Reflection Activity 

Undertaking an online course on Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a transformative experience for me as an educator. The course provided me with a comprehensive understanding of AI, its applications, and limitations. It has empowered me to integrate AI into my pedagogy in a safe, ethical, and effective manner. In this reflection, I will discuss my biggest learnings, how I plan to incorporate AI into my classroom, and how I will ensure the safe and ethical use of technology.

One of my most significant learnings was how generative AI works. I learned how to create text and images using AI, and how to use them effectively in the classroom. This understanding has opened up new possibilities for engaging students in writing tasks, creative projects, and research assignments. For example, I plan to use GPT-3, a generative AI language model, to generate prompts for writing tasks and to support students in crafting sophisticated arguments. This approach will not only enhance disciplinary literacy but will also develop students' critical thinking and creativity skills.

Another significant learning was the importance of supporting students to be academically honest when using AI. I now understand that students may unintentionally plagiarize work generated by AI, and it is my responsibility to teach them how to avoid this. I plan to use Turnitin, an automated plagiarism checker, to provide students with feedback on their work and to educate them on the importance of academic integrity. However, I also learned the limitations of automated checking software and will remind students that they are ultimately responsible for ensuring academic honesty.

Incorporating AI into the classroom requires autonomy support. This means providing students with the freedom to explore and experiment with AI tools while also providing guidance and feedback. I plan to use AI in a way that supports students' autonomy and creativity. For example, I will give students the option to use AI-generated content to supplement their research assignments, but I will also encourage them to critique the limitations and biases of the AI tools they are using.

As an educator, I have a responsibility to support the safe and ethical use of technology in the classroom, as outlined in the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) standards. This means ensuring that AI tools are used in a way that respects student privacy, cultural sensitivities, and legal requirements. I plan to use AI in a way that complies with the AITSL standards by only using tools that have been thoroughly researched, tested, and reviewed for their safety and ethical implications. Additionally, I will provide students with guidance on how to use AI tools in a safe and ethical manner.

In conclusion, undertaking an online course on AI has been a transformative experience for me as an educator. It has opened up new possibilities for engaging students in the classroom and has taught me the importance of supporting students to be academically honest when using AI. I plan to use AI tools such as GPT-3 to enhance disciplinary literacy and critical thinking skills, while also ensuring the safe and ethical use of technology in the classroom. By incorporating AI into my pedagogy in a way that respects student autonomy and supports the AITSL standards, I hope to prepare students for a future where AI is increasingly ubiquitous.

Here is a possible reflection:

As a teacher, I am always looking for ways to enhance my pedagogy and engage my students in meaningful learning experiences. That is why I decided to enroll in an online course about artificial intelligence (AI), which is one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving fields of technology today. I was curious to learn more about how AI works, how it can be used in the classroom, and what ethical and practical challenges it poses for educators and learners.

The course was very informative and enjoyable. I learned a lot from the lectures, readings, quizzes, and discussions with other participants. One of the most fascinating topics for me was generative AI, which is a type of AI that can create new content based on existing data. For example, generative AI can produce realistic images², compose music², design products³, or even write code¹. I was amazed by the potential of this technology to foster creativity and innovation.

I also learned how generative AI can be used in the classroom to support students' learning and development. For instance, generative AI can provide feedback⁵, generate questions⁴, create scenarios⁴, or suggest resources⁴ for students based on their needs and interests. Generative AI can also help teachers to differentiate instruction, personalize learning paths, and enrich curriculum content.

However, I also realized that generative AI poses some challenges for teachers and students alike. One of them is how to ensure academic honesty and integrity when using generative AI tools. I learned that generative AI can sometimes produce inaccurate or misleading content that may not be easily detected by humans or automated checking software⁶. Therefore, it is important for teachers to educate students about how to use generative AI responsibly and ethically, as well as how to evaluate its quality and reliability.

Another challenge is how to support students' disciplinary literacy skills when using generative AI tools. I learned that generative AI can sometimes generate content that may not conform to the standards or conventions of a specific discipline or genre. Therefore, it is important for teachers to help students develop critical thinking skills and domain knowledge when using generative AI tools.

One of the AITSL standards that relates to this challenge is standard 4: "Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments". This standard includes a focus area on "supporting safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT". As a teacher who wants to use generative AI tools in my classroom, I need to ensure that I model appropriate use of these tools myself; provide clear guidelines and expectations for students; monitor their use; address any issues or concerns; and celebrate their achievements.

In conclusion, taking this online course about AI has been a valuable professional development opportunity for me. I have gained new knowledge and skills that will help me improve my pedagogy and practice. I have also developed a deeper appreciation and awareness of the opportunities and challenges that generative AI brings to education.

Source: Conversation with Bing, 10/03/2023(1) What Is Generative AI: Tools, Images, And More Examples - Dataconomy. https://dataconomy.com/2023/02/what-is-generative-ai-tools-images/ Accessed 10/03/2023.

(2) Successful generative AI examples worth noting | TechTarget. https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/tip/Successful-generative-AI-examples-worth-noting Accessed 10/03/2023.

(3) What is Generative AI - examples & numbers | QUIDGEST BLOG. https://quidgest.com/en/blog-en/generative-ai/ Accessed 10/03/2023.

(4) Leveraging Chat GPT And Generative AI In L&D. https://elearningindustry.com/leveraging-chat-gpt-and-generative-ai-in-ld Accessed 10/03/2023.

(5) Generative AI in action: real-world applications and examples. https://lablab.ai/blog/generative-ai-in-action-real-world-applications-and-examples Accessed 10/03/2023.

(6) Silicon Valley’s AI frenzy about generative AI and ChatGPT isn’t just .... https://www.vox.com/technology/2023/3/6/23624015/silicon-valley-generative-ai-chat-gpt-crypto-hype-trend Accessed 10/03/2023.