Using AI to free up time for pupil personal development
With more evidence demonstrating the value of informalised mentoring to improving attendance and attainment in schools, we've put together five key ways AI can free up teacher time for supporting pupil personal development.
You can read more about the context of our article here.
Speeding up report writing
Giving students a brain break with interactive drawing exercises
Organizing meetings with colleagues
Ensuring consistency with lesson plans
Taking notes in departmental meetings
Speeding up report writing use Chat GPT
As a form of generative AI, Chat GPT created by OpenAI can create text based on inputs you provide it with. You can see an example we provided below, which took approximately five seconds to generate. If you're not happy with the response, you can ask the AI to try again. You might ask for a more formal tone, shorter length, clearer actions, more bullet points etc..
Teacher prompt:
Write a school biology report for Tom who is in Year 12. He got 23/40 in his recent block test and is largely good in class although he can be a bit disruptive. he needs to focus on bacteria terminology over the holiday.
Report created:
Biology report
Subject: bacteria terminology
Student name: Tom
Year 12
Test score: 23/40
Introduction
Tom has shown a good understanding of the subject matter in Biology class, although he occasionally displays disruptive behavior. To further improve his knowledge and performance in the subject, it is recommended that he focuses on enhancing his understanding of bacteria terminology during the upcoming holiday period. This report aims to provide an overview of essential bacteria terminology that Tom should familiarize himself with.
Bacteria terminology
Bacteria
Cell wall
Cell membrane
Cytoplasm
Pili
Plasmid
Binary fission
Antibiotic
Pathogen
Recommendations
To improve his performance in the subject, it is suggested that Tom focuses on the following steps during the holiday period:
Review class notes: go through the biology class notes, paying particular attention to topics related to bacteria terminology. Highlight key concepts and important definitions.
Textbook study: read the relevant chapters in the biology textbook to gain a comprehensive understanding of bacteria and associated terminology. Take notes and make flashcards to aid memorisation.
Online resources: Utilise reputable online resources, such as educational websites or video tutorials, to supplement learning. These resources can provide visual aids and interactive learning experiences.
Practice questions: Solve practice questions and sample tests related to bacteria terminology. This will help reinforce understanding and improve exam performance.
Seek clarification: If there are any areas of confusion or uncertainty, don't hesitate to ask the biology teacher for clarification or additional resources. Make use of the teacher's expertise to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.
Conclusion
Tom has shown promise in biology, but there is room for improvement. By focusing on bacteria terminology during the holiday period and following the recommended steps, Tom can enhance his understanding of the topic. Developing a strong foundation in bacteria terminology will benefit his overall performance in the subject and prepare him for future assessments. With dedication and consistent effort, Tom can excel in biology.
Giving students a break
Give students a brain break with a quick drawing exercise they will love. It's called Quick Draw. It's similar to Pictionary except online and saves time getting out pens and paper from the side. This could be done on an interactive whiteboard or on students' individual devices.
Finding time to meet colleagues
Finding time to meet with colleagues, parents or external providers in a busy day of lessons can be challenging. You can use Calendly to allow people to book automatically into your diary. Microsoft also has Microsoft Bookings which can make finding a time so much easier. You can save your 'Book time with Mr Harrison' as a hyperlink and paste it into an email or Teams message whenever you need.
Creating better lesson plans
Chat GPT can create lesson plans based on brief specifications you provide it with according to learning outcomes, curriculum targets and exam boards. You can also add previous years' experience e.g - 'Make this plan more appropriate for a 45 minute lesson with GCSE students predicted to get between A-C'.
Making notetaking easier
Taking notes in departmental or team meetings is boring, and no one wants to do it! If joining with Microsoft Teams you can record the meeting easily, use the transcribe feature and then feed the raw transcript into a generative AI like Chat GPT. It's then broken down easily and can be segmented into actions, notes, 'any other business' and styled in the third person e.g 'James commented there was more focus on literary terms from the exam board this year'.