Transforming Education: The AI Advantage

      In the ever-changing field of education, incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) sets the stage for a fresh approach to how we teach and how students learn. (Walter, 2024). In his book AI for Educators, Matt Miller (2023a) says, "If AI is going to change the world in the near future, we need to prepare students for that world. That means we'll need to change too" (p. 7). This quote really resonated with me because I admit that AI in general is fairly new to me, even though I know it has been around for a while. It seems that AI technology is advancing faster than we can keep up with it. This book study has really helped me grasp a better understanding of the numerous advantages that AI provides to teachers and students. In Miller's book, he spends a good amount of time discussing thirty ways AI supports teaching and learning.

                                                        (Miller, 2023b)

      

      One of those ways is to ask AI to do teacher tasks for you. Recently I used ChatGPT to help me write an informational letter that I was sending out. I am still fairly new to using ChatGPT. Before reading Miller's book, I did not even know why it was called ChatGPT. The GPT stands for generative pretrained transformer. "It's generative because it creates a new response every time. It's pretrained because it has learned from a massive dataset. And it's transformer because it transforms its results into language that feels natural to the user" (Miller, 2023a, p.44). I typed in the basis of what I wanted to say and ChatGPT generated a letter for me that I was then able to customize. I was excited to see how easy it was to have a completed piece of writing in no time at all. ChatGPT truly is revolutionary and I think it offers so many possibilities for teachers and their students. "ChatGPT in education can be a significant stride towards created a more personalized, inclusive, and effective learning experience, preparing students not only for current academic challenges but also for the evolving demands of the future" (Walter, 2023, p.3). Teachers can use it to create leveled text for their students, individualized education plans, and differentiated formative assessments. 

     I think one of the best things we can do as teachers is to keep up with our advancing world. While it may seem overwhelming, we cannot allow ourselves to let that feeling keep us from exploring and learning about what AI has to offer ourselves and our students. It is okay to start small. One thing that I started doing was following Matt Miller's blog, Ditch that Textbook. His blog is regularly updated with great information and free resources for teachers. Another thing teachers can do is to experiment with online tools and websites like Canva and Quizziz. Their AI features truly do help save teachers time while creating engaging instructional resources. "If we're going to do our best work, support our students, and fulfill our teaching dreams, more time will help us realize that dream faster and better. AI can give us that time" (Miller, 2023a, p.117).

References

Miller, M. (2023a). AI for educators: Learning strategies, teacher efficiencies, and 

           a vision for an artificial intelligence future. Ditch That Textbook. 

Miller, M. (2023b). 30 AI tools for the classroom. 

           https://ditchthattextbook.com/ai-edu/#tve-jump-186cc04809e

Walter, Y. (2024). Embracing the future of artificial intelligence in the classroom: 

           The relevance of AI literacy, prompt engineering, and critical thinking in 

           modern education. International  Journal of  Educational Technology in 

          Higher Education, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-024-00448-3

Using Social Media for Mindful Discourse

Social media has exponentially increased the amount of content and number of people we have access to on a daily basis. It allows us to encounter people from all walks of life- different cultures, belief systems, and ways of thinking. As we peruse the web, it can be easy for us to respond to someone online with a few lines of text and then click publish before we move on to something else. However, do we pause to consider the intentionality behind what we put out there for others to view and process? "It is important for us to remember that every user is a person. It can be all too easy to forget that the person on the other side is a real human being with feelings and value." (Lawrence, 2022, p.53).

Design Launch (n.d.)

In Argument in the Real World, Turner and Hicks (2017) discuss the importance of being a MINDFUL reader and writer on social media platforms by taking the following actions:

Monitor your reading and writing

Identify the claim

Note the evidence

Determine the framework and the mindset

Facts

Understand the counter-argument

Leverage your response

A few days ago, I came across a heated discussion on X (formerly known as Twitter) on the Alabama governor signing the CHOOSE act into law. This new, controversial law pushes for school choice and provides parents with funding to send their children to a public or private school of their choice. A smaller amount of funds can even pay for certain homeschool expenses. Alabamians seemed to have strong opinions either in favor or against the new law that they wanted to express. One X user responded in support by stating that "it isn't just for the wealthy...This will allow them (parents) more flexibility to get kids who normally couldn't go to private school better opportunity to do so." He provided evidence to support a claim in favor of the law. Many users listed reasons why they opposed the law but not everyone included evidence to support their claim.

      Since people are use to posting short posts and replies on X, they have a tendency to type a few lines and move on. Social media can become a trap for quick responses with out the full facts. The Al.com article briefly discussed the law so X users starting responding without all of the information. According to Turner and Hicks (2017), social media users should consider if the author presented facts, opinions, or both and the how other readers might respond to the argument (p.110). In reading many of the posts, it seemed apparent, that most people were just expressing their opinions and not really seeking to have a conversation. In closing, the authors of Argument in the Real World said it best:

 In our age of distraction, simply hitting "like" on someone else's post is an endorsement, and act of arguing in the real world. Reading and writing are 

never neutral activities, and we must encourage students to be mindful as 

they participate in social media. To build on that mantra: read like a writer, 

write for a reader and be mindful of both roles as you produce arguments that can be shared on the web. (Turner & Hicks, 2017, p.108)

References

Al.com [@aldotcom]. (2024, March 7). Eligible Alabama families will now have the

option to receive $7,000 to pay for private school tuition starting in [Image attached]

[Tweet]. X. https://twitter.com/aldotcom/status/1765897752167223530s=46&.t=200Zi1A_bZ5i2RpogwxaWw

Design Launch. (n.d). Image. https://www.designlaunch.com/assets/images/

backgrounds/smm/services/social-communications.jpg

Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web.
Broadview Press. 

Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Argument in the real world: Teaching adolescents to

read and write digital texts. Portsmouth, NH: Heinmann.

Using Digital Texts to Improve Video Content

      In his book Crafting Digital Writing, Hicks (2013) writes, "While alphabetic texts, in both print and web-based forms, are still a crucial component of our literacy practices, the degree of our video consumption points to a world in which moving images speak louder than words" (p.104). 

     After reading Hick's chapter on video texts, I began to look back at my introductory video to see how I could improve upon it. I noticed that my first video was pretty basic with me just speaking to my computer camera. As far as preparing for what I wanted to say in my video, I bulleted a short lists of things I wanted to mention and then taped the list to the side of my computer. I noticed that I used words like "um" and "and" a lot because I was trying to think of what I wanted to say next. In planning for my second video, I used suggestions from Hick's book and created a storyboard of words and elements I wanted to include. This preparation really helped me articulate exactly what I wanted to say in my video without having to pause to think about it. 

     I did not utilize any digital effects to improve the quality of my first video. "Either way, digital writers have to make decisions about how their words, spoken and written, connect to and enhance what's happening on screen. Choices about timing, background music, transitions, and other effects have to be balanced with the overall goals for the video text" (Hicks, 2013, p.104). In my second video, I wanted to try adding some elements to enhance what I was saying on the screen. I have been getting more familiar with Canva over the past few months so I decided to utilize some of the presentation features it offers to create my second video. In Canva, I was able to record videos speaking to the camera as well as insert slides containing texts and images. Those slides enhanced my video because they supported my digital text. I feel like they helped the viewer to gain a better understanding of me and what I do as a science specialist. I also think that by using texts and images it created an engaging transition of something else to look at and connect with during my video presentation. Lastly, I wanted to end my video in a way that would be more professional instead of me simply turning off the video. To do that, I added a slide with an image of the AMSTI logo at the very end. I felt that this added a more polished ending to my video.  

     Elementary teachers are beginning to utilize digital writing more in their classrooms. "No matter what media are employed, in the service of what genre, our students have to make choices about how and why to use media elements to compose narrative, informational, or argumentative texts" (Hicks, 2013, p.108). In Argument in the Real World, Turner and Hicks (2017) state, "The range of argumentative modes for video has become increasingly rich. We know that many teachers have employed genres such as commercials and documentaries or journalistic forms such as interviews, newscasts, or talk shows" (p.84). One way I utilized digital writing in my fourth grade classroom was to have students create a Flip presentation on an animal's response to stimuli. Students researched the animal and then planned what they wanted to include in their presentation. Students had to record themselves sharing what they learned along with images that supported their research. Instructional activities like this provide a rich learning opportunity that incorporates so many cross curricular standards. They also let students gain important skills to help them be successful in our ever-increasing digital world. 

References

Hicks, T. (2013). Crafting digital writing: composing texts across media and genres. 

     Heinemann. 

Turner, K. H., & Hicks, T. (2017). Argument in the real world: Teaching adolescents to 

     read and write digital texts. Portsmouth, NH: Heinmann. 

 

 

 

Teaching 21st Century Students How to Research

        In my previous post, I discussed some challenges that students encounter when trying to locate information on the internet. In this post, I want to elaborate on ways teachers can help their elementary students learn how to research using the internet. In Digital Writing: A Guide to Writing for Social Media and the Web, Lawrence has a section on the ease of information “searchability” in Google. Lawrence (2022) writes, “It matters how easily a user can find life-saving information about a pandemic or a flood. If they type common keywords into Google, will they be able to find reliable and accurate information?” (p.83). I would venture to say many adults do not know how to effectively use key words and punctuation to narrow down their search results. In the video below, content creator, Dan Spada, demonstrates several ways to help students with using the Google search engine.

(Dan Spada, 2019)

      Another skill that students need to develop is the ability to evaluate the authenticity of websites. In her article “Teaching Students the Skills to be Savvy Researchers”, O’Hanlon (2013) mentions steps that students can take to dissect a website by considering the author, their purpose, and the domain. Websites that end with edu, org, or gov usually can be considered more trustworthy.  

      Recently, I worked with a fourth grade classroom on an alternative energy research project. I began the unit with a two day lesson on how to effectively use written and digital sources to research a topic. I knew I needed a way to visually present the steps for research to the students. I wanted something small that they could keep on their desks as a reminder during the project. After reading Lawrence’s section (2022) on graphic design and Adobe, I decided to apply his suggestions to the Canva software. I am fairly new to Canva but I really enjoy the large database of graphics and templates that it has. I created the research infographic below and used it as a tool to guide the lesson.

(How to Research a Topic via Canva by Brianne Gilliland)

      As part of my lesson on research, I modeled the five steps on my infographic with the class. Together, we walked through the steps to research nuclear energy. While this took some time, I felt that it was time well spent and it gave the students opportunities to ask questions about using Google, finding information on websites, and recording their sources. O’Hanlon states, “Teachers should give credit to the process of searching, not just for the final product, she added. Students can turn in search logs or annotated bibliographies to emphasize that process” (2013, p.16). I agree with O’Hanlon. As part of their research project, I required students to list their online sources on their organizer and on their final Google Slide presentation.

I have done this alternative energy project several times in the past without the research lesson at the beginning. I could tell a huge difference this time in the confidence of my students as they were researching their energy topics. They would tell me things like “this website gave me information on the benefits of solar energy” or “I didn’t find any information on this website on how wind energy affects the environment”. The research infographic helped guide students as they were researching. As I was conferencing with students, I would ask which research step were they currently on. Students would often quickly glance at the infographic and then respond. In the past, I have also noticed students’ final presentations containing a lot of misinformation. I was delighted to see that this group of students was much more successful in finding accurate information and being able to share their learning with others. “Teaching students solid online search skills is important not only because it will help them produce better work, but also because it prepares them to judge the validity of all sorts of information and to be critical thinkers” (O’Hanlon, 2013, p.16).

References

      Gilliand, B. (2024). How to research a topic [Infographic]. Canva.

https://www.canva.com/design/DAF5ZruVQhA/rGYmibeWg2Z7IruEtSmgxg/view 

      Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web. Broadview Press.    

     O’Hanlon, L. (2013). Teaching students the skills to be savvy researchers. Education Week, 32(32), 12-16, https://www.edweek.org/technology/teaching-students-better-online-research-skills/2013/05

Spada, D. (2019, March 3). Teaching students how to research. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmRakMppVtw

   

  

Google’s Place in the 21st Century Classroom

 

     The process of research has drastically changed over the past thirty years since the arrival of the internet and Google. The time of microfilms and encyclopedias are a thing of the past. While there are numerous advantages of the world wide web and its seemingly unlimited amount of access to information, it also brings some pitfalls for our students as they pursue knowledge.

  LukeStatzer (2023)

        What are those pitfalls? Why is it not a good research practice to allow students to simply type their question into the Google search bar and take the first response that is generated? Isn’t that something we all do because it’s convenient and it saves us time? In the article “Don’t Just Google It”, the authors also question the effects the Google search engine has on students’ learning. “This raises the question, we believe, of whether “just Googling it” qualifies as a form of problem solving or whether it turns learners into spectators. Online tools put information at our fingertips, but they can also lead us astray” (Weber &  Morales, 2023, p.62). It is important that students learn that just because a website is listed first in a Google search that does not mean it is the most credible source. I have found that students associate that order with importance. I have often observed my students typing in their question into the Google search engine and then reading the blurb that Google generated without ever clicking on a website. When they did click on websites, it was usually only the first few websites before being satisfied that they had completed their research. Rarely if ever did they go beyond the first page of search results. According to Digital Writing: A Guide to Writing for Social Media and the Web, the use of algorithms and search engine optimization play a huge role in Google’s prioritization of websites and videos. “Google’s primary objective, after all, is to make money from advertising revenue by allowing businesses to bid on keywords. Their primary objective is not to provide the most truthful, relevant, or highly vetted sources to you” (Lawrence, 2022, p.82).       

      Students have to be taught how to effectively navigate search engine results. They need to be able to determine if a website is credible. These skills are currently part of Alabama’s Digital Literacy and Computer Science (DLCS) standards. However, are we teaching them to our students? I can admit that I did not always do the best job at teaching digital research skills in my classroom. Why? One reason is that teachers are overwhelmed with all of the lessons that they are writing and facilitating that DLCS are rarely integrated due to time and priority. Lawrence (2022) suggests that another problem in determining factual internet content is that the teacher’s own digital skills may not be up-to-date (p.90). Many times teachers see digital resources as a way for students to apply their knowledge instead of developing knowledge. However, we do our students a disservice if we are not teaching them how to effectively use the technological resources that are available to maximize their learning. In their journal article, Weber and Morales (2023) discuss several defenses of online media. They discuss how technology can be a contributor instead of a distractor to students' learning. They acknowledge that teachers need to instruct their students on how to take on an active learning approach when using technology (p.66).

     As teachers, we have to make sure we understand how to effectively navigate the internet for factual information and teach our students to do the same. Technology sources, like the internet, will continue to advance and we must advance with them.

References

Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital writing: A guide to writing for social media and the web.

Broadview Press. 

LukeStatzer. (2023). Imgflip. https://imgflip.com/i/7whaww

Weber, E. T., Cowherd, H. & Morales, M. (2023). Don’t just google it: Deweyan perspectives on participatory learning with online tools. Education and Culture, 38(1), 61-78. https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/eandc/vol38/iss1/art8