The Artificial Intelligence driven transformation of education can be scary if we consider the possibility of us teachers being replaced by machines. It’s one thing watching RoboCop patrol the hood and keep crime in check, but it’s quite another to envision a RoboTeacher leading a class of young humans in their quest for self-betterment, or better yet, self-preservation.

My mama always said “you have to know the language of your enemy” whenever I’d complain about being forced to study Russian in elementary school. I still don’t know Russian, at least not well enough to put Putin in his place, but I think the lesson my mother was trying to convey was that I’d be better prepared to survive and thrive in an uncertain world if I learn and adapt to the conditions this ever-changing world presents.

And while I don’t believe a thinking computer system will replace me anytime soon, the fact that AI is rapidly transforming many industries, education included, gives me a pause and I can’t help but reflect on how I and others who ply the teaching trade might learn and adapt not just to it, but it, in the pursuit of education for all.

And so my journey of leveraging AI to enhance my teaching and my students’ learning has begun. As I learn, I adopt, and I share. Below are a few things I’ve discovered thus far.

Getting Started with AI-Aided Lesson Planning

Start small. Identify your specific needs. What are your biggest challenges with lesson planning? What could AI help you with?

Next, experiment with different AI tools. There are a variety of AI tools available, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. I recommend experimenting with Google’s Bard and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Just type in a prompt and see what the chatbot does. Ask for a lesson plan on Amelia Earhart. Then, make the prompt more specific. Then, specify some more, ask for examples, and see what happens.

Don't rely on AI entirely. AI can be a valuable tool, but it is important to remember that it is not a replacement for teacher judgment. Use AI to generate ideas and suggestions, but use your own expertise to create and implement lesson plans that are best suited for your students.

Easier and Enhanced Lesson Planning

AI-powered tools can save teachers time by creating engaging, differentiated lessons in seconds. Here are some specific examples of how AI can be used to enhance lesson planning:

1. Brainstorming ideas: AI can help teachers come up with new and innovative ideas for their lessons. Ask Bard or ChatGPT to generate a list of ideas for a lesson or a student project or a list of topics for student research. AI can also help refine and develop these ideas based on additional prompts you put in.

2. Finding resources: AI can help teachers find high-quality resources for their lessons. Search the web for resources on a specific topic, and ask the AI to filter the results to find resources that are appropriate for your grade level and subject area. The trick is to include this information in the prompt.

3. Creating activities: AI can help teachers create interactive activities for their lessons. Ask the AI to create a worksheet, a quiz, a game, or a simulation and see what happens. Even if the product is a little rough around the edges, it will give you something you can use after a little polishing.

So What?

Artificial Intelligence can save teachers hours of time by automating the process of creating lesson plans. AI can take into account the teacher's subject area, grade level, and learning objectives to generate comprehensive and engaging lesson plans. As AI continues to develop, so will more innovative ways to use it to enhance lesson planning.

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