Whenever she talks about teachers using artificial intelligence, University of Maine associate professor of special education Sarah Howorth likes to remind whoever she\u2019s talking to that educators have always used technology to support student learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cProbably the most relatable example for most people is the use of calculators in math class,\u201d Howorth says. \u201cWe\u2019ve also had computers in schools for a couple of decades now. So throughout history, educators have adapted to the latest emerging technologies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While much of the public discussion around AI in education has focused on the potential negatives, such as cheating, information bias and concerns over technology replacing the human element of teaching and learning, Howorth and colleagues across the country are exploring some of the ways the technology can be used to help teachers and their students. The latest issue of the Journal of Special Education Preparation<\/a>, which Howorth guest edited, features research on AI\u2019s potential as a game-changing tool for educators, learners and families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe genie is already out of the bottle in terms of AI in schools,\u201d Howorth said. \u201cSo the questions then become: How can we use AI to enrich learning for all students? And how can we use it to support teachers?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The special issue of the journal is part of a project led by Howorth titled \u201cLeading the Way: AI in Special Education Teacher Education,\u201d which launched last year<\/a>. It\u2019s supported by a $9,000 grant from the Council for Exceptional Children<\/a> (CEC), the largest professional organization focused on improving the educational success of youth with disabilities, as well as special gifts and talents. The project also includes a free webinar series<\/a> based on the articles in the special issue. Howorth is featured in a video introduction<\/a> to the series, which was produced by the Center for Innovation, Design and Digital Learning (CIDDL) at the University of Kansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For students with special needs, Howorth said AI can be beneficial. For example, a student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder might be able to reduce their cognitive load by using an AI note taker to summarize classroom presentations and create action items for homework assignments. Generative AI can be used to level a text to a student\u2019s reading ability, making assignments more inclusive, or to create social stories that teach students with autism about norms and how to communicate with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAI is great for creating educational materials that appeal to students\u2019 interests,\u201d Howorth says. \u201cIf I\u2019m a teacher and I have a student who\u2019s really into horses, I can use AI to create stories and images of horses that I can incorporate into my lessons in ways that are more engaging for them. Students can also use AI tools to express their creativity and knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, Howorth says it\u2019s important for teachers to recognize when and how to use AI. She says a good rule of thumb for how to incorporate AI into instruction is to design assignments that can\u2019t be completed with the technology alone. In other words, students should be able to show how and why they used AI to do the assignment. She notes that no technology can supplant the knowledge and skill of professional educators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe still need teachers to be teachers,\u201d she says. \u201cA skilled and compassionate human being is needed for effective instruction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 91르적 senior lecturer of education Tammy Mills has also been working through some of the complexities around AI with both undergraduate teacher education students and graduate students who are already working in schools. For example, she asks her students to prompt ChatGPT to produce things like lesson plans and assessments for student learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor the most part,\u201d she said, \u201cthey\u2019re not happy with the results, because they know best practices for instruction and assessment. They look at what ChatGPT comes up with and they can do it better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like Howorth, Mills said she thinks AI will transform education. But she says it needs to be employed safely and ethically. She said she considers herself a co-learner along with her students as they figure out best practices together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou have to recognize that whatever you put into AI is going to be reflected in what you get out of it,\u201d said Mills. \u201cWe talk about privacy and making sure you\u2019re not putting personal information about students into any AI tools. We also talk about making sure we\u2019re being culturally sensitive and aware of the biases inherent in AI, so that when we use it we\u2019re able to get something that represents the demographics of the learners.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf anything,\u201d she adds, \u201cit makes human knowledge and skill more important than ever. Teachers know their students\u2019 strengths, preferences, needs and interests, and can use this information to support kids with a variety of technological and pedagogical tools.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Whenever she talks about teachers using artificial intelligence, University of Maine associate professor of special education Sarah Howorth likes to remind whoever she\u2019s talking to that educators have always used technology to support student learning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":135,"featured_media":24994,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"%%post_title%%","_seopress_titles_desc":"Whenever she talks about teachers using artificial intelligence, University of Maine associate professor of special education Sarah Howorth likes to remind whoever she\u2019s 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