Welcome to this week’s newsletter, where we continue exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and education. This week, we’re thrilled to feature the AI Pedagogy Project as our AI Tool of the Week. Developed by metaLAB (at) Harvard, this resource is packed with lesson plans, guides, and tools designed to help educators and librarians integrate AI thoughtfully into their teaching. Alongside this exciting tool, we’re sharing engaging assignments and thought-provoking articles to help you navigate the opportunities and challenges AI presents in education. Let’s dive into the resources that will empower you and your students to thrive in a digital world.
Notebook LM Deep Dive:
AI Tool of the Week: The AI Pedagogy Project
The AI Pedagogy Project is an initiative by metaLAB (at) Harvard, a research and teaching unit at Harvard University. This project offers a rich suite of resources designed to help educators and librarians integrate artificial intelligence thoughtfully into their work. Whether you're introducing AI concepts in a classroom or developing digital literacy programs in your library, this tool is an excellent starting point.
Key Features:
AI Guide: An interactive guide that simplifies AI concepts, classroom policies, and responsible usage, making AI more approachable for educators and students alike.
Assignments: A curated collection of assignments designed to foster informed discussions about the risks, benefits, and implications of AI in various contexts.
Resources: A library of additional materials, including tutorials and external links, to expand your AI knowledge base.
The AI Pedagogy Project stands out for its focus on ethics and inclusivity, ensuring educators and librarians can approach AI with confidence and purpose. These resources will help you enhance critical thinking, spark meaningful conversations, and prepare students to engage responsibly in an AI-driven world.
Explore the AI Pedagogy Project today and see how it can transform your teaching and learning approach!
Lesson Plans
The AI Pedagogy Project offers some amazing activities for students that help teach AI digital literacy and more. Here are three that I highly recommend:
Illustrate a Hoax:
This engaging assignment helps students explore how AI can create convincing yet false narratives. By designing their own hoax using AI tools, students develop critical thinking and digital literacy skills while reflecting on the ethical implications of AI-generated misinformation.A Truth, A Lie, and a Blurry Line:
This thought-provoking assignment challenges students to navigate the complexities of truth and misinformation. By crafting one true statement, one false statement, and one ambiguous statement with the help of AI tools, students sharpen their ability to analyze and discern information while exploring the ethical challenges of AI in media and communication.AI Misinformation Campaign:
This powerful assignment immerses students in the process of designing an AI-driven misinformation campaign. By understanding how misinformation spreads and identifying the tools and techniques used to create it, students develop critical media literacy skills. This activity encourages reflection on the ethical implications of misinformation and equips students to recognize and combat deceptive practices in the digital world.
AI Ethics Corner: "AI is a Bag of Glass" by Tom Mullaney
This week, we’re spotlighting a thought-provoking piece by Tom Mullaney, titled "AI is a Bag of Glass". In this article, Mullaney masterfully explores the dual nature of AI: its potential to transform education and its inherent risks if used carelessly. He uses the metaphor of a "bag of glass" to illustrate the complexity and fragility of integrating AI into our schools and society.
I always enjoy reading Tom’s insights because of his balanced, reflective approach to AI. His work encourages educators to consider not only the possibilities AI offers but also the ethical responsibilities we have in adopting these technologies.
This piece is a must-read for anyone thinking deeply about how AI can empower students while addressing its potential for harm. It’s a great reminder of why teaching digital literacy and critical thinking is essential as we navigate the evolving role of AI in education.
Reading Corner
Dive into these insightful articles to explore how AI is shaping education and the steps we can take to navigate its challenges effectively:
4 Tips to Get Teachers Comfortable With AI Use:
This article from Education Week offers practical strategies to help educators embrace AI in the classroom. Key recommendations include gathering input from stakeholders, providing professional development, fostering experimentation with AI tools, and addressing ethical concerns like privacy and bias. These steps create a supportive environment for teachers to integrate AI responsibly and effectively.What Happens When an AI Assistant Helps the Tutor, Instead of the Student:
A Stanford University study explored Tutor CoPilot, an AI-powered tool that assists tutors rather than students. The AI tool provides real-time support and suggestions, helping tutors—especially novices—guide students through challenging subjects like math. This approach enhances human instruction while addressing challenges in scaling tutoring programs.What to Know About AI Misinformation: A Primer for Teachers:
Sam Wineburg and Nadav Ziv provide a primer for educators on combating AI-generated misinformation. They highlight the dangers of persuasive yet inaccurate AI-generated content and offer practical steps for teaching students how to critically evaluate and fact-check materials created by AI. This is an essential read for fostering informed and discerning digital citizens.
As we navigate the opportunities and challenges AI presents, it’s clear that digital literacy and ethical awareness are more important than ever. The tools and insights shared this week are designed to help educators and librarians lead the way in integrating AI thoughtfully and responsibly. Whether it’s engaging students with creative assignments, enhancing teaching practices with innovative tools, or tackling the complexities of misinformation, these resources are here to support you. Let’s continue to work together to build a future where AI empowers learning, creativity, and critical thinking. See you next week!
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Thank you for the shout-out!