorporate.

2. WordPress is a great way for students to showcase their learning in the creation of a website. During my experience navigating WordPress, I would recommend providing an extensive tutorial on how to use the website, as it is not the most intuitive of platforms.

3. Scratch

Scratch is a free resource available for kids to learn the basics of coding. It is very interactive, allowing students to design their own animations.

For this week’s class we had an In-situ experience with one of the elementary schools. It was ‘Take me Outside Day’; a great excuse to get the kids out of the classroom for some experiential learning at a nearby park! For my reflection, I will be using the Gibb’s reflective cycle.

Description: What happened?

The focus of this in-situ was to incorporate technology into place-based experiential learning. Students read The Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert, which tells a story about a character made of autumn leaves who is swept away and carried by the wind through various places, including marshes, orchards, and prairies.

We walked to Elizabeth Lake Park with the students along with an iPad per group of three to four. The iPad was to be primarily used for the app ‘Chatterbox Kids‘, which is an interactive app that allows students to animate pictures they take to make them talk.

We started with a nature scavenger hunt to get the kids paying attention and becoming fully immersed in their environment. It was so much fun!

Feelings: what were you thinking and feeling?

During our walk to the park, I felt very happy to be outside. It was a little breezy but it was wonderful seeing the autumn leaves swirling in the wind along with the spooky halloween decorations set up in passing yards. The park wasn’t very busy, given it was a weekday in the middle of the afternoon. It was so nice having such a beautiful place essentially to ourselves. It filled my heart with joy to see how excited the students in my group became about conducting a scavenger hunt. They worked very well together and did an exceptional job of taking turns and assuming responsibilities.

Evaluation: what was good and bad about the experience?

I think anytime spent outside is so important for us, especially kids. We spend so much time indoors looking at computers, phones, or television screens. It’s nice to get a break away from this! I think the scavenger hunt was a great way to get students moving, exploring, and reconnecting with the world around them.

I found the implementation of Chatterbox to be somewhat lacking, unfortunately. The students had a lot of fun with it, but I’m struggling to see the intention behind its incorporation. It did foster a sense of curiosity and amusement in our group, but I found it to take away from the experience of being outdoors.

Analysis: what do I make of this situation?

When possible, taking learning outside can foster wonder and curiosity. This helps students apply and synthesize their learning from inside the classroom to the world around them. Our time in the park allowed students to get moving, collaborate with one another, and enjoy a beautiful day. Research has shown that spending time outside in nature helps to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Encouraging healthy habits like spending time outdoors with elementary students is a great way to promote lifelong wellbeing.

Conclusion: what else could we have done?

Here are some possible activities with the book The Leaf Man that could be utilized outdoors:

• Have students create a leaf figure and write a short story about them. Share with peers with a gallery walk at the park.
• Sensory nature walk: have students record something they see, smell, hear, and feel.
• Have students create collages out of leaves, rocks, twigs, etc with a focus on symmetry and multiple colours.

Action Plan: what next?

For my future classroom I intend to take students outside on a regular basis. I find this is a great was to incorporate hands-on learning along with practicing being present in our lives. We live in an age where so many of us are constantly thinking about what is next. Simply going on a walk or sitting outside can reconnect us back to the present and with one another.