Critical Use of AI in the Classroom

Artificial intelligence (AI) presents both promise and problems for educators and learners. Tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, and Magic School offer unprecedented opportunities for educators to enhance their craft and create engaging lessons, activities, assessments, rubrics, and exemplars of student work. They also may perpetuate bias and misinformation. How can educators support learners to use AI appropriately? How can we leverage AI to engage learners in higher order thinking? How can we apply AI to efficiently design experiences that scaffold learning and minimize student misuse? 

Participants will learn how generative AI works and how it can and cannot be used. They will consider how to use AI to conserve time and expand opportunities to engage and support learners. The activity guide explores the use of AI in the design of content supporting critical thinking in the classroom.

Participants will be able to:

Part 1 — Overview of AI & Large Language Models

• Describe what constitutes artificial intelligence (AI) and what it does and does not do.
• Identify implications of generative AI for bias and inaccurate information.

Part 2 — Using AI for the Practice of Teaching

• Compare and contrast general and special purpose AI tools for use in the classroom.
• Apply AI tools to instruction, assessment, content generation, and administrative tasks.

Part 3 — Using AI to Support Student Learning

• Reflect on supporting learners to use AI critically.
• Reflect on plagiarism concerns around student use of AI and the possibilities for AI-resistant learning experiences.