See real-world applications and ideas from the boots on the ground.
As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of education, it's exciting to see how technology continues to shape our classrooms and administrative offices. One of the hottest topics on everyone's lips these days is artificial intelligence (AI).
But how are real educators actually using this technology in their day-to-day work?
To gain insights into how educators are actually using AI, we interviewed a diverse group of educators at The National Institutes this summer. From elementary classrooms to high school halls, and from principals’ offices to district headquarters, these educators are finding creative ways to harness the power of AI.
Let's explore some of the ways educators are streamlining their work with AI.
How do teachers use AI?
Karri Haiges, a middle school math teacher at Waukegan Community Unit School District 60, Illinois, uses AI to create visually appealing materials that enhance student engagement.
She says, "I use AI for things like color templates and making sure my PowerPoint presentations look pretty, [that] kind of thing [because] I'm not a graphic designer."
Caitlin Wooley, a math teacher at Spokane Public Schools, Washington, employs AI to break down complex learning standards into more manageable chunks for young learners.
She shares, "When we are doing our learning targets, sometimes it's hard for me to come up with a kid-friendly version. So I use ChatGPT, and I write in the standard, and it kind of breaks it down so it's easier for my students to understand."
Amy Marmol, a French teacher at Pasadena Unified School District, California, is planning to use AI for conversation practice. She thinks AI can provide a safe and supportive environment for language learners to practice their skills.
"This way,” Ms. Marmol explains, “students can not be nervous about it being their classmate or somebody who's going to judge them.”
Johanna Moore, a Spanish teacher at Pasadena Unified School District, California, uses AI to proactively check the academic integrity of assignments that students submit.
"I put in every assignment as the prompt into ChatGPT to see what ChatGPT will give my prompt back, so I know what to expect from students who are utilizing AI maliciously."
Nicholle Langenburg Dieguez, a Spanish teacher at Bay City Public Schools, Michigan, uses AI for lesson planning.
Ms. Dieguez shares, "I have actually tried using it to create a few lesson plans."
Tools like Diffit or MagicSchool can be even more helpful than ChatGPT for lesson planning since these AI tools are created specifically for teachers.
Ms. Dieguez finds AI helpful in composing emails: "I've used it to help me answer difficult emails to parents."
Liz Anderson, a Spanish teacher at Allen Park Public Schools, Michigan, uses AI to generate specific reading content: "I've used AI to create writings that are a little more structured with the vocabulary we needed."
She also adds, "Sometimes your brain is just tired, and you just need a little bit of support to help create some exercises."
Ms. Anderson uses AI to develop reading comprehension questions: "I've also used it to help create questions for students after a reading."
How do school leaders use AI?
Dr. David Carter, a middle school principal at Georgetown Middle School in Delaware, uses AI for this: "I think one of the things that I did as I took off my AI training wheels was to use AI to make speeches."
James Wheatley, a math specialist at Indian River Schools, Delaware, employs AI for in-depth data analysis: "I use artificial intelligence to look at data, to pinpoint exactly which kids need the most help and how I can be most effective in helping them."
Kena Worthy, Executive Director of Leadership Development at Clarke County School District, Georgia, uses AI to create PD: “I use AI all the time. I use it to create PD. Like, [getting] topics and how to expand on those topics.”
How do instructional coaches use AI?
Coaches are finding unique ways to incorporate AI into their instructional strategies.
Vanessa Ivey, an instructional coach and elementary math teacher at Montgomery County Public Schools, Alabama, shares her experiences. She says, "I've used AI in the classroom to create scavenger hunts. You can also do escape rooms using AI. I wrote a book using AI, a math book."
To get more coach insights, we turned to TikTok. Karle Delo (@coachkarle), a technology instructional coach on TikTok from Michigan, uses the AI tool Suno to create songs about class expectations.
@coachkarle Have you tried @Suno AI yet? #pbis #ai #aiforteachers #classroommanagement #classroomexpectations #backtoschool #teachers #teachersoftiktok #teachertok #aimusic #aisongs ♬ original sound - Karle Delo
Ms. Delo also uses AI to gamify her lessons with Gibbly, a tool for creating quizzes from YouTube videos. She mentions this particular tool is great for retrieval practice.
@coachkarle Create Kahoot-like games in minutes with @Gibbly - AI Tools for Teachers! #ai #aiforteachers #teachers #teachersoftiktok #teachertok #gamification #quiz #trivia #instructionalcoach #techcoach #savetime ♬ original sound - Karle Delo
Another instrument in your toolbox
As we've seen, AI is rapidly becoming an integral part of the educational landscape. From the classroom to the administrative office, educators are finding innovative ways to leverage this technology to enhance learning experiences, simplify workflows, and improve overall efficiency.
As AI continues to evolve, it’ll be interesting to see what new possibilities it will bring to education and consider how to keep it as part of your instructional toolbox.
Curious about how educators nationwide are using AI in their classrooms? Dive into our AI in Education report for all the insights and get a leg up on the future!
A former Spanish teacher who is currently based in the Washington DC metropolitan area. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish Language and Literature from la Universidad del Zulia and a Master's degree in Spanish Linguistics from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her interests include SEL education in the world language classroom, theater, and finding ways to make the world a less scary place.
Explore more related to this authorSometimes your brain is just tired, and you just need a little bit of support to help create some exercises.
Liz Anderson, Spanish Teacher
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