Educational Resources Blog

How Chatbots Can Help Train Teachers - from EducationWeek featuring Tina Nunez

"Christina Nuñez, an education technology resource teacher who works with new teachers in the Albuquerque public schools in New Mexico, can’t provide one-on-one help to all of the 300-plus newbies who join the district every year.

So, she found a way to offer what might be the next best thing: A chatbot that can answer many questions for new teachers and their mentors about topics like classroom management, lesson planning, and differentiating instruction.

Nuñez, who created the bot as part of a program for innovative educators at Google, started by surveying new teachers on their greatest needs. An AI tool—ChipAI—helped her group their responses into seven big categories: curriculum, resources, differentiation, time, management, engagement, and relationships.

Nuñez wanted to offer new teachers and their mentors information that would go beyond what they’d get from a basic internet search. In addition to guidance the district created for all mentor teachers, she directed the bot to draw from resources specific to Albuquerque, including the district’s lesson plan template, curricular materials, and policies."