The Real Winners
AI in the Classroom: As Compared to March Madness
The NCAA hosts March Madness every year in what can only be described as an electrifying national phenomena that brings excitement to people all over the country. It’s one of the most exhilarating and unpredictable sporting events of the year, attracting millions of viewers, even those who aren’t avid sports enthusiasts, or gamblers. As a former Division 1 Athlete and current Middle School Educator, I love every bit of it and watch as many games as possible. I have experienced first hand the high level of competition and the preparation and determination that goes into the pursuit of excellence. No longer lacing up my boots, and taking the pitch, I now find that same feeling of achievement, or winning, when implementing AI successfully into the classroom, and sharing the victories amongst students and colleagues alike.
At the core of delivering quality instruction and ensuring student success are effective pedagogical approaches, personalized learning opportunities, and a supportive learning environment that promotes motivation and engagement. Just as teams and players prepare tirelessly to compete in the Men’s Basketball Tournament, educators plan to deliver meaningful learning experiences by crafting engaging lessons tailored to fit the needs of their students. Like coaches who inspire greatness from their players, teachers must hold high expectations of their students, hoping everyone strives to be their best, essentially what will be necessary to win games and make a run deep into the tournament play.
Let’s take this comparison a little further. Instead of players practicing how to dribble with both hands, shoot a layup, and learn management tactics of how to waste the clock at the end of the game, think of educators and instructional coaches as bringing their AI tools and innovative teaching strategies together for the buzzer-beater win that is student success. In this scenario, it’s not about scoring points; it’s about exploring, navigating and trying new platforms to find the most effective ways to foster engagement and learning by implementing cutting-edge technology. Imagine it as a combination of creativity and transformation, where the ultimate goal isn’t to win a championship, but to reignite educators all over and revolutionize how learning and education is perceived by all. Even if you are not a die-hard sports fanatic, March Madness still entices people with the elite competition and show of athleticism from players. Just like coaches hire scouts, or watch film on other teams to plan accordingly and ensure the best match-up’s, AI platforms that make lesson planning efficient, anticipates common misconceptions, and heightens learning outcomes is like owning the playbook from the next opponent you will face. Just like coaches are under contract and have great pressure to get their teams to perform, educators should capitalize on harnessing the tools available to effectively differentiate and help close the learning gap within their classroom.
AI platforms are being released in droves, and are assisting teachers all over the world to plan with more ease, creativity, and personalization. Instead of thinking of the March Madness set-up with North, East, South, and West Regions, we can categorize the platforms under the four regions of: Lesson Planning and Curriculum Development, Ease of Use and Implementation, Personalized Learning Strategies and Assessment, and Gamification and Student Engagement. Here are the ‘tools’ that qualified for the 2024 AI in the Classroom competition:
Bracket Breakdown
Region 1: Lesson Planning and Curriculum Development
- MagicSchool.ai: Curates engaging lesson plans in seconds.
- EduAide.ai: Provides personalized learning paths with tailorable features.
- GoogleGemini: Generates creative writing prompts and assessments with relatable hyperlinks..
- Schoolai.com: Launches activities into any topic, subject, and grade level based upon criteria submitted.
Region 2: Ease of Use and Implementation
- Autodraw.com: Encourages artistic creativity with the ease of AI
- DiffIt: Differentiates instruction and readings seamlessly for diverse learners.
- Teacherbot.io: Automates tasks and saves teachers valuable time planning and delivering instruction.
- Worksheets.ai: Creates interactive and customizable worksheets.
Region 3: Personalized Learning Strategies and Assessment
- Gyosu.ai: Math specific platform that adapts learning materials to individual student needs.
- Unriddle.ai: Identifies knowledge gaps and provides targeted interventions and solutions.
- Genial.ly: Transforms learning using easy-to-use interactive templates
- Conker.ai: Offers individualized rewards and feedback to improve motivation across assessments.
Region 4: Gamification and Student Engagement
- Humy.ai: Makes learning fun with opportunities to engage with historical figures.
- Breshna.ai: Invents video-game review activities with no coding experience.
- Gibbly.co: Encourages social learning and collaborative projects similar to Blooket.
- Sorcerer by AntiMatter: Differentiates and prompts questions to encourage critical thinking skills.
Finding Teammates and Why AI Matters in Education
Start small, dabble in a few AI tools and implement short activities into the classroom until you become comfortable piloting the platforms and implementing with greater ease. Find teammates that are also striving for greatness, and are motivated to continue practicing through flops and triumphs. Make sure your team is made up of novice and veteran educators and know everyone has their role. Every competitor has their own reason for pursuing athletics at the highest level, but one thing everyone can agree upon is that you play because it is always ‘anyone’s game.’ Yes, there may be a team that is favored to win, but there is something about an upset, or an underdog that makes for headlines. Likewise, selecting an AI winner in each region, or overall champion may be difficult as the demands of each of our classrooms will be different based upon teaching style, specific needs, and student population. Each of these AI tools offers unique strengths and capabilities, assisting educators in having various alternatives to choose from. Hopefully what has been highlighted is the great power and potential these AI tools have in revolutionizing educational practices.
The Final Buzzer: The Real Winners
March Madness is more than just a basketball tournament; year after year it captivates people’s attention, regardless of their level of participation or liking of basketball. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship Game is set to tip off April 8th at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Just as the Championship Game exhilarates millions, imagine if classrooms all over could feel that same electrifying sense of winning every day. Students continuously in situations where they are experiencing the excitement of small victories as they master new concepts and hone difficult skills with the assistance of AI platforms. Their educational journey could be viewed as an individual championship pursuit or quest for excellence. Teachers, equipped with teammates in AI tools, streamlining lesson creation, planning for student misconceptions, adapting personalized learning experiences, and skyrocketing student engagement. Ultimately, converting the ordinary day into a celebration of success, just like April 8th will be for those who have the privilege to play on one of the largest national stages. Students and educators alike can bask in the glory of positive learning outcomes, knowing every achievement and every milestone conquered should be recognized with honor, just like being on stage holding the trophy as the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Champions.
So, if students and teachers are the real winners of implementing AI platforms in the classroom, what will you do to get off the bench and learn how to create an exceptional learning experience for every student? Which platform will transcend you into being a top contender in the competition? Easy layup or buzzer beater, points are points, so shoot your shot. Game on.
Additional Resources on AI in the Classroom:
- Inspiring Inquiry: https://www.inspiringinquiry.com/learningteaching/technology/ai-in-the-classroom/
- Ed Tech Magazine: https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2023/11/3-ways-educators-can-use-artificial-intelligence
- eLearning Industry: https://elearningindustry.com/incorporating-artificial-intelligence-into-classroom-examination-benefits-challenges-and-best-practices
- Department of Education: https://tech.ed.gov/ai/
- ViewSonic: https://www.viewsonic.com/library/education/ai-in-education-5-ways-it-can-assist-teachers/
7. You.com: https://you.com/