Written by Dr. Suzanne K. Becking
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the field of education, offering powerful new tools to enhance teaching and learning, and instructional technology and design. In our master’s program for instructional technology, students explore cutting-edge AI applications that can personalize learning experiences, automate routine tasks, and provide data-driven insights to improve outcomes. AI offers intelligent tutoring systems that adapt to individual needs, language models that can generate instructional content, and machine learning algorithms that analyze student data.
Our master’s program in instructional technology is delivered fully online using the Google Workspace tools. Many AI applications are seamlessly integrated into the Google Workspace environment, allowing students to experience these technologies firsthand. Additionally, our program explores a range of external AI tools through assignments and discussions facilitated in Google Classroom.
In several courses, students are tasked with using specific AI tools or a curated selection to meet defined objectives. This provides them with valuable hands-on experience to develop a deeper understanding of the capabilities and limitations of various AI technologies. Students then share their insights, highlighting the tools that demonstrated the most potential for enhancing their professional work ensuring that they multiply the number of tools they already have in their toolbox.
The explorations I have asked students to perform have come out of my own research of Generative AI. I have created assignments, asked questions of an AI Chatbot, provided a course description, and watched an AI tool provide key concepts, a course outline, group the concepts into modules, and even suggest activities for each module based on the ISTE Standards for Educators (2017) which are our program standards and course learning outcomes.
Because I saw the potential of AI tools unlocked through my research, I challenge our students to undertake similar explorations using AI across various contexts. These experiences allow them to understand AI’s capabilities and limitations while also cultivating the skills necessary to prompt these tools effectively and evaluate the output critically.
My biggest challenge both for me and for students is to generate effective prompts for the AI tool, choose the most appropriate tool for the activity, and challenge the outcome from the AI tool. Although more appropriate responses and correct references are being generated today than a year ago, we continue to double-check resources in the responses we get to ensure quotes and ideas from the references listed are factual.
AI is becoming an indispensable technology for the modern instructional designer, educational technologist, and teacher in the classroom. Our goal is to model and explore AI tools to ensure that graduates of our program will be well-equipped to harness its potential and drive innovation across diverse educational settings.
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