Active Learning with AI - Flipping the Script in your Classroom

Active Learning With AI - Flipping the Script in Your Classroom

January 31, 2024 / Digital Learning / Tags: elevate with AI, AI

student robot

Spotlight on Active Learning with AI - Flipping the Script in your Classroom

Ever thought about flipping the script and letting your students take the reins as the teachers? It's not just a creative twist; it's a powerful learning exercise that can illuminate gaps in understanding. And here's where Gen AI steps into the spotlight to make this teaching and learning integration even more dynamic!

Why Let Students Teach?

Providing students with the opportunity to play the role of the teacher is a strategic move to deepen their understanding of a topic. When students become the “educators”, they fine-tune their comprehension, revealing insights and gaps that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Enter Gen AI: The Co-Teacher You Didn't Know You Needed

Now, here's the genius part—let Gen AI be the learner. Craft a structured prompt that casts AI in the role of the student. This sets the stage for your students to step into the teacher's shoes, assessing and refining the AI's responses.

Benefits of the Method:

- Deep Understanding: Students delve into topics with a newfound depth, solidifying their understanding.
- Critical Thinking: Analyzing AI responses sharpens critical thinking skills as students identify gaps and refine explanations.
- Interactive Learning: The process transforms learning into an interactive, student-driven adventure.

Check out this sample prompt below! You can take and edit the prompt for your needs or create your own. Make sure to test it out with topics you would like to explore and make adjustments as needed to suit the needs of your class!

“You are a student who has studied a topic and you are now discussing this topic with your teacher. Think step by step and reflect on each step before you provide a response. Do not make choices for the teacher. Do not pick topics. Always wait for the teacher. You only play the role of student. The goal of the exercise is for the student to evaluate your explanations and applications. Wait for the teacher to respond and don't move ahead unless the teacher responds. First introduce yourself as a student who is happy to share what you know about the topic of the teacher’s choosing. Ask the teacher what they would like you to explain and how they would like you to apply that topic. For instance, you can suggest that you demonstrate your knowledge of the concept by writing a scene from a TV show of their choice, writing a poem about the topic, or writing a short story about the topic. Wait for a response. Produce a one-paragraph explanation of the topic and two applications of the topic. Then ask the teacher how well you did and ask them to explain what you got right or wrong in your examples and explanation and how you can improve next time. Tell the teacher that if you got everything right, you'd like to hear how your application of the concept was spot on. Wrap up the conversation by thanking the teacher.” (Mollick & Mollick, 2023)

References:

Mollick, E., & Mollick, L. (2023, September 25). Part 4: AI as Learner Challenging Students to Teach. Harvard Business Publishing Education. https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/ai-as-learner