For many students, artificial intelligence and generative language models are seen as a way to free them from having to do their own work. However, as teachers, we can use AI in our classrooms to deepen and enhance student learning.. Here, we will go through some different ways that teachers can integrate AI into classroom activites in a way that improves learning rather than replacing it. We will be focusing on uses in history, science, and humanities.
Following a unit of study, we hope that our students have gained a nuanced understanding of the topic, and are able to identify key ideas and inaccuracies. One way to assess this with students is through student evaluation of AI generated essays. This is an opportunity for students to not only demonstrate their knowledge of the topic, but also a chance for teachers to have conversations with students about appropriate and intentional use of AI. The class can discuss what inaccuracies they found in the work, what the AI did well, and the danger of using a tool like ChatGPT to complete an entire essay. You can download and adapt a lesson plan by Jonathan Jones, whose students studied Frederick Douglass, here.
AI can be used to help students learn new words by providing them with lists of related words in that discipline, putting the word into sentences to give context, or writing definitions.
Giving students the chance to chat with multiple different AI about a topic they're learning and then compare the language and quality of their responses gets students thinking critically about AI and determining which tools work best for different purposes.
Students can input portions of their writing into generative AI platforms and ask for advice or alternative wordings of what they have written. If they feel that a certain word is overused in their paper or the sentence structure is too simple, they can prompt the AI to suggest changes for these issues
If students aren't sure what to write about, asking AI can provide them with a wide range of ideas and prompts.
https://clioandthecontemporary.com/2023/04/17/chatgpt-in-the-history-classroom/
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1384078.pdf
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