Weekly Reflection #5

I appreciated the AI workshop this past week, particularly the balanced perspective it offered on the environmental impact of AI. It was helpful to consider the impact at an individual level and to reflect on ways we can minimize our personal use. While individual responsibility is important, I also find myself thinking about the cumulative global impact. If these technologies continue to expand and we dismiss their effects because one person’s use seems minimal, the overall environmental consequences could become significant.

What I valued most, however, was receiving practical resources for teaching students about AI. There has been a strong emphasis on the importance of AI literacy, but seeing hands-on ways to introduce these concepts in the classroom was especially useful. Working in a high school I have seen the dependency on AI that students have developed and hope that teaching AI literacy and some changes in schools will help move students away from this to be used as a tool rather than thinking for them. What I like about this resource as well is that is is scaled to grade level. As elementary education students, we may be teaching anywhere from Kindergarten to Grade 8. It is essential that we understand how to approach this important topic in ways that are developmentally appropriate for a wide range of learners. These lessons help break down the content so we can effectively adapt our teaching to meet students at each stage of development. These strategies and lessons make it possible to help students engage with AI thoughtfully and understand its role and impact in their world.

https://focusedresources.ca/student-artificial-intelligence-lessons