April 2024: Advice for the AI users of today and tomorrow

In this month's edition of EdTech Evolved , we're sharing actionable strategies to get the most out of your AI use. Try out these ChatGPT prompts for K-12 teachers , ask yourself these critical questions for evaluating new AI tools , experiment with AI-generated images to support your teaching practice , and learn what experts are predicting AI will be able to help you do next .

The Best ChatGPT Prompts for K-12 Teachers

Teachers are certified pros when it comes to creative ways to save time. An Education Week survey found that a typical teacher works a median of 54 hours per week , which they spend on tasks like giving feedback, lesson planning, administrative work, communicating with families... the list goes on.

It comes as no surprise, then, that within two months of ChatGPT’s introduction, 51% of teachers reported using it and 40% were already using it at least once a week. It's been estimated that automating tasks through AI could save educators an average of 5 hours per week on activity preparation alone.

So how can teachers take full advantage of this technology? Check out this complete list of prompts that teachers can use immediately for creating learning materials, analyzing student performance, communicating with families, managing schedules, and more.

Using ChatGPT to create engaging learning materials:

• Prompt for Educational Games: “Generate ideas for educational games that can help [grade level] students learn [topic/subject] more effectively.”
• Prompt for Story Starters: “Provide a list of creative story starters for a [grade level] creative writing class.”
• Prompt for Current Events: “What are some current events or issues related to [subject/topic] that can serve as the basis for a [grade level] class discussion or writing assignment?”
• Read more...

10 Questions School and District Leaders Should Ask About AI Tools

Has your school or district enacted clear policies to guide AI use yet? If not, you're not alone: 79% of educators say their districts still lack this guidance.

It's clear by now that AI can effectively help save teachers time, personalize learning content, and improve accessibility for students. That said, those benefits are still accompanied by legitimate risks. Here are the most important questions to ask in order to mitigate risk and guide evaluation of any new AI tools:

1. Educational Impact: How does the AI tool support the curriculum and educational goals of our school district?
2. Teacher Training and Support: What training and professional development opportunities are provided for teachers to effectively use the AI tool?
3. Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes: How does the AI tool enhance student engagement and contribute to improved learning outcomes?
4. Data Privacy and Security: How does the AI tool handle and protect sensitive student data?
5. Customization and Adaptability: Can the tool be customized to align with the specific needs and goals of our school district?
6. Read more...

A Guide to AI-Generated Images for Educators

How many hours have you spent creating graphic organizers from scratch? Or searching for the perfect image of a spaceship in the hopes of captivating your students during tomorrow’s science lesson? AI image generators are officially your new best friend.

DALL-E , created by OpenAI , is perhaps the most well-known text-to-image model out there right now. Built on the power of ChatGPT, it was the first AI image generator to hit the mainstream. Many third-party tools like Canva 's free AI image generator are powered by DALL-E, so you can reap its benefits without becoming a technical expert (or needing to pay for ChatGPT Plus).

Looking to spruce up a lesson? You can generate a specific illustration, diagram, or visual tailored to the topic of your choice in seconds. For example, kick off a unit on outer space by helping your students envision themselves as astronauts:

Or maybe you want to spark more creativity in your students? Try creating images to accompany your next creative writing assignment – just generate an image of a far-away fantasy land, then ask your students to write a story inspired by what they see:

Explore more ways teachers can use AI-generated images, with examples.

Predicting the Future of AI: 3 Ways EdTech Will Change for the Better

You don't need an all-seeing third eye to predict the immediate future of AI. We can already see its influence all around us, and can use that knowledge to draw conclusions about where it's headed next. Here are the top 3 ways that industry insiders believe AI will change the way we use edtech in the near future :

1. AI will flatten the edtech learning curve.

Imagine... It’s 2029. You’re a 3rd grade teacher who just finished a lesson on rounding whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100. You want to assign some practice and an exit ticket to your students. You’re sure you were trained on how to do this at the start of the year, but now you’re looking at your screen and blanking. Enter AI.

2. AI will interpret and translate our data for us.

Imagine... It’s 2029. You’re the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services at a large district. You’ve been piloting some innovative ways to reduce your rates of chronic absenteeism. Five years ago, you had to work with the district’s data management team to identify the reports you needed. Your instructions would need to be crystal clear as to the specific ways you needed to filter and sort the data. Enter AI.

3. AI will anticipate what you need, when you need it.

Imagine... It’s 2029. You’re a middle school special education teacher. You're about to head home on a Friday, when you suddenly remember that a student's IEP review date is rapidly approaching. You need to update her IEP before then, plus you still have eval reports to complete just like you do every Friday. Enter AI.

Read on to find out how AI will solve these challenges in the not-so-distant future.

That's a wrap on April's EdTech Evolved! Subscribe at the top of this page to make sure you catch next month's edition.

Check out more EdTech Evolved articles here . We'd love to hear your experiences with using AI for education –?comment below to share your advice with others!