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AI IN EDU CATIO N !
Autumn 2023 Edition
EXPLORE WHAT IS AI AND HOW TO LEVERAGE THE BENEFITS TO SUPPORT YOUR ROLES IN EDUCATION!
IN THIS ISSU E : + WHAT IS A I + AI TIPS + TRICKS A N D C LAS SR OO M USAG E!
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EDTECH UPDATE – AUTUMN 2023 TEACHING FOR TOMORROW WITH THE TECHNOLOGY OF TODAY Welcome to another jam-packed edition of our EdTech Update with this edition filled with all things Artificial Intelligence related! In our previous EdTech Update Bett 2023 edition, we touched on how some of the leading organisations like Microsoft and Google are integrating AI into their platforms, systems and processes. It is both exciting, and slightly perplexing, to consider how much further and how much more prominent artificial intelligence is now, just a mere 6 months later.
In this edition, we explore the basics of what AI is whilst presenting the opportunities that AI can offer in reducing workload within the sector and some of the impressive developments that can be used in active classrooms in any subject.
The benefits of AI as we continue to learn more about the potential implementations of this within the education sector will continue to grow and grow, with this growth being supported by a widening number of EdTech platform providers building AI systems and processes into the core of their products.
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EDITION CONTRIBUTORS LIAM BUGGS. CH IEF INNOVAT I O N O F F I C E R Liam Buggs is the Chief Innovation Officer at eduthing, where he supports schools with all education and curriculum-focused activities, training, and consultancies. With his experience as a teacher and senior leader in primary schools, Liam brings his education background and knowledge of school life to his work. Liam works with all stakeholders on an ongoing basis to ensure project success, workflow efficiency, and most importantly, transformative learning experiences for pupils linked to individual and personalised school curricula. He is passionate about bringing computing and educational technology to life for pupils, helping staff to realise the impact that effective use of technology can have in the classroom every day, developing digital skills to help our young children become competent digital citizens, and unlocking curiosity so that students are not just consumers but producers, tinkerers, and doers who question the why and how of the ever-evolving digital world. Liam is a strong advocate for the use of technology in education. He believes that technology can be a powerful tool for learning, and he is driven to help schools use technology effectively to improve student outcomes.
NAOMI GALE. EDT ECH SP EC I A L I ST Naomi is the EdTech Specialist at eduthing, supporting schools to develop their computing curriculums and purposefully embed technology across the curriculum. She has a passion for transforming the landscape of primary education and championing diversity in the technology sector. With a wealth of experience as a primary educator and computing subject leader, she understands the pivotal role that early education plays in shaping the future of technology. Naomi has worked with stakeholders at every level within school communities, driving the seamless integration of technology across the curriculum. She makes setting ambitious goals for computing curriculums accessible to schools, ensuring that all learners have access to an outstanding technology education. Naomi is a Professional Development Lead with the NCCE and is experienced in the delivery of training and coaching to support educators in their delivery of the computing curriculum. Naomi is also the creator of many innovative technology curriculums and experiences some of which will soon be available with eduthing. She believes that engaging children with technology through exciting and memorable experiences empowers the future generation and prepares them for the digital advancements of tomorrow.
BEVERLY CLARKE. CO NT RIB U TO R / G U E ST C O LU M N I ST Beverly Clarke is a TechWomen100 Award winner and a leader in education. A former teacher, she is an education consultant, published author, ambassador, board member, coach, mentor, speaker and trustee. Beverly, seeks to raise the outcomes for all through understanding of and access to technology. She has national and international experience of computing education. Additionally, through her childrens’ book series, she is a #SBS small business Sunday award winner. She is the author of published books - “Computer Science Teacher” – insight into the Computing classroom (2017), aimed at attracting new entrants into the computing teaching profession and of the self-published series – “The Digital Adventures of Ava and Chip” a children’s book series with the aim of making tech concepts exciting, relatable and easy to understand. To connect with Beverly use the following channels – on Twitter/Instagram (@MsBClarke), LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverly-clarke/) or to follow the book series (@AvaChipBooks). 02
W HAT I S AI A N D W HE R E HAS I T CO M E F R OM?
BY L I A M BU G G S
Artificial Intelligence seems to have risen in prominence particularly over the last 6-12 months but the early development of AI can be traced as far back as to 1940, emerging in the wake of cybernetics. The term AI is attributed to John McCarthy at the 1956 Dartmouth conference, considered the birth of the discipline. Between the 1960s and 1980s there was initial excitement around the prospect of AI, but limitations in programming and maintenance caused a decline in the interest generated. Interest and funding continued to decline in the 1980s and 1990s until 1997 when ‘Deep Blue’ beat a chess champion, piquing interest in the potential capabilities of AI once again. Fast forward to 2010 and a new boom in AI begins due to increased computing power and access to massive amounts of data. Deep learning showed promising results in various applications, such as voice and image recognition and there were significant successes including Watson winning at Jeopardy in 2011, Google's AI recognizing cats in 2012, and AlphaGo beating the Go world champion in 2016.
Since 2020, the introduction of Large Language Models has propelled the development and stature of AI producing systems that can write computer code, generate images, and write poetry. ChatGPT, a generative AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, debuted in November 2022, gaining more than 100 million users by January 2023, making it the fastest growing consumer application to date.
The field of artificial intelligence (AI) has experienced rapid evolution, marked by substantial advancements and transformations throughout its history. There are lots of AI related buzz words, but to help navigate this widening minefield, let's look at a few key phrases that you may come across!
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CRAFTING CREATIVITY: EXPLORING THE WORLD OF GENERATIVE AI
BUZZ WORDS IN THE AI REALM M ACH I N E L E A R NING: A subset of AI enabling computers to acquire knowledge without direct programming, machine learning algorithms are trained using data, utilising this information to make forecasts or determinations.
Generative AI offers opportunities for enhancement of daily teaching and learning routines in several ways. First, the automation of administrative tasks, such as grading knowledge checks and assessments saving valuable time. Generative AI can also assist in creating personalised learning materials tailored to individual student needs, whilst fostering engagement and understanding. It can generate real-time feedback on assignments, helping students track their progress and be able to access support for areas of weaker understanding with greater independence. By integrating generative AI tools into teachers' arsenal, educators can streamline administrative workflows, provide more personalised instruction and support, whilst creating a dynamic and engaging learning environment.
G EN E R AT I V E A I : A form of AI capable of generating new content, including text, images, or music. These algorithms undergo training with existing data and use that knowledge to produce outputs resembling the data on which they were trained. L AR G E L A N G UAGE M OD ELS ( LLM s): LLMs are trained on vast quantities of text sourced from various internet sources, encompassing e-books, news articles, and more. An example of a widely recognized application is ChatGPT, which obtains its capabilities from a Large Language Model (LLM).
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LINKING AI THEORY TO REAL LIFE AND INDUSTRY SECTORS BY BE V E R LY C L ARKE There is no doubt about it, almost at every turn there is now mention of Artificial Intelligence (AI). This technology is a transformative force and is impacting every sector. However, it is not explicitly taught as part of the curriculum.
ENERGY
As educators, the question is where do we start. Where are the real world examples that we can share with our pupils, alongside developing our own AI literacy.
Across the energy sector, suppliers have been investing in smart grids. These help suppliers to manage and distribute energy efficiently and sustainably. This is done through real time communication between consumers and suppliers. AI systems are able to rapidly analyse areas such as need and usage.
It is worth noting, that in this column, I am using AI as an umbrella term. There is lots to AI such as Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL). Within, this column, I do not distinguish between specific sub fields.
ENTERTAINMENT Many of the platforms we use for entertainment such as streaming services are all using AI. The AI is visible to us through “recommend content”. These recommendations are based upon our preferences and previous usage/ viewing activity. Examples, of this are Netflix and Spotify recommendations.
AI IN ACTION Let’s dive in and explore examples of AI in action in various sectors.
AGRICULTURE
HAIR AND BEAUTY
The agricultural industry is currently being transformed through the use of AI technology. AI is not just for cities. Some ways in which AI is being used, are to monitor crop health and to look at optimum times for sowing. Additionally, farmers are using AI powered drones for spraying crops, precision irrigation and managing waste reduction. This form of “precision agriculture”, is also being used by farmers to monitor soil moisture and composition. Autonomous vehicles have also made it into the world of farming and there is the emergence of autonomous tractors.
The hair and beauty industry is also making use of AI systems. This is seen in personalised customer experiences. For example, recommendations for products, can be based upon analysis of hair (scalp condition, hair condition) and skin (dry or oily skin) of a customer. The sector is also utilising “virtual try on”. A “virtual try on”, utilises facial recognition technology. This then enables a customer to see themselves with a hair style/hair cut or with makeup before they make use of a specific service.
EDUCATION
HEALTHCARE
Within education, more and more AI tools are being developed. These tools promise to “free up” educator time, such as through data analysis, automated grading and providing insights. The benefit being that educators are then able to better manage areas such as resources and budget. Through the use of using AI tools in education, learners should then have a high quality personalised learning experience.
Increasingly, AI is being used as a diagnostic tool in medicine. AI is helping doctors to identify diseases. The backdrop of this, is from diseases that have patterns, such as those with abnormal cell activity. An AI system can be trained with examples of good versus bad cells, and be able to recognise these quickly. This in turn, leads to quicker and more precise treatment for patients. 06 05
RETAIL
TRANSPORTATION
Similar to how AI is used in entertainment, AI is being used in retail to recommend items to customers based upon their preferences. The retail sector, is utilising AI tools to assist with inventory management and demand forecasting. “Virtual try on” of clothing is also being used in the retail sector, allowing customers to see themselves in clothing virtually. This leads to a new personalised shopping experience, that we have not seen before, but one which is transforming our world.
Recently the first self-driving bus taking the general public was deployed in Oxfordshire. This is not the only place to embrace autonomous vehicles. Deployment of autonomous vehicles is taking place at varying levels globally. These vehicles are being used to reduce accidents and congestion, along with optimising routes. Autonomous transport is changing the role of the driver. Traditional “bus drivers” are being described as “safety drivers”. This is because the vehicle still has a human driver, who serves as a reassurance to the public. This is an example of our changing world of work.
CLASSROOM DISCUSSION IDEAS Having seen how AI is being used across industries, let me turn my attention to classroom discussion. As teachers, we have the challenge of inspiring young minds. Here are a few ways to foster AI discussion within the classroom: + News articles – choose articles that catch your attention and share them with your learners + Ask students what tech is holding their attention and ask them to talk about it at an assembly + Video Clips – utilise video clips from sources such as BBC Click and this video which explains – What is Artificial Intelligence. + Encourage students to read books that feature AI technology, then lead whole class discussions + Lead “Read Aloud” sessions and discuss technology + Ask students how AI can enhance their learning, could they learn alongside Robots? How would this help, giving reasons, why, why not + Challenge students to discuss ways in which AI can benefit industry sectors + Ask students, where have they encountered recommendation systems in action? How did they feel about the system? Was it helpful or not? + Discuss the types of skills that are needed to work in the age of AI, this should involve “soft” as well as“technical” skills. For example, problem solving, critical thinking and collaboration, Alongside, technical skills needed in emerging jobs such as Data Scientists, AI Ethicists, AI Education Specialists + Ask students to consider if they foresee any potential issues with widescale AI deployment and usage, could any sections or groups within society be missed out or not included, such as the elderly, disabled or people without access to digital systems + Ask pupils to observe how AI is represented in the media. Is this a fair representation of AI?
BEWARE OF AI WASHING By staying informed and having regular discussion about AI, we can all play our part in ensuring that this newest of technologies is used for the benefit of all. See my next article where I talk about curricula that can be used within education to gain deeper understanding.
To conclude, every sector is investing in AI tools. We are witnessing a massive transformation of our society. It is well worth becoming a “questioning citizen” of AI and developing these skills within our learners. For example, ensuring that we don’t fall victim to “AI Washing”. “AI Washing”, is a term used when companies make claims of AI benefits and integrations of their products, without the product utilising “true AI”. Additionally, not taking into account ethical issues associated with AI. 06
UNVEILING THE DARK SIDE:
TH E P E R I L S A N D P I TFAL L S O F ART I F I C I AL IN TEL L I G EN CE
BY L I A M BU G G S
There is no doubt that with the correct implementations and uses, AI can be a force for good across all industries and sectors of life. But with the many advantages that this brings, we also need to be acutely aware of the pitfalls and dangers. So what are the potential dangers of AI, and how can we ensure that we are sufficiently digitally literate to contend with these?
BIAS AND DISCRIMINATIO N
PRIVACY CONCERNS
AI bias and discrimination can occur when AI systems make unfair or prejudiced decisions due to biases in their training data. For instance, if an AI-driven hiring tool is trained on historical data that favoured one gender or ethnicity, it may continue this bias by selecting candidates from those groups more frequently. This can perpetuate social inequalities and hinder diversity and inclusion efforts. Detecting and mitigating AI bias is crucial to ensure equitable outcomes. Transparent data collection, diverse training data, and continuous monitoring are some strategies to address this issue and promote fair AI systems that serve everyone equally.
AI privacy concerns arise from the vast data collection and analysis capabilities of AI systems. These systems often gather and process personal information without individuals' knowledge or consent. For example, facial recognition technology can identify people in public spaces without their permission, posing a threat to personal privacy. Furthermore, AI algorithms can predict individuals' behaviour, preferences, and vulnerabilities, potentially leading to invasive advertising or profiling. To address these concerns, regulations and ethical guidelines are needed to protect individuals' data privacy rights and ensure that AI applications respect user consent and data protection measures.
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SECURITY RISKS
ETHICAL DILEMMAS
Malicious actors can exploit AI to conduct cyberattacks with far greater sophistication than we have seen before. Deepfakes, a product of AI, can generate convincing fake content, raising concerns about misinformation and identity theft. The ability to identify such fake generated content has becoming increasingly more challenging with the power behind newly created AI systems. For example, websites like This Person Does Not Exist and Which Person is Real show a new AI generated person on each page refresh, the vast majority of which are incredibly challenging to identify as an AI generated image. Safeguarding against these risks requires robust cybersecurity measures, including AI-driven threat detection and defence mechanisms, to protect sensitive data and systems.
One prevalent concern is the use of AI to make life-ordeath decisions without human intervention, raising questions about accountability and the potential for unintended harm. As we have looked at, AI algorithms can perpetuate biases and discrimination, posing ethical issues related to fairness and justice. Privacy breaches, such as the unauthorised collection and analysis of personal data, raise concerns about individual rights. Striking a balance between technological advancement and ethical considerations is essential. Developing and adhering to AI ethics guidelines can help navigate these dilemmas and ensure responsible AI development and deployment.
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AI IN EDUCATION: TIPS AND TRICKS BY N AO M I GA L E Recent advancements in AI tools have led to an explosion of new platforms, apps and websites all claiming to make our teaching lives easier. But with a multitude of offerings, it can be a difficult space to navigate without becoming overwhelmed by options. An April Teacher Tapp survey showed just 17% of teachers had used AI tools to help with school workload and another 62% had never used the technology. This summary of my tried and tested Chat GPT tips & tricks as a primary school teacher aims to offer a starting point for educators dipping their toe into the world of AI tools and will hopefully save precious time in busy teaching lives. M O DE L WR I TES & WAGOL L S Presenting model writing (or a WAGOLL aka What a Good One Looks Like) to students has long been understood as invaluable for supporting their understanding of text genres, features and purposes but the task of writing these tailored to English units and assessment outcomes doesn’t need to be time-consuming with generative AI on hand to help.
PR OMPT 1 – Write a descriptive paragraph that builds suspense describing the character Susan (who is a giant human) in a bare room who hears a rustling noise at intervals while standing up and beginning to walk towards an empty metal table in the room. Use fronted adverbials and powerful verbs as well as 'show not tell' which describes her emotions using body language instead of the emotion eg. instead of saying she was scared an example of 'show not tell' it would be 'her hands shook'. Write it in past tense.
Simple, quick prompts can produce great starting points for model writing. On the right are two example prompts for a narrative paragraph aiming to build suspense and another which produces paragraphs that describe a mythical character for a wanted poster. It is even possible to add in a list of vocabulary (perhaps collected within an English learning journey or ‘magpied’ from texts the class are reading) that should be used within the passage. Once generated, it is far quicker to adjust and meet the requirements of your learners as opposed to writing the whole piece from scratch.
PR OMPT 2 – Write a short paragraph for a wanted poster describing a creature called Grendel. Avoid repeating the noun Grendel by using alternative nouns and pronouns, using powerful adjectives, commas in a list to describe the creature's appearance. In a second short paragraph describe Grendel's evil personality. Use simple and compound sentences only and make it appropriate for a 10 year older reader.
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SI M PLI FY I N G AND SUMMA R I S ING TEXTS OR I G I NA L PR OMPT – Simplify this text extract so that it can be read by a 6-year-old: Childhood Lionel was born on 24th June 1987 in Argentina. He started playing football when he was a child. He was a talented young player and he moved to Barcelona to train with their youth team when he was 13. Lionel settled quickly in Spain but his family found it harder to adapt. He stayed in Barcelona with his father while the rest of his family returned to Argentina. Lionel Messi Did You Know…? Barcelona won three European championship titles during the football season of 2008-2009 and again in 20142015. Lionel Messi is a professional footballer from Argentina. Sporting Career Lionel played his first game for FC Barcelona when he was 16. He made history as the youngest player and goal scorer in the highest division of football in Spain. Lionel was shorter than most of the other players at 5 feet 7 inches but he didn’t let that overcome him. He gained many fans with his pace and football skills.
Creating inclusive learning experiences for students is a priority for all teachers. As a result, this sometimes requires simplifying tasks and creating many differing levels of task can quickly become a lengthy process. With Chat GPT, texts can quickly be adjusted to suit a range of reading levels within the classroom. In the example prompt on the right, I have inserted a section of sample text alongside the prompt to simplify the language used. In seconds, a new passage is generated providing an additional task level. Further requests can be made as part of the prompt to keep or add key vocabulary that forms part of any planning. In this way, it is easy to ensure students are consistently exposed to new vocabulary as part of a variety of texts and prevents the exclusion of students due to over-simplification.
F OLLOW- UP PR OMPT – Regenerate this simplified version based on the original prompt but keep in the words adapt and overcome from the original text.
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AS S ES S MENT & RETRIEVAL Q UE STI ON I NG PR OMPT 1 – Write some knowledge recall questions on the key stage 2 science topic states of matter for my 8 year old students.
Questioning forms a huge part of lessons especially when looking for evidence of learning and encouraging retrieval of previously taught concepts. Presenting regular opportunities for this type of questioning can be aided by Chat GPT as a platform to generate sample quizzes or questions that relate to specific topics. A useful prompt exemplified on the right is to request ‘knowledge recall questions’ for the Key Stage 2 Science unit, States of Matter. Additionally, a marking scheme or answer sheet can be generated to support students self-marking. To add to the previous tip, multiple levels of comprehension questions can be generated alongside the texts that check children’s understanding at the touch of a button. It is even possible to create customisable fill-inthe-blank responses for the same topic or text extracts therefore creating multiple layers of question and response formats in a matter of minutes.
PR OMPT 2 – Create a fill in the gap activity suitable for 8 year olds to answer these questions with two gaps per question: What is a solid? Give an example. What is a liquid? Give an example. What is a gas? Give an example. PR OMPT 3 – Create an answer scheme for 8 year olds to these questions: What is a solid? Give an example. What is a liquid? Give an example. What is a gas? Give an example.
VO CA BULA RY TEAC HING Primary classrooms are vocabulary rich environments and teachers are skilled curators of the words we know our students need. Chat GPT is great for producing succinct, age-appropriate definitions in seconds. These can be plastered on walls, copied onto matching cards, and added to presentations. Resources that can take real time when adjusting Googled definitions to suit the comprehension of classes. In Chat GPT, the word list can be specifically tailored to your curriculum and teaching or even be used in-the-moment to define unfamiliar words. The example on the right shows how a prompt can be used to provide definitions for a selection of words pulled from the chapter of a book. Chat GPT can even classify words based on their level of challenge, something often referred to in schools as ‘tiered’ vocabulary.
PR OMPT – Write a simple definition for 8 year olds for each of these words: barren, cavern, swarmed, anvil, procession, plunged.
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W I DE R CUR RIC ULUM RE S OUR CE S
PR OMPT 1 – List 4 physical and 5 human features in Iceland that would be interesting for 8 year olds to learn about in a geography lesson.
A ‘broad and balanced curriculum’ is a familiar turn of phrase in primary schools across the land and teachers spend a lot of time developing inspiring learning experiences for the vast array of foundation subjects. The curriculum coverage would be enough to challenge any general knowledge expert so Chat GPT can become excellent support when it comes to knowledge gaps. Remember it is important to check the accuracy of responses, but Chat GPT can still save considerable time even with this in mind. The example provided here shows a series of prompts aiming to generate a selection of physical and human features in Iceland for a Geography lesson. This example demonstrates how sometimes it is necessary to replace subject-specific words like ‘human’ with ‘manmade’ or add a description of the term for a more accurate response. The result is a list of physical and human features tailored to the country focus of that school’s Geography unit with the potential for producing accompany definitions, questioning and varying level texts alongside.
PR OMPT 2 – In geography, human features are things like houses, roads and bridges. They have been built by people. Can you list 5 human features in Iceland that will be interesting for 8 year olds to learn about? PR OMPT 3 – Name a famouse fjord, glacier and volcano in Iceland. While this merely scratches the surface of time-saving tips and tricks, it presents a starting point and ‘one-stop-shop’ in Chat GPT to cover a range of the day-to-day tasks of teachers. For more AI tips & tricks come along to our webinar, Using AI to Reduce Teacher Workload, which will include more examples, live demos as well as a question & answer session.
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AI IN EDTECH - CANVA BY N AO M I GA L E Canva has been the rising star in graphic design across a whole host of industries. Its user-friendly tools make it a fantastic platform for students as it allows them to create professional-standard posters, presentations and videos. Canva is hot on the tail of AI advancements gradually adding in tools, powered by AI technology, that make it even easier for students to interact with. Consider this guide the rundown of the recent additions with handy tips and ideas on how this may present exciting opportunities in the classroom. still being hashed out. However, this is still a tool in your teacher kit that will help to save significant time producing resources and documents for lessons. Canva also promises multiple layers of safeguards that ensure that the AI-generated content is safe.
M AG I C D E S I G N Canva Magic Design tools are here to save time and bring design possibilities to the most novice of users. This makes it perfectly suited to children and builds on their understanding of choosing appropriate designs that meet the purpose of their task to target specific audiences. Particularly useful when producing posters or fliers. With this tool, users can upload an image and the Magic Design tool will present a selection of suggested templates that include the chosen image. Once a template is chosen, students can just change the existing text or make small adjustments to meet their purpose. Gone are the days of inserting every text box, shape, and image. Instead, digital posters become a faster and more achievable outcome in the classroom.
T E AC H E R T I P Use Magic Write to create tasks that can tackle your students' misconceptions in-the-moment. For example, following an English write, you notice your students are making errors spelling the homophones their, there and they’re. With Magic Write, craft a prompt asking for a short paragraph containing 5 errors with these words. In moments, a resource is produced that can be shared with students and quickly address misconceptions in their learning.
TEACH E R T I P Poster creation no longer needs to mean getting out the A3 paper and coloured pencils. Capture students’ understanding across multiple subjects by providing a selection of images as starting points that can then be quickly converted into poster templates using Magic Design. Got a school event coming up? Use Magic Design to promote fairs, productions and sales at the touch of button. With Magic Design, the onus on students is to fill in the content of the page while the burden of designing the poster is scaffolded and supported to reduce the time it takes.
MAG I C PR E S E NTAT I ON Similar to Magic Write, this tool will generate presentations in seconds based on a prompt written in 100 words or less. Again, a tool not yet available for student use but will save heaps of time for educators preparing presentations for a variety of everyday teaching tasks. T E AC H E R T I P Got a Meet the Parents session booked in this term? Use Magic Presentation to produce a professional design quickly. Try out the prompt: Meet the teacher presentation informing parents about new school year group.
M AG I C W R I T E Magic Write is a Canva tool that can be used within a range of Canva areas. This is Canva’s AI text generator offering and from simple prompts Magic Write will generate text in a multitude of styles and genres. It’s a tool only available for educators, which is probably best while plagiarism and safeguarding concerns are 13
AN IMAT I O N & VID EO
MAG I C E R AS E R
Canva Animation simplifies the process of creating animated content allowing students to create increasingly advanced videos. The existing library of templates creates brilliant starting points that enable students to explain their understanding of learning in new and exciting ways. The motion dragging function requires users just to drag the object along a chosen pathway which will then be animated. The path can then be adjusted using tools that change the effect, style and speed of the movement. Canva’s One-Click Video Background Remover also removes the background from existing recordings uploaded onto the platform while the Beat Sync function perfectly marries audio tracks to the video content.
Magic Eraser does exactly what it suggests and removes unwanted parts or backdrops from images. Using a free-drawing tool with adjustable brush size, users can highlight an area of a picture which will then automatically be removed and replaced with a background consistent with the rest of the image. It can also remove the background from a picture replacing it with a transparent backdrop. T E AC H E R T I P Use this tool to add children and teachers alike to a whole host of backdrops from simply posed photos. Add student photos to an Ancient Roman battlefield, the top of Mount Everest, or even the Taj Mahal, the world is your oyster with this fun feature.
TEACH E R T I P Using the template search tool makes it easy to find a selection of pre-made animations that students can add to. For example, typing ‘digestion’ into the search bar returns several options including an animated cross section of the human body showing the journey of food through the digestive organs. Remove the existing explanations within the video and a fun task is created for students to demonstrate their understanding by inserting their own knowledge of each organ.
T E AC H E R AC C E S S
ST U D E N T AC CE S S
Magic Design
✓
✓
Magic Write
✓
X
Magic Presentation
✓
X
Magic Erase
✓
✓
Animation
✓
✓
Beat Sync
✓
✓
Draw
✓
✓
CA NVA TOOL
D RAW Canva Draw is a free-drawing tool that can be used by students to add sketches, drawings, and diagrams to blank or existing templates. The well-stocked template library provides ready-made backdrops that students can be directed to interact with such as mind maps, story boards, timelines and the list goes on. Also, with the built-in, AI-powered Shape Assist it is easy to hand draw shapes which then automatically become a graphic that can be interacted with as part of the document. Once the shape is drawn, users automatically have the ability to resize, move, change colour and add text. New AI features are in pipeline within Canva Draw too such as a drawing function which will then suggest images from the graphics library based on your sketch.
Want to learn more about how you can use Canva to enliven teaching and learning in the classroom? Sign up for our Cross Curricular Creating in Canva webinar that will dig deeper into how these tools can be used for a range of subjects.
TEACH E R T I P This creates a space for mind mapping, collating ideas, and designing that can automatically sync to the interactive whiteboard when working on shared documents. Imagine it as a collective ideas space that takes flipchart paper to the next level. 14 11
PERFECT PROMPTING THE N EXT 21ST DIGITAL SKILL BY LIAM BU GG S
We often discuss the 21st century skills as being critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity. But with the rise of AI, a new digital skill is rapidly becoming more and more valued the skill of perfect prompting. If we just look at recent Google Trends data regarding prompt engineer jobs over the past 12 months, we can see that there was a particular peak in April 2023, and that interest in this career has maintained well above previous levels.
I N T E R E ST OV E R T I M E 100 75 50 25 0 October 2, 2022
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Providing as much detail as possible when inputting prompts can dramatically change the output and impact of items generated. What are the elements that we can add to build up a perfect prompt?
C LEA R , S PEC IFIC INSTRUC TIO N S B AD P R O MP T
‘Write something on brushing teeth’
G OO D P R O MP T
‘Make a list of reasons why brushing your teeth is a good idea. Each item in the list should be a sentence of less than 15 words’
C ON TE XTUAL INF O RM ATIO N B AD P R O MP T
“Write an essay”
G OO D P R O MP T
“Write a persuasive essay arguing for the importance of renewable energy sources imitigating climate change.”
U SE EXA MPL ES O F THE DESIR E D O U T P U T: B AD P R O MP T
“Generate a painting of a cat”
G OO D P R O MP T
“Generate a painting of a cat in Van Gogh’s style”
When it comes to prompt engineering, it's important to remember that there are no right or wrong answers. To find the most suitable prompts for your particular use case, you may need to try multiple times and experiment again till you get responses and content that you are satisfied with. 15
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AI IN E DU CAT I O N QUI Z L E T BY N AO M I GA L E
The boom in AI powered platforms presents many exciting possibilities for task design in the classroom. Quizlet has, for a long time now, been a popular site for creating digital flashcard activities that support retainment of key facts. Retrieval practice forms an important part of everyday teaching and has, in recent times, received greater awareness in schools. R E TR I E VA L PRAC TIC E ‘NEED-TO -KN OW S’ 1. Retrieval practice is a well-evidenced approach that supports learners to strengthen long-term memory. 2. It is not about repeatedly teaching concepts over and over to embed knowledge. 3. It is the act of learners practising bringing forward knowledge from their previous learning at regular intervals. 4. Students are encouraged to experience the struggle of remembering – it’s good for learners to find this hard, it is strengthening the connections in their brain! 5. To practise remembering, learners should not have access to the information they are retrieving – this allows both teacher and students to know what they do/do not remember. 6. There are a variety of retrieval methods including; flashcards, quizzes, concept maps… 7. Learners are taught a self-study skill that enables them to further their own learning. 8. This approach is often presented as a way to combat the ‘forgetting curve’ a representation which shows how memories weaken over time if learning isn’t returned to. So, what does this look like in the classroom? In comes Quizlet with new AI-powered features that allow teachers to quickly generate a variety of retrieval tasks. And while it is possible to use a lot of these new features for free, a small fee is attached to having unlimited access.
M AGI C N OT ES Magic notes is an AI feature that allows teachers to copy in notes on a topic which will then be generated into a summary, outline and flashcards. There is a 50,000-character limit which makes it possible to add in plenty of content! I have used this by copying facts from a BBC Bitesize page on Anglo-Saxon Crime & Punishment but you could just as easily copy text from presentations and tasks that have been used in lessons too. This quickly generates a bullet-point summary of the information which can also be simplified further at the click of a button. Magic notes also generates an outline suggesting how the information can be grouped. 17
MAGI C N OT ES C O NTINUED However, if that wasn’t impressive enough already, by far the best generated content are the flashcards. Using the notes uploaded, a set of double-sided flashcards are created. On one side will be a key term and on the other in the definition or fact this term refers to. At this point it is also easy to edit the cards if needed to support interaction. In my Anglo-Saxon example, I chose to change the term ‘leader of the village’ to a question; What is the responsibility of the leader of the village? Everything else is generated by the built-in AI tools and, in my example, 11 flashcards were created. These can be clicked through using the arrows and clicking on the flashcards turns it over to reveal the information. Being ‘blind’ to the information initially really challenges your students to retrieve what they know However, if that wasn’t impressive enough already, by far the best generated content are the flashcards. Using the notes uploaded, a set of double-sided flashcards are created. On one side will be a key term and on the other in the definition or fact this term refers to. At this point it is also easy to edit the cards if needed to support interaction. In my example, I have chosen to change the term ‘leader of the village’ to a question; What is the responsibility of the leader of the village? Everything else is generated by the built-in AI tools and, in my example, 11 flashcards were created. These can be clicked through using the arrows and clicking on the flashcards turns it over to reveal the information.
US I N G QUI ZL ET F L ASHCARDS FO R R E TR IE VA L And the AI powered flashcard tools only scratch the surface of Quizlet’s AI offerings. With memory scores and Q-Chat, Quizlet’s AI tutor, it has so much more the give in the primary classroom. Want to know more? Come and join us for our webinar, AI Apps & Platforms to Support Teaching & Learning. Scan the QR code to get booked in!
Having used the AI tools to create flashcards in seconds, Quizlet takes this even further by providing a number of options for interacting with them. There are options to learn, test or match with the set of cards. By clicking on ‘learn’ I can choose the pathway to ‘memorise it all’ which focuses on building long-term memory over time. It then prompts the user to give an idea of their confidence level with the information. This will automatically tailor the learning to start with more/less challenging questions. It proceeds to a multiple-choice quiz, which can be done with the class, that tests their knowledge of each term. When questions are answered incorrectly, they are presented more regularly within the quiz. After completing the quiz, the terms are grouped into ‘mastered’ and ‘still learning’ making it quick to identify which knowledge was more challenging to retrieve and needs continued rehearsal to embed in the long-term memory. The second option to ‘test’ students, allows greater controls on the types of questions and responses. There are controls to enable or disable the questions types of true/false, multiple choice, matching and written. By changing the question types more or less demand can be placed on students’ retrieval. For example, by limiting the responses to ‘written’ there is no information displayed for students to lean on thereby giving a greater sense of what students have remembered. This ensures they experience the ‘struggle’ of recall to better embed the knowledge in the long-term memory. Quizlet also offers a matching cards feature which presents a fun retrieval game to use in the classroom. 18 11
AI CURRICULUMS BY B E V E R LY C L A R K E Let’s talk about AI in education. There are a few ways to look at AI in education, such as teacher knowledge and skills, along with deployment of AI tools to improve the teaching and education experience. Then there are resources with which to impart AI knowledge to our pupils. In this column, I am going to introduce you to ideas, concepts and curriculums which you can thread into your teaching. These will help to assist with bridging the gap between disruptive, fast moving technology and education. Together, lets dive into practical resources to help with teaching AI.
5 BIG IDEAS IN AI My starting point is the “5 Big Ideas in AI” from AI4K12.org as the name suggests there are five Big Ideas associated with Artificial Intelligence. Alongside each big idea is an explanation of what is meant by the idea. Although based on the American education system, the 5 Big Ideas are a leading example of embedding teaching of AI into education. Following on from this top level, the “Big Ideas” are further broken down into easy to understand strands, such as shown in the image below. Funded by National Science Foundation Award DRL-1846073
Five Big Ideas in 1. Perception Artificial Intelligence 5. Societal Impact
AI can impact society in both positive and negative ways. AI technologies are changing the ways we work, travel, communicate, and care for each other. But we must be mindful of the harms that can potentially occur. For example, biases in the data used to train an AI system could lead to some people being less well served than others. Thus, it is important to discuss the impacts that AI is having on our society and develop criteria for the ethical design and deployment of AI-based systems.
4. Natural Interaction
Intelligent agents require many kinds of knowledge to interact naturally with humans. Agents must be able to converse in human languages, recognize facial expressions and emotions, and draw upon knowledge of culture and social conventions to infer intentions from observed behavior. All of these are difficult problems. Today’s AI systems can use language to a limited extent, but lack the general reasoning and conversational capabilities of even a child. _ The AI for K-12 Initiative is a joint project of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), funded by National Science Foundation award DRL-1846073
Draft Big Idea 5 - Progression Chart
Computers perceive the world using sensors. Perception is the process of extracting meaning from sensory signals. Making computers “see” and “hear” well enough for practical use is one of the most significant achievements of AI to date.
AI can impact society in both positive and negative ways.
Big Idea #5: Societal Impact Concept Ethical AI (Diversity of Interests and Disparate Impacts)
2. Representation & Reasoning
Agents maintain representations of the world and use them for reasoning. Representation is one of the fundamental problems of intelligence, both natural and artificial. Computers construct representations using data structures, and these representations support reasoning algorithms that derive new information from what is already known. While AI agents can reason about very complex problems, they do not think the way a human does.
5-A-i
K-2
6-8
9-12
LO: Evaluate the ways a decision impacts people differently.
LO: Evaluate how an AI technology can have different effects on different groups of people.
LO: Evaluate the ways various stakeholders' goals and values influence the design of AI systems.
LO: Explain how use of AI systems has led to disparate impacts on different groups.
EU: Computers can sometimes make a decision that works for most people but harms or disadvantages other people.
EU: The decisions made when developing an AI system can impact different people and communities in different ways.
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EU: The behavior of AI systems is determined by the choices of the designers, which may involve tradeoffs between conflicting goals and values. if other stakeholders' perspectives aren't given sufficient weight, there could be negative consequences for users.
EU: Different groups of people may be affected differently by AI systems.
Unpacked: Some examples of AI technology that work differently for different groups include: speech recognition that works well for native English speakers but poorly for speakers with accents, and some facial recognition software that works well for adult white males but less reliably for women, children, or people with darker skin tones.
Ethical AI (Ethical Design Criteria)
3. Learning
5-A-ii
Computers can learn from data. Machine learning is a kind of statistical inference that finds patterns in data. Many areas of AI have progressed significantly in recent years thanks to learning algorithms that create new representations. For the approach to succeed, tremendous amounts of data are required. This “training data” must usually be supplied by people, but is sometimes acquired by the machine itself.
www.AI4K12.org
LO = Learning Objective: What students should be able to do. EU = Enduring Understanding: What students should know. Unpacked descriptions are included when necessary to illustrate the LO or EU
Unpacked: Disparate impacts can occur when the designers of a system do not adequately consider
differences among users. For example, using past medical expenditures to estimate how sick a patient is Unpacked: Stakeholders include the designers, the assumes that everyone has the same level of health users, other people concerned with the welfare of the users, and possibly advertisers or content creators. For an coverage. Using this esimate to direct more aggressive example of a conflict, consider app designers whose goal care to the sickest patients will have disparate impacts on people with less health coverage. Undetected biases in is to entice people to watch ads so that they can make machine learning systems (e.g., resume screening money. This may negatively impact users who are applications) can also have disparate impacts on some seduced into wasting too much time viewing content, or groups. who have their world views distorted by repeated exposure to misinformation selected for its likelihood of Resource: https://www.scientificamerican. attracting clicks, or parents who want their children to com/article/racial-bias-found-in-a-major-health-care-riskspend their time more productively. algorithm/
LO: Discuss the characteristics of systems that are fair LO: Evaluate how an AI system meets the design criteria LO: Evaluate how an AI system meets the design criteria of accountability and respect for privacy. and unfair and the impact on people when a system is not of transparency and explainability. fair. EU: An AI system is transparent if we know what data and EU: Accountability in AI systems means designers and decision makers take responsibility for the system's decision making criteria it uses. Part of transparency is EU: AI systems should be designed to benefit people. actions. Respect for privacy means the system does not having the system provide explanations for its decisions. Creators of these systems should make sure that their act in ways that violate people's privacy rights. systems treat everyone fairly. Resources: https://appinventor.mit.edu/about/termsofservice Activity: Facilitate an in-class exercise focused on fair https://teachablemachine.withgoogle.com/faq#Basics distribution of limited goods, such as deciding how to https://quickdraw.withgoogle.com/data share 10 peices of candy among 15 students, to help https://experiments.withgoogle.com/quick-draw (see article students think personally about what fairness and and video) unfairness feel like. Resources: Fairness teaching guide, Fairness & Justice
LO: Analyze an AI system to determine whether it satisfies ethical design criteria. EU: To ensure that AI systems are helpful and not harmful, ethical design criteria include: fairness, transparency, explainability, accountability, respect for privacy, and adherance to societal values. Unpacked Fairness means treating people equally. Transparency means disclosing what information a system uses and how it uses it. Explainability means being able to justify the decisions a system makes. Accountability means being clear about who is responsible for the actions an AI system takes. Respect for privacy means not acting in ways that could undermine people's privacy. Adherence to societal values means not acting in ways counter to those values. Resources: Catalog of resources on AI ethics: https://aiartists.org/aiethics Model Cards (promoting transparency and accountability): https://modelcards.withgoogle.com/about
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GET UP TO SPEED ON AI
V.0.1 - Released December 22, 2022
To get up to speed on AI and improve your knowledge, my top recommendation is this resource from Microsoft. In addition to the teaching resources/curricula which I will detail later on in this column. Most of the material, allows teachers to learn alongside pupils, so dive right in and explore.
Subject to change based on public feedback
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+ Coded Bias on Netflix + Computer Says No on BBC Moving on, let’s see what can you use in the classroom. I recommend, reading for pleasure around AI before getting hands on!
My other recommendation for your CPD, is to watch these two documentaries. They highlight the ethical issues around the deployment of Artificial Intelligence technology. 19
IN THE PRIMARY CL ASSROOM
RESOURCE LINKS
The recommendations below are best suited to upper key stage 2. + Projects | Computer coding for kids and teens Raspberry Pi + Machine Learning for Kids
IN THE SECONDARY CL ASSROOM There are a lot more secondary resources available. Many are great US resources, in addition to UK material. The resources here are all suitable for supporting delivery at key stage 3. UK + Experience AI (experience-ai.org) + National Centre for Computing Education (yr8) + Artificial Intelligence - BClarke + Machine Learning Standard | Apps For Good US + Learn about Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Code.org + Alternate Unit: Artificial Intelligence – Exploring Computer Science (exploringcs.org) By understanding what is available, to teach AI concepts, you will be better placed to help with teaching and imparting 21st century skills to your learners.
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AI BO O K C OR NE R
BY B E V E R LY C L A R K E
In this column, I am opening up the “pages of knowledge” and exploring books with an Artificial Intelligence (AI), theme and content. These books are part of your knowledge bank. Using these books will support you in building your AI literacy, and to have a greater impact in the classroom. Additionally, I am suggesting books that feature AI, which can be put onto the school bookshelf or recommended for the home bookshelf. This will encourage learners to read for pleasure on this disruptive technology, that is changing and shaping our world, and thus begin to question the impact of tech on their current and future lives.
FOR TEACHERS
T E AC H I NG A I – E X PLOR I NG NE W F R ONT I E R S F OR LE A R NI NG
I HAV E T H R E E TOP P IC KS FOR YO U:
Michelle Zimmerman Taking a project based approach, this ISTE book, encourages the teacher reader to explore and solve real world problems. It is easy to read, set against a stage with different characters encouraging you to engage with the scenario. Reflections on AI are threaded through the book. Technical terms are clearly explained, and there are links to lots of resources and activities throughout. This book also has an excellent glossary.
AI F O R S CH O O L T EAC HERS
Rose Luckin, Karine George and Mutlu Cukurova Framed around the AI readiness framework, from Educate Ventures Research. This book takes the teacher reader on an easy to understand journey of “How to be AI ready”. You gain an understanding of purchasing the appropriate AI tools for your setting, alongside how to use AI effectively and how to help others with understanding AI. Used in combination with the online resources, there is access to an “AI ready” diagnostic. Online, there are also options to register to be kept up to date with AI courses and other material.
FOR YOUR LEARNERS Let me turn my attention to AI focused books that will capture the imagination of young minds. This can be challenging as many books seem to portray AI with a narrative of robots and fear. AI is much more than robots! Below are my top picks to spark curiosity in the pupil reader around technology, and to foster reading for pleasure around technology.
HEL LO WO R L D M AGAZINE A free magazine for computing and digital making educators. Issue 5 (May 2018) features a few articles on AI. Issue 12 (March 2020) has a machine learning focus. There is also a soon to be released issue with an AI and education focus. 21
RECEPTION AND PRIMARY
F OR T H E OLDE R OR MOR E A DVA NC E D R E A DE R , T H E F OLLOW I NG I S MY TOP P I CK !
N EU R A L N E T WORKS F OR BABIES
SECONDARY
Despite the title, suggesting this is for babies, it is dealing with the complex topic of neural networks. This would make a good fun book for reception age pupils.
A RT I F I C I A L I NT E LLI G E NC E Presented in the Ladybird book format that many of us will remember from our own childhoods, this is a great historical snapshot of AI, that is beautifully presented by Michael Woolridge. Recommended for pupils and teachers!
A F R E S H S Q U E EZE ON DATA A Fresh Squeeze on Data is a multi-author book, supported by tech company Cloudera, in partnership with Ready AI. In picture book format, this is suitable for primary aged pupils, who can get immersed in the world of the two main characters, Clara and Alex as they problem solve with data.
I would love to hear of any top picks that you have come across! Do reach out and let me know. In the meantime if you are looking for more ideas in general around Technology Books for Children, I run a Facebook Group which features Technology Books for Children https://www.facebook.com/groups/450016607230045
THE D I G I TA L A DVENT URES O F AVA A N D CH IP
BOOK CORNER LINKS
TechWomen100 award winner, Beverly Clarke This series, follows siblings Ava and Chip as they learn about the digital world through trips with their mum, against the backdrop of a Smart City. Book 1, takes Ava and Chip to the Smart City, in Book 2 they travel in a self-driving car. A third title is soon to be released. The series is suitable for primary aged pupils.
M ACH I N E L E A R NING AND ART IFIC IAL IN TE L L I G E N CE FOR KID S
Dr.Dhoot This four book collection, introduces machine learning and artificial intelligence to young readers in an easy to understand and fun format. This is suitable for key stage 1 readers.
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