John Dolman’s Post

There’s a lot of hype around AI in education right now. But sometimes hype can miss the mark. In honor of Artificial Intelligence Appreciation Day, we’re thinking about the best ways to center the user — not the technology. Special education teacher Nkomo Morris recently told The Hechinger Report that EdTech companies often pitch their products without understanding what teachers and students actually need. Morris participated in a workshop hosted by technology nonprofit Playlab AI to teach educators how to use and develop their own basic AI tools. “‘We know our students, we know the capability of the building and the tech we have, and so we can make stuff that is very tailored to the needs that we have,’ said Morris, who created an AI chatbot that helps social studies teachers create activities and games to supplement their lessons. With so many AI tools out there, she said it can be difficult to find one that meets exactly what you need, but ‘it’s so easy to just create your own’ with coaching and platforms such as Playlab.ai.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/egxAkB4A P.S. Wondering what students want from EdTech? We have a brief on that: https://lnkd.in/gfDqTq9F

The latest episode of My EdTech Life Podcast features Marce Lancioni, an Argentinian English teacher with over 30 years of experience, discussing the critical role of educators in the responsible use of AI in the classroom. Marce shares her transformative journey from initial excitement about AI's potential to a more cautious, informed approach. Marce emphasises the importance of understanding the inner workings of AI tools before implementing them in the classroom. She highlights that teachers bear the ultimate responsibility for the content and tools used in their lessons, stressing the need to inform parents and the educational community about AI's impact. A significant concern raised is the lack of national-level AI policies in Argentina, prompting Marce and like-minded educators to form organisations to propose responsible AI use guidelines to the government. She argues that waiting for top-down policies could be too late, given the rapid pace of AI development. The conversation touches on long-standing educational issues that AI has brought back into focus, such as cheating, plagiarism, and the need for critical thinking skills. Marce believes AI's advent offers an opportunity to revisit these issues and equip students with the skills to discern real from fake information. Marce cautions against over-reliance on AI, especially for younger learners who need hands-on, traditional learning experiences. She sees AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, existing successful teaching strategies. The discussion also highlights privacy concerns with AI-powered educational platforms, especially regarding underage users. Marce and the host, Fonz Mendoza, agree on the need for transparency, parental consent, and caution when using AI tools that may not have adequate safeguards. In conclusion, Marce's message is one of responsibility and balance in AI use. Her insights offer a refreshing, bold perspective on the educator's role as the primary guardian of students' learning experiences in this AI-driven era. https://lnkd.in/euMtpa7y

This article examines the key aspects of AI integration in education and its significant implications for both students and educators. #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Education #future #learning Forward Eye

We've been working on a few studies since late last year, and the first one was published today! Check it out. The study explores online K-12 teachers’ perspectives on AI utilization in education, revealing that teachers’ familiarity with AI significantly influences their adoption of AI tools, with 68.8% already incorporating them into their teaching practices. Teachers recognize AI’s potential to enhance personalized learning, improve problem-solving skills, and increase student engagement and participation, especially among those who already use AI. However, concerns about fairness, privacy, security, and the potential loss of critical thinking skills due to overreliance on AI are prevalent. Teachers foresee AI significantly impacting online teaching methods, making education more scalable, personalized, and efficient, and believe their roles will evolve to guide students in using AI effectively and ethically. The study underscores the need for specialized training and pedagogical support to help teachers integrate AI into their teaching practices effectively. These findings highlight the importance of addressing teachers’ concerns and providing adequate support for the successful integration of AI in online education. Lodi Lipien Florida Virtual School American College of Education

Interesting to read a range of perspectives of AI in education - the opportunities and the challenges and how some schools have embraced AI and the possibilities it provides. #education #AI #edutech #teaching

The greatest part of my job is constantly learning new things from the data we collect for our campaigns. 🧠 I want to share some of my recent learnings with all of you here on LinkedIn. 🗣 In our recent campaign, we surveyed over 1,000 educators to find out how they feel about Gen AI and whether they're using it in their classrooms. 🥅 The goal was to find out how attitudes toward AI use in school settings have changed one year after Gen AI tools like ChatGPT revolutionized many workplaces. 🗝 Key finding: Teachers are more on board with AI than ever before. Not a major shock: As people get more familiar with a new tool, they tend to get more comfortable using it and start seeing the benefits of these tools. 🤔 What was more interesting was to see how the passion for teaching has increased among teachers who have received comprehensive training in AI use: 👉 50% of teachers who experienced an increase in passion for their profession benefited from comprehensive AI training, compared to only 9% among those who felt less passionate. 👉Overall, 65% of teachers feel more passionate about teaching due to AI. ➡ Here is the link to the article if you wish to find out more about how teachers feel about Gen AI use in schools: https://lnkd.in/g-ysbTFa #AI #Education #genAI #AIRevolution #AIinClassroom #News #educationandAI #teacherandAI #contentmarketing

In the era of AI, all of us educators and school communities have to consider a number of advantages and challenges when it comes to using AI to assist teaching and learning. Of course, I am trying to keep up with the discussions and research and it is certainly becoming a bigger "monster"! At the same time I get wide-eyed with the endless possibilities of AI in our practice, I'm also considering the difficulties to understand how it's going to reshape the way education is. I found this article from 2021 today and I enjoyed reading about some of the challenges but when I think about how students may have more control over their choices in learning something, I get hopeful. At the same time, we have to make sure equity is considered, for instance, how easy is it to set more social differences when it comes to having access to a computer, internet and guidance to use AI in self-learning? Well, the possibilities are there for us to study, try out and discuss. I leave you with a citation from the article (find the full version here: https://lnkd.in/dwFZpvh7) "...the changes in learning styles have higher requirements for students' autonomous learning ability. Learning in the era of AI will be student-centered, and students are in the dominant position in learning activities (Chang & Lu, 2019; Fu, 2020). Students can generate personalized learning plans based on the intelligent teaching system, independently select learning content, arrange learning progress, and carry out group cooperative learning (Fang et al., 2019; Walkington & Bernacki, 2020; Yilmaz, 2018). Individualized learning methods have higher requirements for students' self-regulation and self-management level (Bergamin & Hirt, 2018; Tseng, Yi, & Yeh, 2019), so teachers should also pay attention to the cultivation of students' independent learning ability in the teaching process..." #AI #IA #education #learning #educators #teacher

📘 NEW BOOK REVIEW 📘 Those that have worked with me over the years know that I am a huge tech fan. So when free and easily accessible AI came along, I was an early adopter. I could see its benefits for education straight away. However, unlike previous tech launches, there is no way I could keep up with new AI releases, and very early on, I began to see the challenges with AI in education. Leon Furze‘s “Practical AI Strategies: Engaging with Generative AI in Education” is an invaluable resource that provides educators with the tools and insights needed to navigate this complex terrain. Furze’s book serves as a comprehensive guide for teachers who are beginning to explore the implications of AI in their classrooms. #Education #AI #EdTech #Assessment #Teaching #Learning #Innovation #AIinEducation #GenerativeAI #TechInClassroom #ProfessionalDevelopment Amba Press

I'm thrilled to be featured in Hindustan Times, discussing the transformative potential of AI in education. The article explores how AI can bridge learning gaps and create a more equitable learning experience for all. I'm passionate about leveraging technology to empower educators and students alike. [https://lnkd.in/e8R2HSdn] What are your thoughts on the role of AI in education? #AI #Education #TechforGood #ConveGenius #Swiftchat

Out today! A must-listen for parents, students, educators, or anyone working in education curious about how AI can be used in the classroom and beyond. As a former educator, I found this a fascinating book to work on. Also, getting to work with Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, was pretty darn cool. Narrated by the author; produced by Brady Emerson for Penguin Random House Audio; directed by yours truly. Click the link below to hear an excerpt from the audiobook. "From the founder of Khan Academy, the first book written for general audiences on the AI revolution in education, its implications for parenting, and how we can best harness its power for good. In Brave New Words, Salman Khan, the visionary behind Khan Academy, explores how artificial intelligence and GPT technology will transform learning, offering a roadmap for teachers, parents, and students to navigate this exciting (and sometimes intimidating) new world. An insider in the world of education technology, Khan explains the ins and outs of these cutting-edge tools and how they will revolutionize the way we learn and teach. Rather than approaching the sea of change brought on by ChatGPT with white-knuckled fear, Khan wants parents and teachers to embrace AI and adapt to it (while acknowledging its imperfections and limitations), so that every student can complement the work they're already doing in profoundly new and creative ways, to personalize learning, adapt assessments, and support success in the classroom."