Monday, March 25, 2024

New AIdeas: Microsoft Copilot: Your AI Assistant in the Classroom


As educators, we wear many hats: lesson planners, content creators, communicators, and mentors. The demands of teaching can be overwhelming, but what if I told you there’s an AI-powered assistant that can lighten your load, boost creativity, and enhance student learning? Enter Microsoft Copilot—your new partner in education.



What Is Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot is a sophisticated AI tool that integrates seamlessly with the Microsoft 365 suite of applications. It’s like having a personal assistant right at your fingertips, ready to help you with a wide range of tasks. Let’s dive into its capabilities and explore why every teacher should consider using it.

1. Personalized Lesson Planning

Copilot can assist you in creating engaging lesson plans tailored to your students’ needs. Whether you’re teaching algebra or Shakespeare, Copilot generates ideas, suggests activities, and even helps you design assessments. Imagine having an AI collaborator that understands your teaching style and adapts to your classroom dynamics.

2. Efficient Content Creation

Tired of staring at a blank screen while drafting worksheets or presentations? Copilot can generate content snippets, summaries, and examples. Need a rubric for that group project? Copilot’s got you covered. It’s like having a co-teacher who never runs out of ideas.

3. Smarter Communication

Copilot doesn’t just draft emails; it crafts them in your voice. It summarizes lengthy email threads, extracts key information, and suggests follow-up actions. Plus, it coaches you on tone and clarity, ensuring your messages resonate with students, parents, and colleagues. Say goodbye to email overwhelm!

4. Student Engagement and Differentiation

Copilot helps you differentiate instruction effortlessly. It can create quizzes, adapt reading materials, and provide alternative explanations. Whether you’re supporting struggling learners or challenging high achievers, Copilot ensures no student is left behind.

5. Creative Projects and Assessments

Want to spark creativity in your classroom? Copilot collaborates with you to design innovative projects. From multimedia presentations to interactive assignments, it infuses fresh ideas into your teaching practice. And yes, it even helps you grade those projects efficiently.

How Does It Work?

Copilot leverages large language models (LLMs) and integrates with the Microsoft Graph. It’s available within popular Microsoft 365 apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. When you use Copilot, it analyzes your prompts, understands context, and generates relevant responses. And don’t worry—your chat data remains private, protected by commercial data protection policies.

Why Should Teachers Use It?

  1. Time-Saver: Copilot streamlines tasks, freeing up precious time for meaningful interactions with students.
  2. Innovation Catalyst: It encourages experimentation and creativity in lesson design.
  3. Consistent Communication: Copilot ensures your messaging is clear and consistent across all channels.
  4. Student-Centric: By personalizing learning experiences, Copilot puts students at the center of your teaching practice.

Get Started Today!

Ready to supercharge your teaching? Explore Copilot’s features, experiment with prompts, and witness the magic of AI in your classroom. Remember, Copilot isn’t here to replace you—it’s here to amplify your impact. So, embrace the future, collaborate with your digital co-pilot, and watch your teaching soar to new heights! 🚀

Learn more about Microsoft Copilot here.

Disclaimer: Copilot is not a substitute for professional judgment. Always review and adapt AI-generated content to align with your educational goals and ethical standards.

While Microsoft Copilot is a powerful tool, it’s essential to be aware of its limitations. Here are some considerations:

  1. Contextual Understanding: Copilot relies on patterns in the text it has seen during training. However, it may not always grasp the full context or nuances of a specific situation. As a result, its responses might occasionally lack depth or miss the mark.
  2. Bias and Fairness: Like any AI language model, Copilot inherits biases present in its training data. While efforts have been made to reduce bias, it’s crucial to remain vigilant and critically evaluate its suggestions. Always consider diverse perspectives and ensure fairness in your content.
  3. Accuracy and Fact-Checking: Copilot generates responses based on patterns, but it doesn’t independently verify facts. As an educator, you should fact-check any information it provides, especially when creating educational materials.
  4. Privacy and Confidentiality: Copilot processes user prompts, which may include sensitive or confidential information. While it doesn’t retain data beyond the conversation, exercise caution when discussing private matters.
  5. Overreliance: Copilot is a tool, not a replacement for human judgment. Avoid overreliance and use it as a supplement rather than a sole resource. Blend its suggestions with your expertise and creativity.
  6. Lack of Creativity: While Copilot can be creative, it doesn’t possess true imagination. It generates responses based on existing patterns, so groundbreaking ideas may still require your input.
  7. Limited Multimodal Understanding: Copilot primarily works with text. It doesn’t directly interpret images, videos, or other non-textual content. If you need to analyze visual materials, you’ll need to do so separately.
Remember that Copilot is a valuable assistant, but it’s essential to use it mindfully, critically, and in conjunction with your professional judgment. Happy teaching! 📚🤖

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

New AIdeas: ClaudeAI--How Does it Compare?

ChatGPT isn't the only chatbot on the market. In fact, there are several other Large Language Models to consider, including Anthropic's Claude. Let's see how Claude compares to the existing players and why it might be a valuable addition to your teaching toolbox.


The LLM Lineup: A Comparative Glance

The LLM landscape is heating up! Here's a quick comparison of Claude with some familiar faces:
  • ChatGPT (OpenAI): Known for its creative writing capabilities, ChatGPT excels at generating different writing styles and formats. However, it can struggle with factual accuracy and may require clear and specific prompts.
  • Gemini (Google): Gemini shines with its research and information retrieval strengths. It can answer open-ended questions, summarize complex topics, and even generate citations. However, its creative writing abilities might not be as developed as ChatGPT's.
  • Copilot (Microsoft): This LLM focuses specifically on code generation and assistance for programmers. While not directly applicable to classroom use, it highlights the growing specialization within LLMs.

Claude's Competitive Edge: Aiming for Accuracy and Ease of Use

Anthropic positions Claude as an LLM designed for factual accuracy and user-friendliness. Here's what sets it apart:
  • Emphasis on Accuracy: Trained on a carefully curated dataset emphasizing factual information, Claude aims to minimize "hallucinations" or making up information. This can be particularly valuable for teachers who rely on LLMs for creating lesson materials or answering student questions.
  • Focus on Easy Interaction: Claude boasts a user-friendly interface that allows users to easily refine their prompts and ask follow-up questions. This makes it accessible to educators who might not have extensive experience with LLMs.
  • Going Beyond Text: Claude can analyze and respond to uploaded images and documents, offering a more comprehensive approach to information processing. Imagine using an image of a historical event and prompting Claude to generate a detailed description for your students!

Why Should Teachers Give Claude a Try?

With its focus on accuracy and user-friendliness, Claude presents a compelling option for educators:
  • Boost Lesson Planning: Generate engaging activities, discussion prompts, and even quizzes tailored to specific learning objectives. Claude's factual accuracy ensures students receive reliable information.
  • Support Research and Inquiry: Encourage students to use Claude as a research assistant, verifying information and generating summaries of complex topics. This can equip them with critical thinking skills and empower independent learning.
  • Promote Accessibility: Claude's ability to analyze images can be a game-changer for students with visual impairments. Imagine generating a descriptive text about a scientific diagram or historical photograph!
  • Break Down Language Barriers: Claude is being developed to support multiple languages, offering a potential solution for multilingual classrooms or those with students learning English as a New Language (ENL).

Claude: Still Under Development, But Promising

It's important to note that Claude is still in development. While it boasts impressive features, it may not always outperform its competitors. The best approach is to experiment and see which LLM suits your needs best.

Ready to Explore Claude?

Check it out here: https://claude.ai/

AI Classroom Assistant Comparison

FeatureClaude (Anthropic)ChatGPT (OpenAI)Gemini (Google)Copilot (Microsoft)
FocusAccuracy
Ease of Use
Creative WritingResearch & Info RetrievalCode Generation
StrengthsFactual responses
User-friendly interface
Multi-modal analysis (text & images)
Diverse writing styles
Engaging content creation
Access to real-time information
Citation generation
Assists with coding tasks
Improves programmer efficiency
WeaknessesStill under development
Limited public access
Can struggle with factual accuracy
Requires specific prompts
Limited creative applications
Might not be as creative as ChatGPT
Not applicable for most classroom use
Focuses on coding
Suitability for TeachersHigh
Promotes accurate learning materials
Supports differentiated instruction
Medium
Useful for creative writing activities
May require fact-checking
Medium
Enhances research projects
Supports information literacy
Low
Not directly applicable in K-12 classrooms

Tuesday, March 12, 2024

New AIdeas: You Can Do Magic with Canva's AI Toolbox



Canva's AI tools can transform the way you design engaging visuals for your classroom. Imagine whipping up stunning presentations, infographics, and worksheets in record time, all with a little AI magic! ✨ As your trusty instructional technology integration specialist, I'm here to show you how Canva empowers you to become a design whiz (even if you're not artistically inclined!).





Canva's AI Arsenal: What's in the Toolbox?

Canva boasts a suite of AI-powered features designed to make your life easier and your creations more impactful. Here are some highlights:

  • Magic Design: Stuck on a design concept? No worries! Briefly describe your vision using keywords, and Magic Design will generate several unique layouts for you to choose from. This is a lifesaver for creating flyers, posters, or social media graphics for classroom projects.
  • Magic Edit: Breathe new life into your photos! With a click, Magic Edit can enhance image quality, adjust brightness and contrast, or even remove unwanted backgrounds. No more spending hours fiddling with photo editing software!
  • Magic Write: Feeling writer's block? This nifty tool can generate content based on your prompts, from brainstorming blog post ideas to summarizing complex topics. Use it to create captivating lesson summaries or craft engaging captions for student presentations.
  • Beat Sync: Liven up your video presentations or student projects with AI-powered music that automatically syncs with the visuals. No more clunky transitions or awkward silences!

Why Should Teachers Embrace Canva AI?

Canva AI is more than just a fancy gimmick. Here's how it empowers educators:

  • Save precious time: Focus on lesson planning and student interaction instead of spending hours designing materials. AI tools streamline your workflow, allowing you to create high-quality visuals in minutes.
  • Boost student engagement: Capture your students' attention with visually appealing presentations, infographics, and classroom activities. Students learn best when they're engaged, and Canva AI helps you achieve that!
  • Promote accessibility: Use AI-powered tools like image enhancement to ensure your materials are accessible to students with visual impairments. Canva also offers a library of accessible design elements to promote inclusivity.
  • Foster creativity: Encourage students to explore design concepts by collaborating on projects within Canva's platform. Let them experiment with generating their own visuals with AI guidance, sparking their imaginations and critical thinking skills.

Getting Started with Canva AI:

Ready to explore the magic of Canva AI? Here's how to get rolling:

  1. Head over to https://www.canva.com/education/ and create a free account (Fun Fact: Canva is FREE for educators!).
  2. Explore the "Features" section: Familiarize yourself with the various AI tools available, like Magic Design and Magic Write.
  3. Start experimenting! Create a new design and play around with the AI features to see how they can enhance your project.
  4. Integrate AI into your lessons: Identify areas where Canva AI can benefit your teaching. This could be brainstorming presentation ideas with students or crafting engaging infographics for a science project.

Remember, AI is a tool, not a replacement for your teaching expertise. Use it responsibly and ethically, and don't hesitate to incorporate your creative flair into your designs! With a sprinkle of AI magic from Canva, you can create visually stunning and impactful resources that will make a lasting impression on your students.

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

New AIdeas: Make Teaching a Breeze with Brisk

Feeling overwhelmed with your workload? Do you dream of having more time to personalize learning and provide meaningful feedback to your students? Look no further than Brisk Teaching, a free Chrome extension that leverages AI to streamline your tasks and supercharge your teaching

What is Brisk Teaching?

Think of Brisk as your AI-powered teaching assistant. Seamlessly integrating with popular platforms like Google Docs, Classroom, Canvas, and Schoology, Brisk offers a suite of features designed to:
  • Generate first-pass feedback: Say goodbye to mountains of papers to grade! Brisk analyzes student writing and generates immediate, AI-powered feedback, highlighting strengths, identifying areas for improvement, and suggesting relevant resources. This frees up your time for more individualized instruction and deeper conversations with students.
  • Level reading materials: Differentiate instruction with ease! Brisk allows you to adjust the reading level of website articles, textbooks, and any text within Google Docs to match your students' diverse needs. This ensures inclusivity and empowers every student to access and comprehend learning materials.
  • Create personalized learning resources: Gone are the days of generic worksheets and lesson plans. Brisk helps you tailor content to your students' specific interests and learning styles. Generate interactive quizzes, activities, and flashcards based on your chosen topic, keeping students engaged and motivated.
  • Detect plagiarism: Maintain academic integrity with ease. Brisk scans submitted work for potential plagiarism, allowing you to address any concerns promptly and guide students towards responsible research practices.

Why should you consider using Brisk?

Brisk goes beyond being a time-saving tool; it empowers you to personalize learning and support diverse student needs in several ways:
  • Reduced workload, increased focus on students: By automating tasks like grading and resource creation, Brisk frees up your time to focus on what matters most: building relationships with students and providing personalized instruction.
  • Differentiation made easy: Brisk empowers you to cater to a wide range of learning styles and abilities, ensuring all students feel included and challenged.
  • Improved feedback and communication: Prompt and informative feedback allows students to understand their strengths and weaknesses, fostering effective learning conversations.
  • Engaging and interactive learning experiences: Personalized resources and activities keep students hooked on learning, making the classroom a more dynamic and stimulating environment.

Getting Started with Brisk:

Ready to experience the "Brisk" difference? Here's how to get started:
  1. Download the Brisk Chrome extension: Visit https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/brisk-teaching/pcblbflgdkdfdjpjifeppkljdnaekohj and add the extension to your Chrome browser.
  2. Explore the features: Familiarize yourself with Brisk's functionalities and experiment with generating feedback, leveling text, and creating learning resources.
  3. Integrate into your lessons: Identify specific areas where Brisk can enhance your teaching. Brainstorm how you can utilize the features to personalize learning and support diverse student needs.
  4. Share and collaborate: Discuss Brisk with your colleagues and explore its potential for collaborative lesson planning and resource creation.

Remember, AI is a tool, not a replacement for your expertise. Use Brisk responsibly and ethically, and don't hesitate to adapt it to your unique teaching style and classroom context. By embracing Brisk, you can create a more efficient, personalized, and engaging learning environment for all your students!

Monday, February 26, 2024

New AIdeas: Bing Image Creator--Seeing is Believing!

AI isn't solely used for writing text. In fact, one of the more jaw-dropping applications of artificial intelligence is to use natural language to provide a text description that the model will use to produce images that match the description as closely as possible. There are several text-to-image models out there, but Bing Image Creator is among the best. If you are an avid reader of this blog, you might remember this post that showcases some fun ways to use Bing Image Creator to generate images of pop-culture toys customized to your descriptions like Funko, Lego, Pokemon and Barbie. The image to the left was also created with Bing Image Creator. My prompt: a wildcat mascot wearing navy blue and gold gear playing lacrosse on a turf field with the word "Wildcats" on the jersey.


What is Bing Image Creator?

Think of Bing Image Creator as your personal artist-in-the-cloud. This free tool, accessible through https://www.bing.com/create, allows you to describe an image using words and, voila, Bing generates a unique visual representation! Need a picture of the Great Barrier Reef teeming with colorful fish or a diagram of the human heart? Simply describe it, and Bing's AI will do its magic.

Why Should You Use Bing Image Creator in Your Classroom?

Beyond the "wow" factor, Bing Image Creator offers several compelling benefits for educators:

  • Boost comprehension and memory: Visuals can significantly enhance information retention. Imagine students generating images to represent historical events, scientific concepts, or literary characters, fostering deeper understanding and memory recall.
  • Support diverse learning styles: Cater to visual learners by providing them with customized visuals that resonate with their learning preferences. This can be particularly beneficial for students with language processing difficulties or those who learn best through visual representations.
  • Spark creativity and critical thinking: Encourage students to craft descriptive prompts, refining them to achieve their desired visuals. This process fosters critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities.
  • Break down complex concepts: Simplify challenging topics by generating visuals that break them down into smaller, more manageable components. Imagine a diagram depicting the stages of the water cycle or a visual representation of the different parts of speech.
  • Fuel collaborative projects: Encourage students to work together, brainstorming ideas and refining prompts to generate visuals for group projects or presentations. This fosters teamwork and communication skills.

Getting Started with Bing Image Creator:

Ready to explore the world of text-to-image generation? Here's how to get started:

  1. Head over to https://www.bing.com/create: Explore the tool's interface and experiment with generating images for different prompts.
  2. Integrate into your lessons: Identify specific learning objectives where Bing Image Creator can add value. Brainstorm creative prompts and encourage students to participate in the process.
  3. Discuss responsible AI use: Guide students on crafting appropriate prompts and understanding the limitations of AI-generated content.
  4. Share and reflect: Encourage students to share their creations with the class and discuss their experiences. Reflect on how the generated images impacted their understanding and learning.

Remember, embracing AI should be a collaborative and engaging experience. Don't be afraid to experiment, have fun, and learn alongside your students! By incorporating Bing Image Creator into your teaching toolbox, you can unlock a world of visual possibilities, igniting your students' imaginations and enhancing their learning journey.



Monday, February 12, 2024

New AIdeas: Exploring AI-Powered Learning with Adobe Firefly!

Imagine igniting your students' imaginations with AI tools that generate unique images and text effects, tailored to their wildest dreams. This isn't science fiction; it's the exciting reality of Adobe Firefly

What is Adobe Firefly?

Think of Firefly as a magical assistant for your creative endeavors. It's a suite of generative AI models accessible through Adobe Express, allowing you and your students to:
  • Craft unique images: Simply describe what you envision, and Firefly will generate stunning visuals based on your prompt. Need a vibrant rainforest adventure or a historical scene depicting the Roman Empire? Firefly has you covered!
  • Experiment with text effects: Enhance your presentations, projects, and worksheets with eye-catching text manipulation. Bold, futuristic, or whimsical – the possibilities are endless!
  • Boost engagement and accessibility: Visual learners rejoice! Firefly empowers students to create personalized representations of concepts, fostering deeper understanding and inclusivity. 

Why Should You Consider Using Firefly?

Integrating AI in your classroom doesn't mean surrendering control. Instead, it's about unlocking new avenues for learning and expression. Here are some compelling reasons to give Firefly a try:
  • Spark creativity and critical thinking: Gone are the days of generic clipart. Students can now personalize their projects, sparking critical thinking as they refine their prompts and analyze the generated results.
  • Promote collaboration and communication: Encourage students to work together, brainstorming ideas and refining prompts to achieve their desired visuals. This fosters teamwork and communication skills.
  • Differentiate instruction: Cater to diverse learning styles by incorporating visual elements that resonate with individual students. Firefly empowers you to meet everyone's needs!
  • Embrace future-ready skills: AI literacy is becoming increasingly important. Exposing students to responsible AI use today prepares them for the technology-driven world of tomorrow.

Getting Started with Firefly:

Ready to unleash your inner AI artist? Here's how to get started:
  1. Explore the features: Head over to firefly.adobe.com and discover the platform's capabilities. Play around with generating images and text effects to get a feel for its potential.
  2. Integrate into your lessons: Brainstorm lesson plans where Firefly can add value. History presentations with AI-generated historical scenes? Science projects with customized visuals? The possibilities are endless!
  3. Discuss responsible AI use: Guide students on crafting appropriate prompts and understanding the ethics surrounding AI-generated content.
  4. Seek support: Don't hesitate to reach out to your fellow educators or online resources for tips and inspiration on using Firefly in your classroom.

Remember, integrating AI is a journey, not a destination. Start small, experiment, and have fun! By embracing the power of Adobe Firefly, you can unlock a world of creative possibilities, empowering your students to become the innovative thinkers and learners of tomorrow.

Monday, February 5, 2024

NewAIdeas: Revolutionizing Writing Assessment with ChatGPT--A Step-by-Step Guide

Time, the eternal challenge for educators, is often the stumbling block in providing comprehensive feedback on student writing. Can AI, specifically ChatGPT, be the solution we've been searching for? Let's delve into the experiment conducted by Deborah Cleveland to find out (you can read the full article here).

Essential Question: Can AI Enhance Writing Assessment?

Grading student writing is a complex task, especially when dealing with a significant number of assignments. Deborah sought to answer the essential question: Can AI (ChatGPT) assist with grading student writing and provide meaningful and timely feedback?


The Experiment Unveiled: 10 Interactions with ChatGPT

Deborah engaged ChatGPT in a conversation, presenting writing samples for assessment and exploring the AI's ability to generate feedback. Here are the key interactions:

  1. General Grading of Writing Assignment:
    • Request: Grade a 3rd-grade writing assignment.
    • AI's Response: Provides detailed feedback on organization, content, grammar and mechanics, vocabulary, and overall impression.
  2. Justification of Scores:
    • Request: Inquires about how the AI came up with the scores.
    • AI's Response: Clarifies that AI doesn't assign scores and the provided scores were illustrative.
  3. Use of a Rubric:
    • Request: Asks if the AI can use a provided rubric to grade a piece of writing.
    • AI's Response: Agrees to help create a rubric and use it for grading, emphasizing the need for human evaluation.
  4. Creation of a Rubric in a Table:
    • Request: Asks the AI to create a rubric in a table.
    • AI's Response: Presents the rubric in a table format for easy reference.
  5. Scoring Student Work with Rubric:
    • Request: Instructs the AI to use the rubric to grade a writing sample.
    • AI's Response: Provides scores and feedback based on the rubric for the first writing sample.
  6. Scoring More Student Work:
    • Request: Tasks the AI with grading another writing sample using the same rubric.
    • AI's Response: Provides scores and feedback for the second writing sample.
  7. Challenging AI Scoring of Student Work:
    • Request: Challenges the AI's scoring of the first sample, asking for a regrade.
    • AI's Response: Acknowledges the challenge and adjusts the scores accordingly.
  8. Adjusting Grading System for Student Work:
    • Request: Instructs the AI to grade a writing sample with attention to spelling and grammar errors.
    • AI's Response: Provides scores and feedback based on the identified errors.
  9. Highlighting Errors Identified by AI:
    • Request: Asks the AI to point out grammar and mechanics errors in the provided writing sample.
    • AI's Response: Lists various errors, including capitalization inconsistencies and punctuation errors.
  10. Challenging AI Grading:
    • Request: Seeks clarification on why the AI suggested "Squid protects" instead of "Squid protect."
    • AI's Response: Clarifies the proper verb tense usage based on singular noun agreement.

Observations and Reflections: A Rollercoaster of Learning

Deborah's experiment led to several fascinating observations:

  • Subjectivity of Grading: AI acknowledges the subjective nature of grading, emphasizing the necessity of human judgment.
  • Adaptability to Input: ChatGPT dynamically responds to alterations in the input text, showcasing an understanding of nuanced prompts.
  • User-Driven Grading: Users can challenge AI scores and prompt reevaluation, providing a degree of control over the assessment process.
  • Error Explanation: AI not only identifies errors but, excitingly, explains the rationale behind corrections, fostering deeper understanding.
  • Consideration of Privacy: Deborah emphasizes the importance of adhering to privacy policies when using AI for student work.

Final Thoughts: Navigating the AI Landscape

While the experiment took around 15 minutes, Deborah acknowledges the potential for streamlining the process with improved prompts. The journey with ChatGPT promises a rollercoaster of emotions, but the potential benefits for education and student learning are immense.

In conclusion, embracing AI in education requires careful consideration of its capabilities and limitations. As we venture into this transformative era, educators can harness the power of AI to enhance the writing assessment process, providing students with valuable feedback and fostering a deeper understanding of language mechanics. The future of education is evolving, and AI is undoubtedly a key player in shaping it.