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Introduction to AI Program for Educators


                            By Crisianee Berry, Xi Lin, and Phyllis J. Broughton


          Artificial intelligence (AI) tools in education are positioned to impact learning in a way that no
          tool has since the internet was adopted. They have the capacity to change almost all aspects of
          teaching and learning. Many of these changes have the possibility of supporting educators in
          tasks such as planning, differentiation, and assessment, thereby making these tasks less time-
          consuming and stressful for educators. A need exists for professional development designed
          to introduce educators to AI tools and answer some of the many questions about the use of AI
          in education. Understanding this need, the authors created a short professional development
          presentation for a group of elementary school educators as the first step in developing a
          resource program that can be expanded and shared with educators around their state with the
          goal of increasing educator well-being.



                                             Overview of the Introduction to AI Program
                                Artificial intelligence (AI), which refers to a simulation of human intelligence
                             by computers and other machines (Zhai et al., 2021), has become a popular topic in
                             the field of education. Specifically, AI encompasses an extensive array of methods
                             such as machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, and computer
                             vision, with techniques applicable across a spectrum of tasks, from straightforward
                             rule-based procedures to intricate problem-solving and decision-making processes
                             (Russell & Norvig, 2016). In academia, AI’s growing use impacts traditional learning
                             and teaching methods as it has the potential to offer personalized learning plans and
                             assist student success through advanced data analysis. Therefore, the use and ways
                             of using AI have significantly garnered attention from scholars and practitioners.
                                Today,  a  variety  of AI  tools  can  be  used  for  teaching  and  learning,  such  as
                             Gemini  by  Google  (https://gemini.google.com/),  Copilot  by  Microsoft  (https://
                             copilot.microsoft.com), ChatGPT from OpenAI (https://chatgpt.com), and so forth.
                             Taking ChatGPT as an example, scholars have noted the potential of applying this
                             tool to education. For instance, Lin (2023) investigated the possibility of employing
                             this AI tool as a virtual tutor for self-directed learning with various applications
                             in educational assistance, including goal setting, personalized planning, resource
                             access based on learning styles, progress monitoring and feedback provision, and
                             self-assessment.  This  on-demand  support  would  make  learning  enjoyable  and
                             engaging. Likewise, ChatGPT could facilitate language learning, grammar practice,
                             and  communication  skills  improvement  and  make  educational  materials  more
                             accessible (Lyerly, 2023; Shaikh et al., 2023). In short, it could function as a virtual
                             assistant,  providing  information  on  demand  or  making  resources  available  at  all
                             times, thus leading to academic success among students.

                                     AI Support for Educator Wellness and Classroom Success
                                With its various uses, educators can implement AI to assist with the numerous
                             challenges in today’s classrooms, from inspiring and engaging students to fostering
                             critical thinking and social skills. Educators dedicate extensive time to planning
                             lessons,  designing  assessments,  and  maintaining  a  supportive  environment.
                             However, amid these demands, educators also need to prioritize their own well-



        38                                           The Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators
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