COURSE TITLE:
NO. OF CREDITS:
5 QUARTER CREDITS
[semester equivalent = 3.33 credits]
| WA CLOCK HRS: OREGON PDUs: PENNSYLVANIA ACT 48: |
50 50 50 |
INSTRUCTOR:
Michael Boll
michael@bollnet.com
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Do you ever feel like you're living in a sci-fi movie? With artificial intelligence (AI) in education, you might as well be! But don't worry; I am here to help you navigate this brave new world and leverage AI’s transformative magic.
In this practical, hands-on course, I’ll show you how to harness the power of AI to engage your students and transform their learning experience. I’ll introduce you to AI tools and techniques that help you teach everything from math to rap battles (yes, you read that right).
It does not stop there! Be ready to cover topics like how it all works, how to master communicating with AI, so it serves your needs, using AI in your teaching situation, and much, much more. So, what are you waiting for? Join us in this AI revolution, and let's make teaching and learning a little more...robotic.
This course is appropriate for teachers K-12.
This course may be taken as a group. With the uses for AI changing so fast, working in a group is an excellent way to expand how you use AI and help set the narrative at your school. See here for more information.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon completion of this course, participants will have:
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Completion of all specified assignments is required for issuance of hours or credit. The Heritage Institute does not award partial credit.
The use of artificial intelligence is not permitted. Assignment responses found to be generated by AI will not be accepted.
HOURS EARNED:
Completing the basic assignments (Section A. Information Acquisition) for this course automatically earns participants their choice of CEUs (Continuing Education Units), Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, or Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours. The Heritage Institute offers CEUs and is an approved provider of Washington State Clock Hours, Oregon PDUs, and Pennsylvania ACT 48 Hours.
UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT INFORMATION
REQUIREMENTS FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
Continuing Education Quarter credits are awarded by Antioch University Seattle (AUS). AUS requires 75% or better for credit at the 400 level and 85% or better to issue credit at the 500 level. These criteria refer both to the amount and quality of work submitted.
CREDIT/NO CREDIT (No Letter Grades or Numeric Equivalents on Transcripts)
Antioch University Seattle (AUS) Continuing Education Quarter credit is offered on a Credit/No Credit basis; neither letter grades nor numeric equivalents are on a transcript. 400 level credit is equal to a "C" or better, 500 level credit is equal to a "B" or better. This information is on the back of the transcript.
AUS Continuing Education quarter credits may or may not be accepted into degree programs. Prior to registering, determine with your district personnel, department head, or state education office the acceptability of these credits for your purpose.
ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION
REQUIRED TEXT
None. All reading is online.
None. All reading is online.
MATERIALS FEE
A Chat GPT account from Open AI is free. A paid version is available too, but not required.
ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR HOURS OR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
A. INFORMATION ACQUISITION
Assignments done in a course forum will show responses from all educators who have or are taking the course independently. Feel free to read and respond to others' comments.
Group participants can only view and respond to their group members in the Forum.
Assignment #1: Who Are You?
Getting to know each other better is an excellent way to start this course, and it helps us all to understand our individual situations and teaching expectations.
Take a few moments and kindly complete a 250+ word description about yourself.
Possible items to include:
Resources
See what ChatGPT (AI) wrote about me when I asked it to “Write an introduction for Michael Boll.” Much of it was not accurate, but it sure made me sound awesome!
Assignment #2: An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
OK, so here we are. AI is everywhere, it's in everything, and it's just getting started.
I can guess what you might be thinking. "I already use it a little." Or maybe, "I'm not really sure where to begin." Or possibly, "my students are definitely using it, and I have no idea what to do about that." All of those are completely valid places to be.
Here is what I know for sure: AI is not the internet. It is bigger. It is more personal and we can’t afford to ignore it. Even if we don’t like it.As strange as it sounds, this is the worst version of AI we will ever use. It is only getting better from here. Which means whatever you learn today, whatever feels clunky or confusing right now, is the floor. Not the ceiling.
To better understand and use AI, you do not need to be a tech person. You do not need to have figured any of this out yet. You just need to be curious, and since you are here, you already are
|
|
|
Watch my two videos: An Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and General Ways to Use AI
Write a 250-word or more response to some of the prompts below (there are too many).
Honestly, where are you with AI right now? Still poking around, or has it actually started showing up in your day-to-day?
What part of your teaching week would you love to hand off to something else? Like, the stuff that takes forever and kind of kills your soul a little? Are we allowed to say grading here? ;-)
Your students are already using AI. You know it, we know it. So how does that change things for you? Assignments? Grades? What even counts as "their work" anymore?
What's one thing you'd love AI to help your students with, and one thing you'd fight to keep AI out of?
AI can now hear you, see through your camera, and remember your past conversations. Which of those is actually exciting to you as a teacher? Which one makes you a little nervous or even terrified?
Here's an uncomfortable one: AI is learning from everything you share with it. Where do you draw the line? What stays private?
If you have time, watch the movie Her. It is about an AI robot that develops a relationship with a lonely man who lost his wife - so applicable today.
Chat GPT and the End of Writing with David Pogue (Audio Podcast). I loved this podcast when I was beginning to learn about AI. It is years old now, so it is a bit dated. The general underpinnings of how AI works have not changed.
AI For Humans: One of my favorite podcasts for learning about artificial intelligence. Not educator-specific, but irreverent and entertaining.
Find the latest AI tools for educators on my Substack Blog
Assignment #3: Set Up Your AI Account
Here we go! If you have not already, it is time to sign up for your accounts! I say accounts as there are a bunch of really good ones out there. As of this writing, my favorites (in order) are:
All are free, and all have paid versions. So far, the free versions appear to meet our needs. However, I do find myself paying for Claude now, as it has some really nice advanced features.
Additional Notes:
Google Gemini should already be there, ready to go on your personal account if you have a Gmail account. If you have the school version, it might not be activated. That is likely a decision each district makes on its own. In other words, you might only find Google Gemini on your personal account.
The same situation should apply to Microsoft CoPilot as well
Now since this is not my first time at the rodeo, I know that you might be using AI to “help” you with the writing prompts in this course. No worries, I encourage that! I used AI to help me with big chunks of this course. AI suggestions are often very helpful.
We will learn more about this in upcoming lessons.
Sign up for at least one (more is better) of the accounts above.
Play! Have a blast. Need some ideas? Check out this list of 100-plus ideas for using AI.
Also, here is a list of ideas from other teachers in this course. Thanks to AI, it was easy for m to put it in a nice visual format that auto-updates itself.
In 250 words or more, respond to some of the prompts below:
Explain your initial thoughts out of the gate. Easy to use? Confusing? A feeling of “How am I supposed to use this thing?
How did you use AI? Where do you find it helpful? Where is it lacking?
After using AI, how would you describe it to someone you know, such as a colleague, a friend, or a family member?
Any other thoughts or ideas? Please share them.
Take your writing and drop it into your AI platform with this prompt: Improve this writing: (Then paste in your writing).
If you are using Google Docs, it is even easier to just click the AI button after highlighting some text.
Modify your written work to add some or all of the suggestions.
List of 100 plus ways to use AI (Same as above)
Check out new and awesome AI tools for educators on my SubStack Blog
Assignment #4: Communicating with AI
We have an AI account. We’ve played around a bit. Now what?
It is time to upgrade how we chat with our chatbots. That means understanding prompts and parameters. Prompts are the questions or instructions you give AI. Parameters are the dials you turn to shape the response.
Think of them like an audio mixing board: you can tweak the same answer to come back as a Pirate, Taylor Swift, Shakespeare, or a comedian. You can make it shorter, longer, funnier, or more like a poem. You are in charge.
Then there is the part that really surprised me when I first tried it: AI is not just a one-way thing. You can have a real back-and-forth conversation with it. Ask it to quiz you, have it ask you questions before it writes something. It listens, and that might be what makes it both incredibly powerful and our future with AI incredibly scary.
Watch my video: Communicating with AI
Try a few (not all) of the techniques below, and in about 250 words, provide your thoughts and experiences with these prompting ideas.
The Basic Prompt: Ask AI for a simple 100-word explanation of a topic in your subject area.
Add Parameters: Now, refine that response by adding two parameters from the video:
Use the "Act as..." parameter. Maybe a writer from a Seinfeld episode, a wolf who just got back from therapy, or a pirate who doesn't eat meat, or your own idea(s)
Add a specific length or format. Maybe exactly 200 words, include a 15-line poem, output as a table, or your own idea.
Following the Romeo & Juliet vs. Taylor Swift example in the video, create a resource that hits professional standards. Take a core concept you teach and apply these four specific parameters:
Vibe/Tone: Define the "energy" of the response (e.g., tragic and intense vs. romantic and hopeful).
Accessibility: Set a specific Lexile Level (e.g., "Level 200") to see how the AI simplifies complex ideas for learners.
Educational Frameworks: Ask the AI to organize the output using MTSS Tiers (Tier 1, 2, and 3) or align it with UDL Action & Expression strategies.
Structure: Request a Comparison Chart or Table that you could theoretically download and use in class.
The R.A.F.T Prompting Method. Please view the visual explanation here. It is great for students!
R - Role. Tell the AI who it should be. "You are a 5th-grade science teacher..." or "Act as an instructional coach..." Giving it a role shapes vocabulary, tone, and what it pays attention to.
A - Audience. Who is the output for? A parent? A struggling reader? A school board? "Audience" changes everything about word choice and complexity.
F - Format. What should the output look like? A bulleted list? A rubric? A parent email? A slide outline? Be specific.
T - Task (sometimes Topic). What do you actually want it to do, and about what? This is the meat of the request.
A quick example to show it in action:
Role: You are a middle school ELA teacher. Audience: Parents of 7th graders, many of whom speak English as a second language. Format: A short email, under 150 words, no jargon. Task: Explain why we're starting a unit on persuasive writing and what students will be doing at home.
List of 100 plus ways to use AI (Same as above)
Check out new and awesome AI tools for educators on my SubStack Blog
Assignment #5: Build Your Super Context Prompt (SCP)
Congrats, you now understand what a prompt is and how to add parameters to enhance the response from AI. That is a big step forward.
Time for the next step: The Super Context Prompt (SCP).
With a "Super Context Prompt," you can give AI a much more profound grasp of your specific educational setting, student needs, individual tastes, and even the things that frustrate you. This helps AI systems to understand what you are asking for and your specific context.
This assignment focuses on the development of your very own “Super Context Prompt” and how to use it with AI. We'll develop this together, and of course, AI will help us along the way.
Here is a visual explainer of how an SCP benefits the response you receive from AI.
This assignment has a lot of steps, and I worry it is a little confusing. Please check out this visual explainer for an alternative explanation.
Watch these two videos
SCP Development in Action: https://youtu.be/yNVTuWCbhOw
Take a look at a fictional SCP to get an understanding of what a completed version looks like.
Build your own SCP
Open the file of interview questions and instructions (It will ask you to make your own copy). This is what you're going to copy and paste into your AI platform to start a conversation and develop your SCP
Pay particular attention to the list of questions you will be asked. Maybe you want to add or change some of them?
After any adjustments to the questions, or if you are satisfied, paste it into your AI platform and engage in the conversation.
Use the highest version of your platform to produce the best results
If it tries to give you a shortcut version, get a little angry and let it know you do not want a shortcut version. If you are not fully satisfied with the SCP that is built, tell your AI platform to make modifications as needed.
Give it a hard time if necessary, so it pays attention and gives you and SCP you can use. The AI’s of the world actually respond better to anger.
At the end, save the SCP it puts together for you. You are going to copy and paste this as part of your prompt the next time you use AI. Give it a test right now if you like.
Upload a copy of your SCP.
In 250 words or more, respond to some of the prompts below:
You looked at a fictional SCP before building your own. What surprised you most, either about what a completed SCP looks like or about what came up when you built yours?
What did you change or add?. Did you add anything? Remove anything?
What's your actual plan for using it consistently, or what's the thing most likely to stop you from using it?
What's still missing? Your SCP is a first draft. After going through the process, what do you feel like it doesn't quite capture yet?
Would you recommend this to a colleague? Give me the version you'd actually say in the hallway, not the formal explanation. ;-)
Assignment #6: AI As A Teaching Resource
Alright, Team, you're officially AI experts! Or at least, you're above average. Congrats! Now, it's time to put that knowledge to good use.
Understandably, AI can initially appear daunting. Like the popular kid in school, you may hesitate to approach it/him. But fear not, I have your back.
In this lesson, we're going to brainstorm some awesome ideas for using AI in your teaching practice. Whether you're a math teacher, a history buff, or a science nerd, there's something here for everyone.
In this lesson, we will engage in brainstorming various innovative ideas for integrating AI into your teaching practices. Regardless of your subject specialty, be it mathematics, history, or science, there are exciting possibilities for everyone.
So, put on your thinking caps, grab a cup of coffee (or tea, if that's your thing), and let's get to work. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a model that's tailored to your specific situation. And who knows, you might just revolutionize the way you teach with AI.
Full Disclosure: The above overview is a complete copy and paste of an improved version of my first draft using AI. I like the humor and voice in it!
Assignment
Watch my video: AI as a Teaching Resource. It will explain how to build your own model of resources.
Open the model of resources spreadsheet and begin to build your own model. A Google Account is required, let me know (michael@bollnet.com) if that causes any difficulties for you, and I can send an alternative.
Add at least five ways you can use AI as a resource.
In 250 words or more, reflect on the five ideas you included.
How will it help you with your teaching situation, and what additional areas or ideas might you explore?
Check out new and awesome AI tools for educators on my SubStack Blog
Assignment #7: Explore Resources About AI
Overview
The world of Artificial Intelligence is super fluid and changing all the time. To keep up, I have a set of resources to help me to help you find some interesting articles and other resources.
If you are new to Magic Schoo, check out my HOL Canva course (yes, another one). You can access all the resources for free by clicking on the Syllabus tab.
Assignment
Resources
Check out new and awesome AI tools for educators on my SubStack Blog
Assignment #8: Using AI in Your Own Life
Overview
Like the Internet, AI is and will become a regular part of our personal life. As systems like Siri and Alexa improve and add AI, we will be able to verbally prompt them to plan vacations, menus, shopping lists, etc. Rather than search the web, these devices, and others, will use their large language models to provide helpful (most of the time) guidance.
Assignment
Resources
Assignment #9: Share with the Community
Overview
With AI and education changing so quickly, sharing your learnings, experiences, and successes with others in this community is super helpful. As this course matures, we will end up with a nice set of shared ideas and experiences. Thank you!
Assignment
Check out new and awesome AI tools for educators on my SubStack Blog
ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
B. LEARNING APPLICATION
In this section, you will apply your learning to your professional situation. This course assumes that most participants are classroom teachers who have access to students. If you do not have a classroom available to you, please contact the instructor for course modifications. Assignments done in a course forum will show responses from all educators who have or are taking the course independently. Feel free to read and respond to others' comments. Group participants can only view and respond to their group members in the Forum.
Assignment #10: From Theory to Practice: Using AI to Enhance Your Teaching Workflow
Overview
As the title suggests, this assignment asks you to bring AI into your daily workflow. There are so many ways to do this, and new ones are being added all the time. You now understand how to use AI, have built a model of ways it interests you, and have browsed a variety of resources.
The key is to find AI ideas that fit your work interests and goals. So let's mix things up and embrace the AI revolution! Who knows, maybe someday we'll be taking coffee breaks with our robot friends. (Full disclosure: AI-assisted in the writing of this last paragraph)
Assignment
Assignment #11: AI & The Future of Education: Robots are Coming to Save (or Take Over) Your Job!
Overview
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, once said, “The most exciting thing about AI is not its ability to perform tasks, but its ability to help humans think better.” While this is certainly a positive viewpoint, it's important to consider both the potential benefits and downsides of AI in education.
One important question to ask is how students will use AI in their learning. Will schools embrace it or ban it? And how might AI impact students' abilities to learn from helpful adults, both in and outside the classroom? As we continue to explore the role of AI in education, it's important to approach the technology with an open mind and consider all of its potential implications.
Below is AI’s version of my writing above. I did not tell it to be funny or sarcastic; it just did that. Oops!
Let's talk about AI, baby! Satya Nadella, the big boss over at Microsoft, once said that AI's most exciting aspect isn't its ability to perform tasks but rather its potential to enhance human thinking. And while that's certainly an optimistic view, we can't ignore the potential downsides of AI in education.
One question we need to consider is how students will use AI in their learning. Will it be widely adopted or strictly prohibited? And what impact might AI have on students' interactions with their teachers and mentors? As we dive deeper into the role of AI in education, we need to approach the technology with both excitement and caution and consider all of its potential implications.
So, buckle up, buttercup. We're about to take a wild ride through the world of AI and education. Get ready to explore the possibilities, and remember to keep an open mind.
Assignment
Watch my video: The Future of Artificial Intelligence.
In 750 words or more, reflect on AI and its potential impact on the future of education.
Choose only two (2) of the options below.
Option A)
How will AI impact students and their learning?
i. Will they benefit from an incredible source of help and personalized learning?
ii. Will AI remove the incentive to learn to read and write well? Goodbye to critical thinking skills?
AND/OR
Option B)
How will AI impact the career and day-to-day teaching experience for teachers?
i. Will teachers be expected to change how they teach? How will they present information,
and how will a typical school day be conducted?
ii. Will the education establishment drag its feet with the changes and focus more on
banning AI than embracing it?
iii. Will the need for connection still make the role of a teacher as relevant as ever?
AND/OR
Option C)
How will AI impact both teachers and students?
Be sure to run your response through AI and ask for suggestions to improve your writing. Add as many parameters as needed.
Resources
Use your AI platform (Chat GPT, Bing, Etc.) to help you find resources. For example, I used the prompt “Find helpful articles on AI and the future of education.”
Check out new and awesome AI tools for educators on my SubStack Blog
Assignment #12: (500 Level ONLY)
Applying Your Learning to Professional Development or Student Education (500 Level)
Overview
We have talked extensively about the impact artificial intelligence will have on education and society. Your students and colleagues may not be as aware as you are now of the details of AI and its trajectory.
This is your chance to help them.
Assignment
Complete two (2) of the following options.
Option A)
Create a 30-minute or longer professional development presentation. Something worthy of presenting in a professional setting such as a workshop, team, or school meeting.
It should relate to some (not all) of the themes discussed in this course, such as:
AND/OR
Option B)
Create a 30-minute or longer presentation aimed at a student audience.
It should relate to some (not all) of the themes discussed in this course such as:
Resource: Washington Post article “Snapchat tried to make a safe AI. It chats with me about booze and sex.”
AND/OR
Option C)
Create another assignment of your own design with the instructor’s prior approval.
Check out new and awesome AI tools for educators on my SubStack Blog
C. INTEGRATION PAPER
Assignment #13: (Required for 400 and 500 level)
SELF REFLECTION & INTEGRATION PAPER
(Please do not write this paper until you've completed all of your other assignments)
Write a 400-500 word Integration Paper answering these 5 questions:
INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS ON YOUR WORK:
Instructors will comment on each assignment. If you do not hear from the instructor within a few days of posting your assignment, please get in touch with them immediately.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHING THIS COURSE:
Michael Boll is an Apple Distinguished Educator and former Technology Coach at international schools in China and Thailand.
Now based in the United States, Michael is an enthusiastic instructional designer and presenter. He works to make his courses and presentations information-packed, slightly provocative, and fun.
Michael has an adult son with profound autism and is keenly interested in the special needs community and its population of diverse learners.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into your classroom: A Hands-On Guide