Aitchison, Sally_MP 6 by Sally Aitchison

How can we use AI to allow students to make meaningful connections and apply their learning to real-world situations in your content area?

saitchison3 — 2024-03-17 20:29:56 UTC

Although I haven't tried this yet, I am iinspired to try incorporating AI-driven social skills games into group activities to make learning fun and interactive. For example, "Woebot" is an AI chatbot that offers cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques through gamified interactions. With this I could adapt similar concepts to focus on social skills development, such as perspective-taking, emotion recognition, and problem-solving in social situations. This site also specializes in individual sessions, but I am not looking for someone to replace my job, rather, a means to develop interactive games which adolescent students may be receptive to with my supervision of course.

Another area I am considering exploring is utilizing AI tools that analyze social media interactions to help adolescent students understand social dynamics and develop digital citizenship skills. For example, I have been reading about how AI platforms can facilitate and analyze social media posts and discuss topics like online etiquette, privacy settings, and identifying reliable sources of information.

Here's an interesting article which inspired me: https://engineering.lehigh.edu/news/article/simulation-reality-making-social-media-safer-space-kids-through-ai

So ChatGPT and AI is blocked in your school, how can you leverage the power of AI?

saitchison3 — 2024-03-17 20:33:15 UTC

By advocating for a policy change through educating the powers that be on the wonderful benefits learned in this class.
By creating targeted interventions from outside of the workplace where AI is accessible and utilizing them during sessions.
By bringing in social scenarios created by AI and utilizing them during counseling.
Reading books to/with students about the power of AI with managing social media posts and working through this book during sessions for students struggling with social media difficulties.
Experimentation with hands-on projects, collaborative activities, and interdisciplinary initiatives that leverage existing resources and tools.
Promoting teacher professional development in AI.
Emphasize Ethical AI Education! Even if AI applications are banned, educators can still teach students about the ethical use of AI, its societal implications, and critical thinking skills related to technology. Incorporate discussions and lessons on AI ethics, bias, privacy, and security into existing curriculum areas.

Have your opinions changed about utilizing AI in the classroom? Why or why not?

saitchison3 — 2024-03-17 20:33:33 UTC

In the junior high school setting, student maturity is still emerging, and unfortunately, I do not think most 13 and 14-year-olds can handle the amount of responsibility the use of AI requires. With maturity, which comes with age, I can see this tool being extremely beneficial. At Durgee, I can see the use of AI mainly for teachers to integrate into the classroom with close monitoring. Unfortunately, students still seem to be seeking the quickest way to finish an assignment, how to earn a mediocre grade, and how to turn something in for credit with the least amount of effort.

On page 91 of 'The AI Infused Classroom,' the author stresses the importance of these key factors:

Teachers and students should be familiar with basic AI concepts and techniques.
Teachers and students should be able to appreciate practical applications of AI.
Teachers and students should learn how to critically evaluate AI technologies for ethical and safety concerns.

Before AI can be effectively used, these conditions must be met, especially with the age group I work with. Also, there must be buy-in from teachers and the district as a whole.

(Illustration by Richard Carufel | Aug 11, 2023 | Public Relations)

How can you integrate AI literacies and media literacy in general into your content area?

saitchison3 — 2024-03-17 20:33:52 UTC

The above illustration highlights my biggest takeaway about how to integrate what I have learned into the classroom.

Given that my work as a school psychologist is different from that of a teacher, I would use my knowledge of AI from this class to assist my colleagues with modifying work for neurodiverse students. Here are some examples:

AI image generators to help students who need a more concrete example of what they are learning in class.
Having AI break information down to match students' grade level.
Designing targeted skill practice: Using a chatbot to generate word problems for students who struggle with 2-step equations, creating high-interest non-fiction texts at a student’s reading level with sample questions, etc.
Using AI to modify assignments to reduce cognitive fatigue while encouraging students to still access grade-level content.
Using AI to reduce the amount of work while still maintaining a challenging level.