AI in Edu: News, Tools, & Views (January 10)
Welcome to 2025 and my weekly digest of AI in education news, tools, and views to help keep you informed:
This School Will Have Artificial Intelligence Teach Kids (With Some Human Help)
This Education Week post explains how Unbound Academy, an Arizona online charter school approved in December 2024, plans to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into its core academic delivery, positioning teachers as guides and mentors rather than traditional content experts. Set to open in fall 2025 for grades 4 through 8, the school aims to enroll approximately 200 students in its inaugural year.
The article points out that while AI offers opportunities to enhance educational offerings and reduce workloads, it also raises concerns about the potential replacement of teachers. Unbound Academy believes its model emphasizes the continued importance of human involvement in the classroom, aligning with guidance from major teachers' unions advocating for careful integration of AI in education.
*Read Dan Meyer’s analysis of Unbound Academy here:
I Took OpenAI and Common Sense Media’s Free Course For Teachers
Tech&Learning columnist Erik Ofgang reviewed OpenAI and Common Sense Media's free, one-hour AI course for K–12 educators. Ofgang appreciated its focus on effective prompt writing using the CRE Framework (Context, Role, and Expectations) and its guidance on ethical AI use but felt the course lacked depth and practical classroom strategies.
https://www.techlearning.com/news/i-took-openai-and-common-sense-medias-course-for-teachers
SchoolAI: How to Use It to Teach
SchoolAI is an AI-driven educational platform designed to assist teachers and students by generating tailored lesson plans, quizzes, and worksheets, aligning with educational standards. This Tech&Learning article explains how SchoolAI personalizes learning experiences to accommodate individual student needs, offering interactive features like chatbots that simulate conversations with human figures. Teachers can monitor student interactions and progress, enhancing engagement and understanding.
https://www.techlearning.com/how-to/schoolai-how-to-use-it-to-teach
5 Ways Writing Instruction Should Evolve In The Age of AI
This Tech & Learning article highlights five ways writing instruction should evolve in the age of AI. It suggests using AI for tasks like formatting and citations, allowing students to focus on content creation. Educators are encouraged to teach AI-assisted professional writing, emphasizing personalization. The article stresses originality, critical thinking to assess AI content, and creating assignments that require personal reflection and creativity.
https://www.techlearning.com/news/5-ways-writing-instruction-should-evolve-in-the-age-of-ai
Breaking Classroom Language Barriers with Canva’s AI Voice Generator
This TCEA post discusses Canva's AI Voice Generator, which enhances multilingual classrooms by converting text into natural-sounding speech in over 20 languages. Teachers can integrate this tool seamlessly, providing accessible content, saving time on manual recordings, and fostering inclusive learning environments. Its simplicity empowers ESL teachers and others to break language barriers effectively.
https://blog.tcea.org/breaking-classroom-language-barriers-canva/
AI-Assisted Grading: a Working Workflow
In his Substack post, Jérémie Rostan carefully analyzes the pitfalls of AI grading and outlines a workflow for AI-assisted grading using ChatGPT. He suggests that educators can input student responses into ChatGPT, (guided by one graded essay with detailed explanations), prompting it to generate feedback and assign grades based on predefined rubrics. He suggests related procedures for AI grading to enhance consistency, and provide students with timely, personalized feedback. Rostan emphasizes the importance of human oversight to ensure accuracy and positions AI grading as representative of “co-intelligence.”
25 AI Predictions for 2025
According to this eSchoolNews survey, AI is set to transform education in 2025 by delivering personalized, multimodal learning experiences tailored to individual student preferences. Experts surveyed proclaim that teachers will transition into mentorship roles, utilizing AI to automate administrative tasks, and dedicate more time to student engagement. Others posit that the integration of AI-driven tools will enhance online education, making it as effective as traditional in-person learning. Ethical considerations, including data security and user trust, will be paramount in the development of AI educational solutions.
https://www.eschoolnews.com/digital-learning/2025/01/02/ai-predictions-for-2025/
Making The Grade: How Central Texas public schools are using artificial intelligence chatbots in the classroom
Central Texas public schools are integrating AI chatbots like ChatGPT into classrooms to enhance learning. Educators report improved student engagement and efficiency. However, concerns about data privacy and the potential for over-reliance on technology persist, prompting ongoing discussions about balancing AI use with traditional teaching methods.
How Are New AI Tools Changing ‘Learning Analytics’?
This EdSurge post explains how Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are transforming learning analytics by streamlining data interpretation and enhancing assessment methods. They assist educators in analyzing student interactions, such as online discussions, and support the development of AI-driven tutoring systems. However, not many educators are accustomed to sorting through large sets of data of this kind and these advancements introduce ethical considerations, including data privacy.
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2024-12-06-how-are-new-ai-tools-changing-learning-analytics
Without AI Literacy, Students Will Be ‘Unprepared for the Future,’ Educators Say
In this EdWeek article educators emphasize that AI literacy is essential for students to navigate the evolving technological landscape. They argue that understanding AI's capabilities and limitations is crucial for informed citizenship and future employment. Without this knowledge, students may struggle to discern misinformation and lack readiness for AI-integrated workplaces. Proactive incorporation of AI education in curricula is necessary to prepare students for these challenges.
And More…
MasteryMate - “a safe, structured environment for AI-driven project-based learning.”
AI Literacy Lessons for Grades 6–12 - CommonSense Media
Turn Books (or files) into interactive Mindmaps with AI - Paul Couvert
Google's 'Daily Listen' AI generates customized mini podcasts
- turn your search data into customized daily podcasts.
Flashback - AI-generated flashcards from Notion, YouTube, and PDFs.
Britannica AI Chatbot - get answers from the Encyclopedia Britannica database
2nd Pencil - transforms text descriptions into black and white pencil sketches
AI Math GPT - uses Llama3 and OpenAI o1 models to help with various math challenges.
Mathleaks Launches MathVizy in the U.S. - eSchoolNews
9 Suggestions for your AI Reading list - from Tech&Learning