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Implementing AI in the Classroom

Site: Up2DigiSchool Moodle
Course: Module VI. APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) IN SCHOOL (8 hours)
Book: Implementing AI in the Classroom
Printed by: Guest user
Date: Thursday, 30 January 2025, 6:45 PM

Table of contents

In this tutorial

In this tutorial, we explore:

  • advantages and limitations of using artificial intelligence (AI) tools;
  • tips on how to create MOODLE course content, plans, questions, and other activities;
  • with an example of how to create a MOODLE course using AI;
  • with tips you can use to create reflections and differentiated content.

Advantages

  • Digital tools can ease the burden on teachers. 
  • Think of digital tools as your assistants, not replacement.


Limitations

We often contemplate that, due to the trends of generative AI and its increasing application, the real human teacher will quickly become unnecessary.

Artificial intelligence systems can perform various teaching tasks, such as lesson planning, automatic grading, individual student assistance, distance learning, adaptive learning, data analysis, counseling and advice, as well as practical implementation. <...>

Really?


<...> However, it's essential to recognize that while AI can enhance and complement teaching practices, human teachers offer unique qualities such as empathy, adaptability, and complex interpersonal interactions that are currently irreplaceable. The role of AI in education should be seen as a tool to support and augment teachers' efforts rather than replace them entirely. 

Example course - for content creation

Over the following sections we'll be creating a Moodle course with the assistance of AI. For our example we're going to use ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com) but you are welcome to (in fact, encouraged to) try other AI tools as well. 


We intend to develop a course called 'Safe and healthy behaviours in the computer.' This is merely a demonstration course aimed at showcasing the potential for using Moodle and AI or creating other learning materials.

Course outline

Bearing in mind the limitations outlined previously, your AI tool can usefully provide a basic Moodle course outline according to your specifications. 
Think about:

  • How many sections or modules?
  • Do you want content generated or URLs suggested?
  • What is your audience, ie, the level of understanding or expertise of your learners?
  • Do you need Quiz questions?
  • Do you need open-ended discussion topics?
  • Do you need Assignment topics - essays or projects?

ChatGTP example prompt:
Create a course on 'Safe and Healthy Behaviors in the Computer' for students in 4-7 grades. Include a brief summary for each topic, links to relevant sources, one open-ended discussion question for a forum, five multiple-choice test questions with emphasised answers, and one practical task for each topic. (Example of results: See Generated DI content)


Course content

If you prompt your generative AI tool to create content for you on your chosen subject, be sure to check how accurate and up to date it is. Consider proposing an audience in order to tailor the text to the level of your learners.

In the following prompt, we referenced  content previously generated by ChatGPT 3.5 in the same conversation. Alternatively you could list the three bullet points again.  If the generated content appeals to you, you could then repeat the prompt for the other bullet points in other sections and modules. These could then form the basis for Moodle Books.

ChatGTP example prompt
Generate content for each topic with three points (1.1, 1.2, 1.3) in a style that is easy for students to understand. Use British English spelling. 
(Example of results: See Generated AI content)

Quiz questions

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can quickly create Quiz questions in a variety of formats.

With the more basic ChatGPT-3.5  you can share example Aiken, GIFT or Moodle XML format in order to receive the questions in the appropriate formatting. You can then copy and paste them into a text editor to import into Moodle.

  • If you use the simpler ChatGPT-3.5, you can just put the sample in the chat window.
  • If you use the more advanced ChatGPT-4, you can upload sample files.

Prieš gerenruojant užklausą DI, pagalvokite:

  • "Before generating a query using DI, consider:

    • Question types: Some question types may be handled more efficiently by the DI tool than others.

    • Feedback for each question: It is unlikely that the DI tool will provide constructive, helpful feedback on incorrect or partially correct answers. Consider the possibility of editing imported questions and adding your own feedback.

    • Quality of questions: Generated questions may need to be adapted to better suit the level of learners. (On the other hand, using DI, you can restructure existing questions to tailor them to different levels.

ChatGTP example Aiken format prompt:
Put the questions for the first topic "Ergonomics and Healthy Posture" in Aiken format so that they can be imported into the MOODLE question bank and activity test. Aiken's format is: What is the correct answer to this question? A) Is it this B) Maybe this answer C) Maybe this D) Must be this! Answer: D


ChatGPT example GIFT format prompt:
Create five questions on the topic "Viruses and Malware" in GIFT format. Create questions: 1 question in True/False question type; 2  question in Multiple choice question type; 1 question in Fill in the blank and 1 question Matching questions types. Use this GIFT format:
What two people are entombed in Grant's tomb? { ~%-100%No one ~%50%Grant ~%50%Grant's wife ~%-100%Grant's father }
Ką reikėtų pasirinkti, norint redaguoti savo profilį? { ~Mano pagrindinis =Naudotojo meniu dešinėje ~Pagrindinis puslapis }
Sujunkite šalis su jų sostinėmis.{ =Belgija -> Briuselis =Lietuva -> Vilnius =Vokietija-> Berlynas =Rusija -> Maskva}
Suomijos sostinė yra Helsinkis. {T}
(Example of results: See Generated AI content)

Glossary

Moodle's Glossary activity by default allows course participants to contribute key terms and definitions. As a teacher you can also add your own key terms or you can change the permissions so that the glossary is 'read only', ie, learners access the glossary but cannot add to it.

The dictionary allows you to import an XML file and create concepts and definitions.

Using AI, let's create a glossary of key concepts for the course.

Before creating a course/topic glossary, consider:
  • Style - do you want informal descriptions (for younger learners perhaps?) or more formal (for mature professionals)

  • Essential terms - will you require some key concepts to be included in the generated glossary?

ChatGTP example prompt:

Create a glossary of 10 key concepts with explanations for the course "Safe and Healthy Behaviors in the Computer" in format <GLOSSARY> <INFO> <NAME>Glossary AI</NAME> <INTRO/> <INTROFORMAT>1</INTROFORMAT> <ALLOWDUPLICATEDENTRIES>0</ALLOWDUPLICATEDENTRIES> <DISPLAYFORMAT>dictionary</DISPLAYFORMAT> <SHOWSPECIAL>1</SHOWSPECIAL> <SHOWALPHABET>1</SHOWALPHABET> <SHOWALL>1</SHOWALL> <ALLOWCOMMENTS>0</ALLOWCOMMENTS> <USEDYNALINK>1</USEDYNALINK> <DEFAULTAPPROVAL>1</DEFAULTAPPROVAL> <GLOBALGLOSSARY>0</GLOBALGLOSSARY> <ENTBYPAGE>10</ENTBYPAGE> <ENTRIES> <ENTRY> <CONCEPT>word</CONCEPT> <DEFINITION>content</DEFINITION> <FORMAT>1</FORMAT> <USEDYNALINK>0</USEDYNALINK> <CASESENSITIVE>0</CASESENSITIVE> <FULLMATCH>0</FULLMATCH> <TEACHERENTRY>1</TEACHERENTRY> </ENTRY> <ENTRY> <CONCEPT>Digital content</CONCEPT> <DEFINITION>Digital content is any content that exists in the form of digital data. Digital content is stored on digital media or analog storage in specific formats. Forms of digital content include information that is digitally broadcast, streamed, or contained in computer files.</DEFINITION> <FORMAT>1</FORMAT> <USEDYNALINK>0</USEDYNALINK> <CASESENSITIVE>0</CASESENSITIVE> <FULLMATCH>0</FULLMATCH> <TEACHERENTRY>1</TEACHERENTRY> </ENTRY> </ENTRIES> </INFO> </GLOSSARY>

(Example of results: See Generated AI content)

Forum discussions

If we're lacking inspiration for open-ended questions for discussions in Forums, we can prompt our chosen AI tool and then if needed adapt/improve on the suggestions. 

ChatGTP example prompt:
Computer Science Teacher. List five brief open-ended discussion questions that you could use to introduce and encourage students in the classroom to behave safely and responsibly around computers.


(Example of results: See Generated AI content)

Assignments

In a similar way to Forum discussions, we can also use AI tools to help us devise Moodle Assignments, particularly if it is a text-based, essay type task.

Think about:

  • The word count if appropriate;
  • Whether it is an individual or group task;
  • Any key concepts that must be included;
  • Any potential 'scaffolding', ie help learners with structuring.
  • A suggested grading scheme/rubric to help us the teacher with grading.

ChatGTP example prompt:
Write instructions for the task 'How to Identify Malware.' Learners must write between 100 to 260 words and create a visual presentation. At least one practical example should be provided. Present the suggested task structure and assessment methods.

(Example of results: See Generated AI content)

Differentiation

As a teacher you might sometimes need to adapt materials to make them suitable for learners at different levels. These could be materials you have created yourself or materials you have sourced online (and have permission to adapt.) Alternatively you might plan to use AI to generate new materials but realise they should be tailored to specific levels. Thoughtful prompts can assist with this differentiation challenge. 

Reflections

Reflecting on your work is an essential element both of the teaching process for you, and of the learning process for your course participants.

Where you and your learners record your reflections may depend on various organisational and personal factors: a Moodle blog, Forum thread or Assignment for example. 

AI can assist with the reflection process if we reverse the prompts, so to speak. Instead of asking the questions, we can our AI bot to ask us questions designed to examine our motivations and decisions more closely. We can then make suggestions to our learners based on our own experiences, or can use the responses provided by AI to help our learners