Teachers across the world are wielding artificial intelligence to save time and boost efficiency. From Copenhagen to Melbourne, these educators are redefining what's possible within the typical teacher's working day. I appealed to The AI Classroom Facebook group and my LinkedIn and X networks to discover just how educators are doing this.
Meet The Pioneer Educators
The Differentiation Wizard
Christoffer Dithmer, Denmark’s digital learning guru based at Vallensbæk Municipality in Copenhagen, has conjured up a differentiation chatbot using ChatGPT. This AI marvel churns out assignments at three difficulty levels, catering to every student's needs.
"It saves up to 20% of my preparation time when I'm planning edtech lessons," Dithmer reveals.
The Special Ed Superhero
Across the North Sea in Dublin, Natalie Doyle Bradley is a special education teacher working miracles. Her AI sidekick, created on PlayLab.ai, which uses ChatGPT AI technology, is a game-changer for individualized education plans.
In Bradley's own words, her AI assistant "plans for short term interventions. Creates a pre and post intervention checklist, an individualized plan, provides links to online resources and creates bespoke resources on request, all aligned with [the] curriculum."
Bradley explained that it compresses "3–4 hours work" into a mere "10 minutes."
The Math Whisperer
At the University of Hong Kong, Dr. Jennifer Chang Wathall is transforming how she prepares her math classes. Equipped with AI prompts, she generates engaging, inquiry-based lessons on tricky topics like fractions.
Here’s an example of her prompt for ChatGPT, using her IDEAS framework:
Inquire: Can you come up with an interactive 5th-grade lesson plan on fractions focusing on equivalent fractions, addition, and comparison? Any ideas for engaging, inquiry-based activities?"
Design: Draft a lesson with an engaging introduction to fractions, a hands-on activity for exploring equivalency, and a practical application for adding and comparing fractions.
Engage: Create a lively lesson plan that makes fractions relatable and exciting for 10-year-olds, prompting curiosity and interaction in the classroom.
Adapt and Synthesize: Can you give examples of how a fraction museum would work? I have 25 students so what would the instructions look like and how would I organize the activities?
"This probably saved me 80% of my time not having to look up websites and researching!" Wathall exclaimed. With AI handling the grunt work, she's free to fine-tune lessons to her students' needs.
The Leadership Guru
Danelle Almaraz, chief impact officer at InnovateED in Hacienda Heights, California, is using AI in an extremely clever way with her leaders. Her brainchild is a leadership AI chatbot, built with the ChatGPT infused Chipp.AI. The bot keeps leadership teams on track between coaching sessions.
"This saves me about 40–50 hours a month," Almaraz reports. But the real magic lies in the data. By collecting insights on current challenges, Almaraz tailors her coaching to emerging trends, staying ahead of the curve.
The Accessibility Champion
Down under in Melbourne, Craig Kenner, a resource designer at Kenny’s Classroom, is democratizing knowledge. His AI prompt transforms complex texts into digestible versions for different reading levels.
He simply types this into ChatGPT:
“Rewrite this article using simple sentences and easy-to-understand words appropriate for a 3rd-grade reading level. Ensure the key points are still conveyed, but use shorter sentences, basic vocabulary, and clear explanations. Avoid complex jargon or advanced concepts."
In his world, no student gets left behind due to reading difficulties.
Tip Of The Iceberg
These five innovators are just the tip of the iceberg. AI is supercharging human teachers. It is freeing educators to inspire, guide and connect with students.
The potential is enormous. But realizing this potential requires more than just adopting new technology; it demands a reimagining of what education can be. As AI in education evolves, so too must our approach to teaching and learning. The classroom can no longer be about consuming information, rather critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving.
The story of modern day teachers is being rewritten right now. It's a future where AI and human expertise enable learning experiences that are more efficient, effective and engaging than ever before.
The teachers who harness the power of AI today will be the ones shaping the classrooms of tomorrow.
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