Diversity and Inclusion in Innovation, Teaching, and Learning

 In the chapter “AI in Education: Prioritizing Transparency and Trustworthiness” by Kastania (2024), she explores how classes need to start incorporating AI into their courses, but also highlighting the dangers surrounding AI. The article explores how classes need to utilize the tools that are becoming more available to students in order to set them up for success (Kastania, 2024). However, Kastania (2024), highlights the dangers of blinding using AI as it could lead to a gap in critical thinking skills, and not criticizing the bias that is embedded in AI programing. By using AI as a tool in teaching, it developed my understanding of innovation in teaching as it is a reminder of the flexible nature of education. AI is a tool that all students will use at some point in their lives, and as an educator, there is a need to support students to become digitally literate. AI is the next tool that educators need to teach students, and it has not been done before. To help adapt classrooms to support this type of learning, educators need to find innovative solutions to the problem. In terms of innovation in learning, AI forces students to use their critical thinking skills in a new way. To provide students with the skills necessary, there needs to be an innovative way to learn and understand how these tools work and utilize them. A question that I have for the author is how she recommends scaffolding AI tools in the classroom? Should this be introduced when we are starting to teach critical thinking skills? Or should it be introduced when we are teaching students how to perform these skills independently without technology? This article relates to my practice as my students are using ChatGPT to write their answers. The students I teach are at the start of their critical thinking journey, and many are finding it difficult, thus using AI to generate their answers. As this is starting to emerge, as an educator I must find innovative ways to address this problem for them to be successful later on in their academic career. 


In the chapter, “Creativity: A Prerequisite for Sustainable and Innovative Education” by 

Kral & Janoskova (2020), the authors argue that a modern classroom and education system should enable an environment to develop creative thinking. Furthermore, the article explores what creativity is, and how everyone has some degree of creativity, and school should be a place for students to explore it risk free. In terms of innovation in teaching, this article has supported the idea that innovation is finding a unique solution to issues facing our society. Creativity is often wanted by employers and is needed to find solutions to the crises facing our society. Thus, as educators, we need to find an innovative way to allow creativity into the classroom to help nurture this skill that all students have on an spectrum. For innovation in learning, having a focus on creativity and nurturing that, is a different way to learn. Innovation is highlighting the problem and finding a solution, thus having creativity in the forefront would be a different but critical way to learn. A question that I have for the authors is how can educators be creative and still meet the requirements for mandatory grading? Creativity takes risks, but if educators have to evaluate it, then students might not want to be creative at the risk of getting a poor grade. What are their suggestions to encourage creativity in the confinements of the education system? This article relates to my practice as I have noticed the need for creativity among my students. They often want to have the right answers, rather than creatively thinking of the information and making connections. By creating and nurturing their level of creativity, then my students might be encouraged to share their thinking rather than what I might want.


References 


Kastania, N.P. (2024). AI in education: Prioritizing transparency and trustworthiness. In: 

Peters, M.A., Heraud, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Educational Innovation. Springer, Singapore. https://doi-org.proxy.queensu.ca/10.1007/978-981-13-2262-4_309-1


Kral, P., Janoskova, K. (2020). Creativity: A prerequisite for sustainable and innovative 


    education. In: Peters, M., Heraud, R. (eds) Encyclopedia of Educational Innovation. Springer,        Singapore. https://doi-org.proxy.queensu.ca/10.1007/978-981-13-2262-4_204-1

Comments

  1. Nancy V.9 February 2025 at 13:12

    Hi Charlotte,
    Thanks for sharing! After reading your post I’m so interested in this article! I think it’s a great one to share with my staff as we are currently looking at how AI is being used in secondary schools. I would agree with you that the technology will only get more sophisticated and as educators we must be prepared to help support our students, provide strategies on ways that they can and cannot use AI appropriately. If we are going to be progressive, we must embrace these changes and use them in a way that doesn’t stifle creativity but perhaps creates alternative ways in which students can benefit it from it as well. I think our role as teachers becomes even more important, educating them to be responsible digital citizens. We recently had a workshop at our school on AI, it was mind blowing to see its power, and I do question and think a lot about how this will impact learning. My students are talking about it all the time, and I have taken an approach where first we spend time in class writing (no computers) and brainstorming. This helps us with a base, it also allows me to see their writing style. Most of the assignments are done in class and on paper prior to introducing digital devices. I think there are some great strategies where it can be beneficial (especially for ELL students). I recently came across a great podcast by an educator I follow, who talks about how AI cannot replace human thinking. The link is here https://www.trevormuir.com/blog/need-teachers
    Perhaps you might find it helpful as we navigate this AI revolution.

    Thanks for your insights!
    Nancy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Zoe10 February 2025 at 07:36

    Hi Charlotte,

    Great post! I enjoyed reading it. It provided insightful information as you explored different articles than I did. I love your question about how educators should be scaffolding AI in the classroom. I completely agree that we should be bringing in these innovative methods into the classroom however, it is important to acknowledge that it can be challenging and overwhelming for some educators. I find it extremely difficult to find a happy medium between exposing students to innovative technology and ensuring that they are still developing traditional skills, such as writing with pencil and paper. What are your thoughts on this? Do you feel as though it is important for teachers to take part in AI related professional development?

    Looking forward to the discussion,

    Zoe

    ReplyDelete

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