Pedagogical Strategies

The following are simple suggestions and examples of teaching strategies that can be used in the classroom in the era of AI to keep students thinking, engaged and learning the most important skills for the future.

Gamify Learning

Motivate, make it memorable and fun

Use gamification to make learning more engaging and interactive, fast paced and reactive.

Games can be low stakes formative assessments

Understanding Ethics

Question where information came from and what perspective was used to generate it.

Seek out, understand and share with others where data came from.

Ensure information is assessed and sourced with an EDIDA lens (equity, diversity, inclusion, de-colonization, anti-racism).

S.M.A.R.T Classroom

Technology tools support S.M.A.R.T Classrooms by providing many opportunities to engage

Show

Provide opportunities for students to showcase learning frequently as opposed to infrequent high stakes presentations.

Manageable

Create an environment and workflow that is manageable for the teacher workload, as well as the students. Also provide opportunities for students to build self-regulation and time management skills with independent work.

Accessible

Differentiate instruction, personalize learning, low-floor-high-ceiling-wide-walls activities. Create a safe and inclusive space by abiding by an EDIDA framework (equity, diversity, inclusion, de-colonization, anti-racism).

Real-time Interactive

Involve students as much as possible in the learning process. They should be responding in different ways frequently, communicating, researching to enhance understanding, creating and reflecting on others work.

Testing

Have a variety of ways to assess students, provide feedback and communicate learning.

Communication and Collaboration

The classroom environment should be an orchestra of voices all working together to create a symphony of learning

Use Socratic questioning like group debates, online forums and small group discussions to help students explore and process information.

Create assignments that require students to utilize different modalities to share their learning and ideas. (Text, Voice, Imagery, Voice, Drama)

Work in groups or design teams frequently to promote social constructivism and teamwork skills.

Creativity

Embrace the abstract, imaginative, irrational, and experimental nature of learning.

Use a variety of multimedia resources such as videos, podcasts, images, and infographics to enhance the learning experience and engage students.

Use visual aids such as diagrams, flowcharts, and concept maps to help students understand complex ideas and relationships.

Use storytelling to engage students and help them remember key concepts and ideas.

Relational

Utilize activities that help students connect to one another, give a sense of place and purpose.

Allow students plenty of opportunities to discover themselves and have a strong understanding of their own identity.

Provide opportunities for students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world situations with field trips, guest speakers, and learning in different spaces beyond the classroom.

Provide opportunities for students to pursue their interests and passions through independent study, research projects, or elective courses.

Problem Solving

Define, identify, select a strategy, evaluate the results

Use real-world problems and case studies to engage students in problem-solving activities.

Encourage students to brainstorm creative solutions to problems and to work collaboratively to develop and implement those solutions.

Utilize the design process and design thinking strategies to solve problems, create prototypes and generate new and innovative ideas.

Analyze data in different ways.

Assign problems that can’t be completed solely on a piece of paper or computer.

Critical Thinking

Rather than relying solely on AI tools, encourage students to think critically about the information they are receiving.

Encourage metacognition frequently by having students reflect, journal, share and document their learning.

Encourage students to evaluate the sources of information they find by having them fact check through multiple sources. Students can use AI tools to compare and validate information.

Use the 3CQ method, (11trees, 2023). Students complement each other's work, comment on a specific element, make a connection to their own life and finally, generate a question to encourage a continued conversation.

Assign critical reading assignments that require students to evaluate sources and synthesize information from multiple perspectives.