Generative AI for Educators

In this section of the course, you’ll continue investigating how to use AI for many practical tasks, such as preparing class materials and communicating with families. As you do, you’ll discover how AI tools can help increase your productivity and enhance your natural creativity.

Save time with AI

As you’ve been learning, AI tools have the potential to be valuable tools for educators. They offer some truly exciting ways to efficiently create, augment, and personalize resources and materials. Check out two specific examples:

Assessments

Use AI tools to generate questions in a variety of formats — including multiple choice, open-ended, or problem-solving questions — aligned with learning objectives. You can adjust the difficulty level of questions based on student performance or specific needs and use the AI tool to help you offer feedback on student responses.

Classroom communication

By providing an AI tool with key details about upcoming events in your class, you can generate an informative announcement, class newsletter, or variations of a message to student, family, or administrative groups. The AI tool can help you adjust for tone, language, and specific examples.

Prompts for time-saving

Examine the following prompt templates. Note that they offer two options: One is very detailed, which is intended to help the AI tool provide a highly targeted output; the other is shorter, similar to the prompts you encountered previously throughout this course. Review both options and decide which one will be most helpful to you. Then, simply copy and paste the text into the AI tool of your choice and fill in the blanks. Each prompt may be refined for all sorts of tasks, depending on your requirements:

Assessments prompt

I am a [Enter your role]. Based on the following information, create a comprehensive and engaging assessment for my students. The assessment should:

Cover all of the stated learning objectives
Be aligned with the chosen assessment type and format
Clearly evaluate the desired skills and knowledge
Provide clear instructions and expectations for students
Include answer keys or a rubric for grading

Subject: [Enter subject]

Grade level: [Enter grade level]

Learning objectives:

[Enter learning objective]
[Enter learning objective]
[Enter learning objective]

Assessment type: [Note whether the assessment should be formative, summative, individual, group, written, oral, performance-based, etc.]

Desired skills assessed: [List specific skills or knowledge, as well as any critical thinking or higher-order skills to be evaluated]

Time allotment: [Enter estimated time for the assessment; include desired number of questions, if applicable]

Other criteria: [Include any existing rubrics or assessment criteria the AI tool should reference]

Assessments prompt — short version

I am a [Enter your role] teaching [Enter class name]. Create a comprehensive and engaging [Enter assessment type] assessment for my [Enter grade level] students. The time allotment is [Enter estimated time and desired number of questions]. Align it to the following learning objectives:

[Enter learning objective]
[Enter learning objective]
[Enter learning objective]

Prompts for time-saving

Click the next arrow to reveal the next slide and to move forward.

Assessments prompt

I am a [Enter your role]. Based on the following information, create a comprehensive and engaging assessment for my students. The assessment should:

Cover all of the stated learning objectives
Be aligned with the chosen assessment type and format
Clearly evaluate the desired skills and knowledge
Provide clear instructions and expectations for students
Include answer keys or a rubric for grading

Subject: [Enter subject]

Grade level: [Enter grade level]

Learning objectives:

[Enter learning objective]
[Enter learning objective]
[Enter learning objective]

Assessment type: [Note whether the assessment should be formative, summative, individual, group, written, oral, performance-based, etc.]

Desired skills assessed: [List specific skills or knowledge, as well as any critical thinking or higher-order skills to be evaluated]

Time allotment: [Enter estimated time for the assessment; include desired number of questions, if applicable]

Other criteria: [Include any existing rubrics or assessment criteria the AI tool should reference]

Assessments prompt — short version

[Enter learning objective]
[Enter learning objective]
[Enter learning objective]

Bonus ideas

Here are some bonus ideas for assessment differentiation. Consider how they might improve or reinforce your prompt for even better results:

Create a variety of question types:
- Tier 1: Pose comprehension recall questions for students needing scaffolding.
- Tier 2: Ask analytical questions requiring deeper understanding for students performing at grade level.
- Tier 3: Offer open-ended critical thinking questions for advanced learners.
Offer choice in response format:
- Allow students to choose between responding through written essays, presentations, creative projects, or oral explanations to cater to different learning interests and preferences.
Vary assessment tasks:
- Provide a mix of multiple-choice, short answer, open-ended, and project-based assessments for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
Accessibility adjustments:
- Allow use of assistive technology to create an inclusive experience for students with motor or visual impairments.

Here are some bonus ideas for assessment differentiation. Consider how they might improve or reinforce your prompt for even better results:

Create a variety of question types:

Tier 1: Pose comprehension recall questions for students needing scaffolding.

Tier 2: Ask analytical questions requiring deeper understanding for students performing at grade level.

Tier 3: Offer open-ended critical thinking questions for advanced learners.

Offer choice in response format:

Allow students to choose between responding through written essays, presentations, creative projects, or oral explanations to cater to different learning interests and preferences.

Vary assessment tasks:

Provide a mix of multiple-choice, short answer, open-ended, and project-based assessments for students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

Accessibility adjustments:

Allow use of assistive technology to create an inclusive experience for students with motor or visual impairments.

Classroom correspondence prompt

I am a [Enter your role]. Based on the information provided, draft an engaging and informative email inviting parents to attend the [event name]. Encourage their participation by highlighting the benefits for students, fostering a sense of community, and clearly outlining the event details:

Subject: [Event name] invitation: Join us!

Grade level: [Enter grade level]

Event date and time: [Enter date and time]

Event description: [Provide a brief overview of the event, its purpose, and any highlights]

Target audience: [Specify if the event is for all guardians, specific grade levels, or particular student groups]

Desired outcome: [State your goal for parent participation, such as increased engagement, community building, supporting student learning, etc.]

Tone: [Note the particular tone or message to be conveyed, such as enthusiastic, informative, persuasive, etc.]

Optional additional information: [Include any special activities planned, whether refreshments will be served, if it’s necessary to RSVP or register]

Classroom correspondence prompt — short version

I am a [Enter your role] teaching [Enter class name]. Create an engaging and informative email inviting parents to attend the [Enter event name]. The event date and time is [Enter date and time], and the event description is: [Provide a brief overview of the event, its purpose, and any highlights].

Feel free to iterate on these prompts and make them your own! And, as always, be sure to use your knowledge and experience to ensure they will be effective and appropriate for your unique needs.

Bonus ideas

Here are some bonus ideas for effective and engaging classroom correspondence. Consider how they might improve or reinforce your prompt for even better results:

Based on classroom discussions and your own observations, use the AI tool to draft personalized progress reports highlighting strengths, areas for improvement, and specific recommendations for parents.
Design visually appealing newsletters featuring summaries of key concepts, upcoming events, and fun facts.
Get translation support from the AI tool to support your communication with families in their preferred language.