Using AI to up-level your classroom
Welcome to 2024. The year of mainstream artificial intelligence.
It’s been around a while and yet in 2024 less than one third of Americans say they use AI on a daily basis.
AI can be as simple as using a chatbot for customer service and music list playlist recommendations like my new favorite “Daylist” on Spotify.
McKinsey stated that by 2045 Ai could automate up to 50% of our daily jobs, largely in careers that are knowledge based. And when I read that sentence, I got a little concerned because that is where my career lies. And then, I read the next line. The shift in automated tasks means that many employees will need to “use tools such as generative AI in the same way we use search engines and word processors.”
What that is telling me is, why not learn it now and be ready when it comes more mainstream!
As someone who did my first ChatGPT query in late 2022 to write a real estate love letter for a house we ended and used it this week to tweak some middle school questions about plant growth. I am happy to be your AI Guinea Pig!
I think the question most professionals have is, “can we use it to save time in our day to day life or work life”. The answer is yes, in varying shades of gray depending on your ideas for use, willingness to implement and your level of integration.
How To Effectively Start Using AI In Your Life and Work
Types of AI to try out!
ChatGPT: This is the OG (ok, don’t quote me on that, but it’s the first one I heard of). Use ChatGPT to do writing type tasks like coming up with titles for your upcoming presentations to getting gift ideas for gifts for your fishing loving grandpa.
Magic School: For the teachers out there, Magic School is a great place to start lesson planning, assessment planning or even translations for your multi language learners
Canva Magic Media: Canva has implemented a few AI tools into its interface. One is Magic Media where you write and idea for an image and Canva creates it.
There are plenty more to look at and sift through, but if you are new to AI I would suggest picking one that is most aligned with a task you would like to get some help with and start feeling comfortable using one AI tool for that task.
AI is a great place to unleash your creativity. Instead of attempting to Google something, you can use a very specific query in AI to get your ideas started.
For example, let’s say you are looking to name an event, plan a vacation, make a meal plan or even write a lesson plan. Ai is a great starting place to get ideas. But, Ai can’t do ALL the work for it. It comes down to how you ask the question and that all starts with a great prompt.
How To Make Good AI Prompts
To make a good Ai prompt follow these simple rules taken from Harvard (I mean, it’s Harvard and Elle Woods trusts them).
-Be Specific
AI has the power of the internet in their grasp. If you ask it a general question you are going to get a general response.
For example I asked ChatGPT (my AI of choice but there are plenty others) for a meal plan for a family of 4. She spat out breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas for 7 days and of those 21 meals I think my family would only eat 5.
I made the prompt more specific by adding in details that my kids are picky, we eat dinner for breakfast on Thursdays, and our main protein sources. And you better believe it that I would actually try all 7 of the ideas!
Be specific! And if AI pops out something that doesn’t work, give feedback and tweak. I love providing good feedback for my AI by saying “Thanks, you are on the right track. Could you try again with ________ in mind”
-Use Do and Don’t
AI loves directions. When you are able use “do” and “don’t” in your prompts, this allows the search to easily eliminate things that don’t sound good to you.
For example:
“Don’t use the word “very” in my MOH speech”
“Don’t provide any spicy foods in my meal plan”
“Do use any horticulture/plant puns.”
This is very helpful when you are building on your ideas.
Let’s say you were asking to name your new podcast and you are a dog walker, but you want the word Dog in the podcast for SEO reasons. Make sure you tell AI or you might end up with ideas like Pawsome Podcast or Canine Companion Chronicles.
-Use Examples
If you have examples, USE THEM in your prompts. Last summer I used AI to help with jazzing up some email subjects for our signature virtual conference. I was able to upload the email subjects I used that had great open and click rates and AI was able to suggest more ideas for me to A/B test.
You can also do this for life things like vacation planning (share what you’ve loved in the past) or professional things like editing your resume.
Where Do You Fall On The AI Conundrum
Now, don’t hear what I am not saying. I do not believe AI can replaces your human creativity.
I am currently sitting on my couch with my dog staring at me waiting to be taken on his daily afternoon walk typing away. If I placed the title for this blog into AI, it would totally write it. And I also think it would come off as a robot and if you have read my work, you would know it is not me.
I think about my incredible website and brand designer Nicole and what she was able to pull out of my brain and put into paper would never be replicated.
What about your favorite teachers from school, do you think they could just replace them with a robot that knows the curriculum in and out without an ounce of compassion or rapport? I don’t think so.
Or my go to color consultant Sarah Kraus. I tried the AI color analysis and got Autumn every single time because of my brown hair and dark hazel eyes. And on September 16, 2022 she in person draped me as a dark summer. And I never tried to wear earthy greens and mustard yellows again!
So, I am wondering:what is your level of commitment to experimenting with AI?
Are you All in, have mediocre interest, or have decided it’s not for you?
Connect with us on Instagram to get in on the AI conversation! We’d love to know your thoughts.
