AI Hacks for Educators
Mary-Anne Murphy
As technology evolves, AI tools are becoming invaluable in education, offering new ways to enhance teaching and learning. Here’s a closer look at some of the best AI tools for teachers and students. I’ve also included pricing details to help you budget for your classroom resources.
1. Image Generation: Canva’s Magic Media
Canva’s Magic Media is an easy-to-use tool that lets you create custom images for your lessons. Whether it’s diagrams, charts, or even creative illustrations, Canva’s vast range of templates and AI tools help you design engaging visuals in no time.
Pricing:
Free Plan: Access to basic features and templates.
Canva Pro: Around $12.99 USD per month (about $20 NZD) for premium designs and features like Magic Media.
In the classroom: Students may wish to create their own images to go with their writing, or even craft an image to write about. Canva’s paid version also offers more advanced templates.
2. ChatGPT for Interactive Learning and Research
ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, is like having a virtual assistant in your classroom. It helps both teachers and students brainstorm, solve problems, and explain difficult concepts in a way that’s easy to understand.
Pricing:
Free Plan: Basic chatbot functionality. (LLimited usage per day)
ChatGPT Plus: $20 USD per month (approximately $33 NZD) for more in-depth responses with the latest model (GPT-4).
In the classroom: If you’re teaching Year 7-8, ChatGPT can help you explain tricky maths concepts or generate ideas for creative writing. If students are working on a short story assignment, they can ask ChatGPT for help with developing a plot, character ideas, or a setting. For example, a student might ask, "Can you give me a prompt for a mystery story set in a small New Zealand town?" ChatGPT can then generate an idea to kickstart their writing, such as a story about a missing object that leads to uncovering a long-lost local secret. It’s also handy for planning lessons, providing it is personalised to your context and students.
3. Suno for Audio Generation
Suno generates synthetic voice narrations, making it a great tool for teachers and students alike. You can create audio versions of instructions or stories, which is perfect for supporting auditory learners or providing bilingual content in English and te reo Māori.
Pricing:
Free Plan: Limited features.
Paid Plan: Ranges from $10-$30 USD per month (about $15-$45 NZD), depending on usage and access to premium voices.
In the classroom: Create bilingual audio stories or narrate classroom instructions, especially for younger students or those who might struggle with reading comprehension.
4. Research Support: Perplexity and Elicit
Research can be time-consuming, but tools like Perplexity and Elicit make it easier. They summarise academic articles and help you find reliable resources quickly, saving both teachers and students valuable time.
Perplexity Pricing: Free.
Elicit Pricing: Free for basic tasks; paid plans start at $25 USD per month (about $38 NZD).
In the classroom: These tools are ideal for student research on topics.. They help streamline the research process and summarise key findings, making it easier to focus on the analysis.
5. Feedback Tools: Kaizena and Mote
Voice feedback tools like Kaizena and Mote allow teachers to leave personalised audio feedback directly on student work. Students can also use these tools to provide voice notes for peer reviews or group projects.
Kaizena Pricing: Free.
Mote Pricing:
Free Plan: Limited voice feedback.
Unlimited Plan: Around $9 USD per month (approximately $14 NZD).
In the classroom: Imagine assessing a student’s creative writing. You can use Mote to give voice feedback on their sentence structure or creativity, making the feedback process more personal and easier to digest.
Ethical and Appropriate Use of AI Tools
While AI tools can make learning and teaching more dynamic, it’s important to use them ethically. These tools should complement your or your students’ own thinking, creativity, and effort, not replace them. Teachers can model appropriate use by ensuring students don’t rely solely on AI to complete tasks but instead use it to clarify concepts, check their work, or explore new ideas. It’s also important to consider privacy and ensure that any student data shared with these tools is handled securely and responsibly. This approach fosters academic integrity and helps students develop their critical thinking skills.
Final words
Have a tutu! Allocate 10 mins “play-time” each day with the tools. Perhaps even blend it into Team meeting time.
And, don’t be afraid to get your students involved in exploring what the platforms can do - they can often come-up with some interesting ways of how they might use them to support their learning.
Go well this week, and have fun!
MA :-)
Space for 2025 is filling. Check out our 2025 programmes:
Empowered Students
Leadership Retreat
Next year there is no RAPLD funding.
Talk to us about applying for grant funding to support your mahi.
Contact Mary-Anne to discuss your needs.