The Nazarene

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning Report

Teacher Professional Learning: AI and Learning

 

On Monday 24 April, Nazareth College teachers and administration staff participated in a Professional Learning Day, focused on the topic of eLearning.

 

Our Key Note Address was from Louise Lambert, Team Lead Learning Technologies at MACS. She spoke about Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Learning. She explained what AI is and the ethical issues surrounding its use in schools.

 

The main focus was on tools such as ChatGPT. ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence program that allows users to ask it to do mostly anything, like write a well-crafted and convincing essay. ChatGPT has been in the news quite a bit recently. ChatGPT was launched as a prototype November 30, 2022. ChatGPT was quickly picked up and reported as 'new technology' when really it was just an advance in prompt-response AI that could carry out a range of tasks and generate new information in text, visual and audio form. Many teachers and technologists engaged, experimented and shared their ChatGPT experiences on LinkedIn. People reading and talking about ChatGPT started to worry about what it will mean for teaching and learning.

 

In 2022, the Pope called for an ecumenical response to AI. This is know as the Rome Call for AI Ethics. AS stated in the documents, 

“The Rome Call for AI Ethics points to a new #algorethics, requesting the development of an artificial intelligence that serves every person and humanity as a whole; that respects the dignity of the human person, so that every individual can benefit from the advances of technology; and that does not have as its sole goal greater profit or the gradual replacement of people in the workplace".

 

You can read the Rome Call for AI Ethics at the site https://www.romecall.org/the-call/

 

MACS are working to develop a policy on the use of AI in the classroom. Teachers will wait until this policy has been developed. 

 

I asked ChatGPT to summarise how AI can be used secondary classrooms. This was the response:

 

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be used in secondary school classrooms in various ways, such as:

  1. Personalized Learning: AI can help teachers personalize learning by analyzing students' data and creating individualized lesson plans based on their strengths and weaknesses.
  2. Grading and Feedback: AI can also be used for grading assignments and providing feedback, allowing teachers to focus on providing more targeted instruction.
  3. Virtual Assistants: AI-powered virtual assistants can provide students with answers to their questions, help them with their homework, and offer suggestions for further reading or research.
  4. Interactive Learning: AI can create interactive learning experiences that engage students and make learning more enjoyable. For example, AI can be used to create virtual simulations of historical events, scientific experiments, or other subjects.
  5. Data Analysis: AI can help teachers analyze student performance data and identify areas where students may need additional support or intervention.
  6. Language Learning: AI-powered language learning tools can help students improve their language skills by providing real-time feedback on pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.

Overall, AI has the potential to enhance the teaching and learning experience in secondary schools by providing personalized instruction, feedback, and support to students.

 

As educators, we will be looking to find the balance between child safety and the use of a powerful new teaching tool!

 

 

Ms Claire Nailon

Deputy Principal Teaching and Learning