Adventure in AI - Part 1

This week’s assignment in ETEC-527 was both engaging and thought-provoking. I’ve always been intrigued by AI, but I also had some hesitations about its reliability and ethical implications. While I’ve used AI before, this assignment pushed me to explore it in new ways and truly reflect on its strengths and limitations.

One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the chance to "play" with AI and see firsthand how it can enhance productivity and streamline tasks. I used it to help generate structured lesson ideas and even brainstorm creative approaches for instructional design. However, I also realized how easily AI can produce inaccuracies. It reinforced the importance of verifying information rather than blindly trusting AI-generated content.

While I primarily use ChatGPT, I also experimented with Google Gemini this week. One feature that stood out to me was Gemini’s ability to retrieve videos, which is something I wish ChatGPT could do directly. This was especially useful when looking for supplemental materials for lessons. I assume this works especially well in Gemini due to its integration with Google’s ecosystem, including YouTube.

Additionally, I reflected on AI’s role in education, particularly regarding student accessibility and safety. With platforms like Magic School AI, AI can be tailored specifically for classroom use, ensuring student safety while still providing academic support. The concept of AI tools like Reina, which allow for teacher monitoring and controlled responses, seems like a great way to integrate AI without compromising student security.

Overall, this week reaffirmed my appreciation for AI as a tool, but also highlighted the need to approach it with caution. It’s exciting to see how AI can assist educators, but it’s equally important to remain critical of its outputs and ethical considerations.