Module I, Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Design Thinking - Module II, Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Students' English Skills
Teaching
and learning are constantly changing thanks to technological advances and
artificial intelligence (AI). Integrating AI into education and design
thinking is improving students' language skills. In this blog, you will discover how AI can improve students' English language skills and key concepts that
will help you teach English. In short, a wealth of learning and content created
with AI and ways to engage students and accelerate their linguistic
development. "Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and Design
Thinking" are two fields that, although seemingly distinct, gradually
offer immense potential.
My initial
reflections were on how AI could optimize methods and activities in education
and how to offer learning experiences from a holistic perspective. I was also
excited to learn how Design Thinking, which focuses on problem-solving, could
be combined with AI to create optimal and engaging educational activities. And
learning how to create tools with AI to improve students' skills, I'm excited
to implement this broad learning and the new tools provided by AI in the classroom.
Key Concepts
The key
concepts that significantly broadened my perspective on education were
understanding that Artificial Intelligence is not simply an automation tool,
but a powerful assistant for personalized learning and data-driven
understanding.
What is AI? Artificial intelligence (AI) is a technology that enables computers and machines to mimic human learning, understanding, problem-solving, decision-making, creativity, and autonomy.
Generative AI, sometimes called "gen AI," refers to deep learning models that can create complex original content such as long-form text, high-quality images, realistic video or audio, and more in response to a user's prompt or request.
Large Language Models (LLMs) are a type of deep learning model that has been trained on massive amounts of text data, enabling them to understand and generate human-like language. These models are used in a variety of applications, including natural language processing (NLP) tasks, text generation, translation, and more.
Deep Learning is a branch of machine learning that employs multi-layered neural networks, known as deep neural networks, that more effectively mimic the complex decision-making capabilities of the human brain.
Machine Learning is a branch of artificial intelligence (AI) focused on training computers and machines to mimic the way humans learn, perform tasks autonomously, and improve their performance and accuracy through experience and exposure to more data.
Prompt engineering is the process of designing and optimizing instructions (prompts) to guide generative AI models, like LLMs, towards generating specific, desired outputs.
Hallucinations are incorrect or misleading results generated by AI models. These errors can be due to a variety of factors, such as a lack of training data, incorrect assumptions of the model, or biases in the data used to train it.
Design thinking is a creative, user-centered methodology used to solve problems and generate innovation. It relies on empathy, collaboration, and experimentation to understand user needs and develop innovative solutions.
How did these concepts
challenge your previous understanding of English language teaching?
From Traditional to
Personalization: My teaching approach was traditional. The power of AI for
personalized learning, combined with Design Thinking, has prompted me to
consider how I can better adapt to each student's individual needs, styles, and
learning pace.
Effective Teaching: I
have always strived for effective teaching; my methods were often guided by
intuition and experience. The module introduced the idea of using AI to
analyze student performance in a more personalized way, allowing for
actionable, evidence-based decisions.
• Design Thinking
redefined my role, shifting from primarily a content provider to a learning
experience designer. This shift emphasizes creativity, experimentation, and
continuous feedback.
Another challenge is
to continue learning and expanding my knowledge of AI-based education to
improve my skills as a teacher and deliver optimal education for my students in
a holistic and meaningful way.
How do you plan to
apply these concepts in your future teaching?
I plan to apply these
concepts in the following ways:
• Leverage AI-based
tools: Use platforms that leverage AI to offer exercises, vocabulary practice,
and grammar exercises.
• Implement Design
Thinking for planning according to student needs.
• Apply Design
Thinking to activities: Focus on students' learning difficulties, define clear
learning objectives, devise teaching strategies, create prototype lessons, and
test and refine them based on student feedback. For example, when teaching
grammar, understand why students struggle with that point, then clearly define
the objective, brainstorm teaching methods, create a lesson plan, and finally,
observe what a prototype would look like, engaging students to make
adjustments. • Leverage AI for feedback and assessment.
Conclusion and Key
Learnings
"Introduction to
Artificial Intelligence and Design Thinking" has been a transformative experience that has
transformed my perspective on innovation in English language teaching. The key
learning is that the fusion of Artificial Intelligence and Design Thinking
provides a powerful combination to generate highly effective, engaging, and
personalized learning environments. AI provides data and computational skills, while design thinking offers a human-centered approach to ensuring that these technologies are used meaningfully.
This knowledge will
profoundly influence my teaching methods by fostering a more interactive and
inclusive approach thanks to AI.
I will incorporate
AI-powered tools such as an assistant, gaming, podcast, and images, etc. where students can be
included in the learning process and participate meaningfully.
One specific lesson or
activity where I can apply what I've learned is in the teaching of writing,
which can be intensive and long-term. Applying AI and design thinking: where I
would incorporate all the phases (empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and evaluate)
to have a prototype that helps me with the students' needs. For example, if my
students' greatest need is with writing, I could make a lesson plan that covers
this need. I would use an AI tool that can provide instant and specific
feedback on the structure of the writing or an essay, grammar, vocabulary, and
clarity. For example, an AI tool could point out spelling and punctuation
errors, etc. Such as creating an assistant that helps students with writing,
grammarly, etc.
Incorporation of Content Created with AI
During modules I and II, I experienced generating images with AI to teach interactively and creatively, using various tools. I decided to include images because they powerfully demonstrate the use of AI to teach a foreign language. We created reading assistants to support both teachers and students. We created reading activities that help improve students' skills. AI helps teachers improve the learning environment and empowers educators to create more dynamic and personalized experiences. That's why I'm sharing these tools, which serve as a reminder to enhance English language teaching through artificial intelligence.
AUTHOR: MARIELA BEATRIZ BLANCO MARROQUIN
WESTERN MULTIDISCIPLINARY CAMPUS
DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Hi Mariela! I liked when you mentioned "The module introduced the idea of using AI to analyze student performance in a more personalized way" because Ai tools allow us to do so! When we started the major was truly difficult to pay special attention to every students needs but now, it is much easier to do it. Now, we just need some minutes to create different activities for our students! Activities that fits perfectly with their level. Before, we needed many hours to plan just one activity for the whole class but nowadays, we can even create one per student! Thanks for sharing your learnings.
ResponderEliminarHi dear Mariela. I would say that It is amazing that you are going to help yur students if they need help by using a prototype. That is an excellent way to provide the necesary practices so that the student's need can be cover. Aamazing!
ResponderEliminarHello Mariela! What truly sets this blog apart is its distinctive voice and the creative flair you bring to every explanation. You don't just tell us what you learned, but how to think about it in a new light. Reading this isn't just about understanding the modules; it's an inspiring experience thanks to your clear, imaginative approach.
ResponderEliminar