The EdTech Connection

I had a request to include some information about how AI can (and can't) be used in the classroom, so I wanted to share some of the resources I've been using to learn more about it. There are definitely some concerns that need to be reflected in our use of AI (don't share sensitive student data, for one!), but there are lots of ways that we can use tools like ChatGPT and Bard to save ourselves time.

For example, if you struggle with composing the "perfect parent email," you can ask AI to do it, even without sharing student data. Your prompt could be "Write a short email to a parent whose child is missing assignments in my FVA French 1 class. Include information about how to find grades in Infinite Campus and assignments in Canvas." Once it generates the email for you, you can edit as needed so that it sounds like you instead of sounding like a robot.

Here are some of the items on my to be read/watched list that you might also enjoy:

• FCS AI & ChatGPT for Educator Use by Allison Crouch

• AI for Educators: Learning Strategies, Teacher Efficiencies, and a Vision for an Artificial Intelligence Future by Matt Miller

• The AI Infused Classroom by Holly Clark

• 7 Strategies to Prepare Educators to Teach With AI from EdWeek

• Human Meets AI: Helping Educators Navigate Their Emotions About Technological Change from EdSurge

• Schools are teaching ChatGPT, so students aren’t left behind from CNN

What are your thoughts? Have you used AI to cut down on tasks?

After last week's newsletter where I shared that Google Slides will be getting an option to annotate your slides when presenting, I was asked about the best way to add audio to your slides for when students are viewing the slides without you.

There are several options, so I thought I would share my favorite today and then I'll share others next week.

Mote is a chrome extension (approved for use in FCS) that allows you to record audio directly into your Google files. With a Google Doc for example, you can add it to a comment, allowing students to HEAR your comment instead of only reading it. You can also use it to record audio directly in a Google Slide so that students hear all the things you want to say about the text or images on the slide.

It is a "freemium" product, and in full disclosure, I pay for the Unlimited tier of it. THIS LINK will give you 60 days of unlimited for free so that you can decide for yourself what you think and the video below will also share info about it.

Last week, I seemed to have a lot of questions about quizzes in Canvas. This is encouraging to me, because it means that many of you are using them! 🎉

However, there are some things that you might still need to understand. For example, what to do if you make a mistake in a question answer or if the grades displayed on the Moderate tab don't match what is showing in Grades. Another example is if you change the way grades are displayed (Percentage is what I recommend) after students start the quiz.

Luckily, you can fix all of these the same way: by "regrading" the question (if you just need to fix one question) or regrading each question (without actually making any changes) to fix grade display issues.

You can find instructions for regrading a quiz question in the Canvas Guides. To regrade an entire quiz, repeat the process for each question.