Curious how teachers use AI in the classroom, professor creates popular online platform to enhance learning (2024)

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Curious how teachers use AI in the classroom, professor creates popular online platform to enhance learning (1)

Professor Zafer Unal highlighting the functionality of TeacherServer, a platform containing more than 100 generative AI tools he coded to assist teachers in the classroom.

  • August 12, 2024
  • Research and Innovation

By Matthew Cimitile, University Communications and Marketing

A new online platform featuring more than 640 tools seeks to help educators incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom to enhance learning.

Created by USF St. Petersburg Education Professor Zafer Unal, TeacherServer provides free AI tools to assist planning, assessment, preparation, research and more. There are currently more than 61,000 users of the site, who are primarily K-12 teachers and college faculty members.

The development of the platform came from a simple question Unal and fellow researchers were interested to know: how are educators currently using generative AI in the classroom? They assumed many were resistant to use the emerging technology, fearing it would eventually lead to job losses.

A survey they conducted of 140 K-12 teachers from Florida and Georgia showed something very different: teachers were already using AI to improve their teaching methods and streamline work.

“Overall, AI is helping teachers in many areas, from language learning and assessments to writing support, presentation skills, grading and lesson planning,” Unal said.

Though this group of educators were using AI and optimistic about its potential to improve student learning, they were using it mostly before and after class to help with presentations or grading. They weren’t incorporating it directly in the classroom due to concerns around data privacy with students and a lack of official training with the emerging technology.

“Based on that feedback, I thought ‘“Well, I have a computer science and education background, let’s see what I could make to address that issue,’” Unal said.

Using survey feedback, he spent several months coding to create dozens of AI generative tools that teachers said would be useful in the classroom and make them more effective educators. Each tool was installed on a local server and instructed not to collect data, addressing privacy and security concerns by ensuring no data would be sent to the cloud.

While developing tools for K-12 teachers, Unal began receiving requests from colleagues about expanding the platform to include AI resources for college faculty.

So, he developed a dedicated section for faculty and researchers, with a focus on finding research topics, formulating research questions, selecting appropriate data collection and analysis methods, and more. Notably, this section offers a research simulator tool to refine and prepare research designs before actual implementation.

Unal and the team then designed a two-day professional development workshop embedded into the online platform – featuring online modules and instructional videos – to provide training on these generative AI tools.

Over the summer, the College of Education on the St. Petersburg campus also hosted professional learning workshops with educators, program directors and administrators from K-12 school districts in and around Tampa Bay. An aspect of these workshops introduced TeacherServer.

“They were amazed by the platform and pretty quickly saw how applicable it would be for teaching their subject area in the classroom, for things such as generating in-class activities quickly,” said Richard Rho, program director of educational technology labs at USF St. Petersburg who led these workshops. “They were exposed to a lot of different technologies in these workshops, but it was this specific platform that was the most relevant for their profession.”

Both the virtual and in-person workshops gave a basic introduction to AI and machine learning as well as ethical AI practices. They also covered more advanced training on integrating AI into curriculum and using technology to enhance lesson plans or improve outcomes.

“AI will transform how we learn, and the earlier we adopt in the classroom, the earlier students get that exposure and understand how to use it properly,” Rho added. “For educators, it provides an expert system that can access incredible amounts of information, which can be leveraged to help our students deepen learning experiences and truly comprehend subject matters.”

With the overwhelming response so far, Unal is applying for grants to fund a bigger server to host and expand the online platform. He is also developing additional tools to be added to the platform for high school and college students interested in pursuing teaching as a career. The goal is to assist even more educators in incorporating AI tools into the classroom.

“I’ve been really fascinated with how AI technology is being used so far and how it can best be used in a learning environment,” said Unal. “I see AI as another tool like the calculator or the computer, and I hope by providing this platform it allows teachers to get more comfortable with this technology and use tools that really advance education.”

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Curious how teachers use AI in the classroom, professor creates popular online platform to enhance learning (2024)

FAQs

How are teachers using AI in the classroom? ›

“Overall, AI is helping teachers in many areas, from language learning and assessments to writing support, presentation skills, grading and lesson planning,” Unal said.

What are the benefits of AI in the classroom? ›

AI can also improve how students are assessed and guided while also helping to build digital literacy, critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills. These are among the most sought-after skill sets according to the Forum's Future of Jobs report.

What is the best AI tool for teachers? ›

Canva is a free, user-friendly graphic design AI tool for educators wanting to create stunning visual aids, engaging lesson plans, interactive presentations, and more.

How can AI help in understanding educational needs? ›

AI-based predictive analytics can spot early warning signs of academic challenges and predict student outcomes based on their learning patterns. It helps educators identify at-risk students early and intervene with appropriate support measures like additional tutoring or customized learning materials.

How can teachers tell if you used AI? ›

Inconsistencies: AI-generated work may contain inconsistencies in theme, tone, or content. For example, the writing might abruptly shift from one idea to another with little connection between them, or the tone might change from formal to casual.

How AI has a positive impact on education? ›

Enhancing Student Performance

Another significant pro of artificial intelligence in education is that it can help enhance student performance with increased feedback. AI-powered systems can evaluate students' progress, provide them with targeted feedback, and identify areas where they need improvement.

Why is AI important in online education? ›

AI in education has the potential to customise course material to meet each student's unique needs. Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms have the ability to analyse student performance and modify learning materials, pace, and difficulty levels to provide students with a personalised learning experience.

Can AI replace teachers? ›

The answer is nuanced. While AI can address the issue of bad teachers and enhance the capabilities of good ones, it cannot replace the essential human connection and mentorship that teachers provide. Likewise, tutors who genuinely care about their students' success will continue to be indispensable.

How are professors using AI? ›

Of the faculty using AI, some are using it in classroom assignments, others are using it for grading but not relying on it entirely, and still others are using it to organize research ideas.

How are AI tools used in teaching and learning? ›

Creating and supplementing content: Through AI-powered platforms, teachers can curate a range of educational resources. With generative AI in particular, teachers are able to create lessons, activities, assessments, prompts for discussion, and presentations simply by providing a short prompt with keywords.

How to teach students to use AI responsibly? ›

Educators can create an environment in which students feel comfortable asking questions about AI and its societal impact, and then engage students in discussions and activities that analyze the outputs of AI systems, identify patterns, and connect outputs to inputs.

How can AI be used in classrooms? ›

How is artificial intelligence used in education? AI-powered educational technology encompasses tools for teachers, students and administrators. Educational games, adaptive learning platforms, chatbots and intelligent tutoring systems provide individualized support for learners.

How can AI make learning fun? ›

AI-driven interactive tools, like virtual reality and gamification, engage students in a more personalized and dynamic way. These experiences adapt to the learner's progress and preferences, creating a more immersive and enjoyable learning environment.

What is the main role of AI in education? ›

The role of AI in examinations is multifaceted, offering benefits such as automated grading, plagiarism detection, and the generation of personalized feedback. Teachers can reduce their administrative workload, allowing them to dedicate more time to student engagement and instructional improvement.

How would teaching be different in an AI enabled classroom? ›

6 Ways AI is Transforming Education with Smart Classrooms
  1. Personalized Learning. ...
  2. Smart Content Creation. ...
  3. Automation of Administrative Tasks. ...
  4. 24/7 Assistance Using Conversational AI. ...
  5. AI-Based Proctoring. ...
  6. Enhance Data-Driven Decision Making.

Can artificial intelligence replace teachers in the classroom? ›

The answer is nuanced. While AI can address the issue of bad teachers and enhance the capabilities of good ones, it cannot replace the essential human connection and mentorship that teachers provide. Likewise, tutors who genuinely care about their students' success will continue to be indispensable.

How can AI make teaching easier and more impactful? ›

How AI Can Improve A Teacher's Job. Personalized learning: Educators can provide tailored learning experiences based on AI-driven analytics that provide valuable insights into student performance and learning trends. Using this data, AI can instantly adapt student learning materials.

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