Key points:
- Teachers are embracing AI and other emerging technologies to help elevate lesson plans and make challenging lessons more engaging
- AI can also help teachers alleviate the burden of tedious tasks and make learning more inclusive
- See related article: How to redefine learning in the digital age
In the world of education, where innovation and creativity are especially vital, technologies with AI-generated content are reshaping teaching and how students learn in surprising ways.
There has been no shortage of news coverage on AI in education. However, much of that coverage has centered on the student experience. As a former teacher who now interacts with edtech companies on a daily basis, I think we miss a hugely important part of this conversation if we don’t also focus on how this technology could positively impact the teaching profession.
Here are just a few exciting ways that educators can be using AI to inspire creativity and drastically improve their impact on students:
1. Lift the burden of tedious tasks: On average, teachers work more than 50 hours per week but spend less than half of that time actually teaching students. By allowing teachers to automate potentially time-consuming tasks, these technologies give them more space to focus on student learning and differentiation. Kristina Holzweiss, who is in her 28th year as an educator in New York, said she has used ChatGPT to write course descriptions and college recommendations. The ability for teachers to have AI generate an initial lesson plan or class activity allows them to shift their valuable time towards refining content using their expertise, differentiating for all learners, and tailoring lessons to fit the needs and passions of their students. AI becomes a collaborative partner, not an adversary, freeing the educator to bring engaging learning experiences to life much more easily.
