Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made its way into classrooms, but many educators remain apprehensive about integrating it into their teaching. The good news is that AI tools can be user-friendly, time-saving, and even empowering. Whether for personal use or enhancing student learning, AI can be a valuable assistant rather than a replacement. Here are some of the best AI tools to start with, along with activity ideas to help ease the transition into AI-enhanced education.
AI Tools for Personal Use
These tools help teachers streamline their workload and improve efficiency.
1. ChatGPT (OpenAI)
What It Does: ChatGPT can help with lesson planning, grading assistance, content creation, and answering questions. Activity Idea: Use ChatGPT to generate quizzes, discussion prompts, or even personalized learning materials for different student levels.
2. Grammarly
What It Does: This AI-powered writing assistant checks for grammar, punctuation, and clarity in writing. Activity Idea: Use Grammarly to provide quick feedback on student essays or emails before sending professional communications.
3. Notion AI
What It Does: Assists with organization, note-taking, and content generation for lesson planning. Activity Idea: Create a digital planner to track student progress, lesson plans, and meeting notes, all enhanced with AI-powered summaries.
4. Canva AI Magic Write
What It Does: Helps with creating engaging presentations, worksheets, and visual content for lessons. Activity Idea: Use Magic Write to draft lesson outlines or generate attractive educational posters.
AI Tools for Student Use
These tools can support students in learning, research, and skill development.
5. QuillBot
What It Does: Helps students paraphrase, summarize, and enhance their writing. Activity Idea: Assign students a task to rewrite a passage in simpler terms using QuillBot to improve comprehension.
6. Khanmigo (Khan Academy AI Tutor)
What It Does: Acts as an AI tutor that provides explanations, interactive lessons, and step-by-step problem-solving guidance. Activity Idea: Have students use Khanmigo to get extra help on difficult topics in math or science, reinforcing classroom instruction.
7. Speechify
What It Does: Converts text into speech, making content more accessible to students with different learning needs. Activity Idea: Allow students to listen to reading assignments instead of reading them traditionally to support auditory learners.
8. Google Bard or Microsoft Copilot
What It Does: AI chatbots that help with research, summarizing texts, and answering complex questions. Activity Idea: Assign students a research project where they can use AI chatbots to find information, then cross-check sources for reliability.
Classroom Activities with AI
- AI-Powered Writing Assistance – Have students write an essay, then use AI tools like Grammarly or QuillBot to refine their drafts. Encourage discussions on how AI helps but doesn’t replace critical thinking.
- AI as a Research Assistant – Assign students a topic and ask them to use AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Bard to generate research summaries. Discuss how to verify the credibility of AI-generated information.
- Creative AI Storytelling – Use Canva’s AI tools to create comic strips or interactive storytelling projects. Students can brainstorm ideas, and AI can help generate content to visualize their stories.
- AI and Critical Thinking – Present AI-generated texts to students and ask them to fact-check and compare the information with traditional sources.
- AI for Personalized Learning – Assign different AI-powered tools (like Khanmigo) to students based on their strengths and weaknesses, allowing personalized learning experiences.
Final Thoughts
AI doesn’t have to be intimidating for educators. By starting with simple, practical tools and integrating them into daily teaching tasks, teachers can harness AI to enhance productivity and student engagement. Instead of replacing educators, AI acts as a supportive tool that simplifies tasks and enriches learning experiences. The key is to use AI as an aid—not as an answer—to education.
Disclaimer: While AI tools can greatly enhance the teaching and learning experience, they should be used responsibly. Always review AI-generated content for accuracy, ensure student data privacy, and encourage critical thinking when engaging with AI-powered tools.