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Before you get started, please read the materials, watch the video, and complete the reflections before you begin the activities.

Exploring ChatGPT for Teachers

Watch an interactive H5P video that introduces ChatGPT and shows how it can support teachers with lesson planning, time-saving strategies, and responsible use. As you watch, you’ll answer quick questions to check your understanding and reflect on how AI can fit into your teaching practice.

Watch and interact with the H5P video. we created below.

Reflection:
After completing the video, share your thoughts in the comments:

• How might ChatGPT save you time in your lesson planning?
• What is one privacy practice you’ll keep in mind when using AI tools?

Another Quick Walkthrough

Getting Started with Gemini

Watch this video below to learn more about Gemini.

Here are the steps to get started:

1. Access the Gemini Web App

• Go to the official Gemini website: gemini.google.com

2. Sign in with your Google Account

• On the Gemini homepage, you will be prompted to sign in.
• Click the Sign in button.
• You will be redirected to the Google login page. Enter the details for your personal Google account.
• If you don’t have a Google account, you will need to create one.

3. Start using Gemini

• Once you are signed in, you will be directed to the Gemini chat interface.
• You can begin interacting with the AI by entering a text, image, or audio prompt in the message box.

Getting Started with Deffit

To begin, please watch the following introduction video:

How to Sign Up

1. Click “Create Free Account”
   Locate and click the button to begin the signup process.
2. Choose a Sign-In Method
   Select your preferred option (most teachers use Google sign-in for convenience).
3. Enter Your School or District
   Provide the required information about your school or district to complete registration.
4. Enter Your Grade Level(s)
   Indicate the grade levels you teach so the platform can personalize your experience.

After you’ve completed the prep activities, proceed to the Ethics & Privacy module.

1. Use AI to enhance creativity, brainstorm ideas, and design lesson/unit plans.
2. Confidently integrate digital tools into their teaching workflow.
3. Integrate AI tools to support differentiated instruction and inclusion for diverse learners.
4. Apply ethical and responsible practices when using AI in lesson planning.
5. Create effective prompts for accurate, relevant, and curriculum-aligned content.
6. Evaluate and adapt AI-generated materials for accuracy, bias, and alignment with learning goals.

We chose ChatGPT, Diffit, and Gemini for their accessibility, adaptability, and ability to support teachers with different levels of tech skills. ChatGPT offers quick, customizable lesson ideas; Diffit adjusts reading materials to meet diverse learning needs; and Gemini provides a comparative AI experience to develop evaluation skills. These tools align with our constructivist approach by promoting experimentation, critical thinking, and differentiated instruction, while remaining free or low-cost so teachers can continue using them beyond the course.

The learning design we chose is experiential. Experiential learning engages learners “intellectually, emotionally, socially, soulfully and/or physically and creates a learning task that is authentic.” (Association for Experiential Education, n.d.). The AEE further explains that experiential learning is personal and forms the basis for future experience and learning. 

This is reflected in our learning resource because our activities are an active process of exploration and application. Rather than being shown or told about how generative AI can be used to lesson plan, our tool provides an opportunity for teachers to be guided through a series of interactive activities that require them to experiment with AI prompts in a relevant context. For example, activity 2 involves prompting AI with a series of questions, each time becoming more specific, and then comparing results to one another.

Our design templates also involve direct instruction as some of them provide teachers with exact formulas for prompting AI. According to Main (2021) direct instruction “emphasizes explicit teaching, carefully sequenced lessons, and small learning increments” because clear instruction reduces the chance of misinterpretation. In our resource, this approach is reflected in the use of pre-laid-out templates that guide teachers step by step. Activity 1 for example, involves little inquiry or open-ended exploration, as they are designed to build foundational understanding and ensure clarity before teachers move on to more creative, exploratory tasks.

Our rationale for a combination of these approaches is to build teacher confidence while encouraging creativity. The use of direct instruction provides a clear framework proven to be successful when lesson planning. This structure reduces confusion and is a strong starting point, especially for those new to AI. Once this foundational understanding is set, experiential learning allows teachers to experiment with what they learned, deepening their understanding of genAI.