Weekly Reflection #3

Photo credits: Growtika on Unsplash 

Think about how you’ve found generative AI useful or not for educational purposes

For me, I think the number one way that generative AI has been useful for educational purposes is simply idea generation. Whether that is for lesson plans, activities, discussion questions, or other class related items, if you are to prompt ChatGPT or another large language model with a question such as, “can you come up with 10 ideas for an activity on a lesson about trench warfare in the First World War,” it will actually come up with 10 really solid ideas for an activity for that lesson. This is super important for a couple of reasons. First, there are only so many ideas that a person can come up with. Using AI with prompts like these will ensure that we are never recycling the same ideas (especially ones that might not have landed with our students), and will always be able to try something new. I truly do believe that this will enrich the learning experience as students will never get bored of the same type of activity being used over and over again, and they will be able to engage with a multitude of different activities. 

Describe possible uses for generative AI in school settings at the level you would like to teach

There are a number of possible uses for generative AI in secondary school settings for both teachers and students that I have identified. For teachers, much like I just explained, you could use AI to come up with ideas for designed lesson plans, activities, discussion questions, or inquiry prompts aligned with the curriculum. You could also use it to design differentiated materials (such as simplified texts, extension activities, or alternative assessments for a diverse array of learners), and develop formative assessments (like exit tickets, practice questions, and rubrics). I found the Forbes article, “8 ethical ways teachers can use AI in their classrooms” super interesting as it provides ways that teachers can use AI in their classrooms. Some of the key ethical ways that it proposed were: 

• Lesson planning and differentiated instruction
• Accessibility support for diverse learners
• Generating multiple representations of a concept to match different learning styles

These sort of go along with the idea generation uses that I propose. I also agree with the articles assertion that AI should never be used to replace authentic teacher-student connection. Its role is to free up time for human relationships, not diminish them. This is where that idea generation comes into play. Teachers can free up time for their students if they aren’t having to come up with a million ideas or design so many lesson plans on their own. This is a very meaningful quote when it comes to the current debate around teachers using AI to mark students’ assignments. Teacher feedback has always been a quintessential part of the school experience and teacher-student connection. Any aspect of education that has to do with that teacher-student connection or relationship should never have AI involved as AI generated comments and feedback are just not the same. 

On the other hand, for students, generative AI can be used as a learning support tool if it comes with boundaries and less opportunities for misuse. For example, they can use it for things such as, getting explanations of concepts, using it as an aid to edit their work, or brainstorming ideas, outlines, or questions before beginning an assignment. However, they should never be using AI to do the actual work. With that being said, it becomes super important that students are given more in-class activities so there is less time to potentially go home and do the entire assignment using AI. In addition, teachers could allow students to go home and use AI to plan for an assignment (like come up with ideas or brainstorm), but then have them actually write the assignment in class. This way it breaks the stigma around AI use by actually allowing students to use it in a constructive way.

Sources:

Rubin, C.M. (2025 August 14). 8 ethical ways that teachers can use AI in their classrooms. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/cathyrubin/2025/08/14/ai-in-the-classroom-roadmap-for-educators/