Recently I came across a post from Matt Miller about Steve Bambury's X post with links to prompt templates for using Microsoft Designer to create a plethora of images.  That was quickly a rabbit hole that I fell down! I curated a list of prompts (access by button link above) to help me organize them all in one place so I can easily revisit and thought I would share here as well.

Awhile ago I had seen Stephan Reid's Funko Pop prompt and used it to share how descriptive language is important with prompt engineering, but Bambury's prompts made me think differently about my own prompt engineering - how are prompts we generate encouraging diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (and potentially training future data sets)?  

Some of the noticings I had when entering information in the prompt template were:

• 🚨 DIVERSITY: Unless the initial context was designated up front (Smurf, My Little Pony, Female, etc.), for the most part it assumed I was a white male. To me, this was clear evidence of BIAS in the training data.
• ⏩ DIVERSITY: I found the need to modify the prompt template to provide a more representative image of what I was mentally visualizing.  As I make my own templates moving forward, I want to intentionally make editable fields for race, gender, age, ability, body type, and other factors.  This forces the user to acknowledge and identify those areas so that the information that they are providing as part of their prompt potentially helps in training future data models to provide more diverse outcomes
  
  
• 🚨 EQUITY: I had to use my personal account as this was not yet available in my workplace domain. This showed that ACCESS mattered and not everyone may have the same access to AI resources, which could widen the digital divide for students.
• ⏩ EQUITY: I appreciate that companies are taking time to make sure that when access is provided to educational institutions, considerations are made for privacy, consent, and the potential for misuse of users (and protecting students). Moving forward in sharing this tool, I want to explicitly make others aware of this and the benefits and drawbacks of having to use personal accounts when it is not available within educational domains.
  
  
• 🚨 INCLUSION: Some of the prompts are clearly fictional, but others can be very realistic to either real photographs or digital artwork.  The more detailed and descriptive language used in the prompt matters, but STEREOTYPING is often present in AI-generated images. These biases in the training data can perpetuate harmful stereotypes about different groups, and potential for an increase in the generation of DEEPFAKES.
• ⏩ INCLUSION: AI excels at creating entirely fictional worlds and characters, expanding the possibilities for diverse representation in creative content. It allows users to think and create beyond their own experiences and world. Moving forward, I want to share about the emphasis that should be placed on descriptive language and providing the large-language model (LLM) with feedback when image generation shows bias or stereotyping.
  
  
• 🚨 BELONGING: Belonging is a complex and personal feeling that goes beyond what we see visually. AI lacks many aspects that only humans in the loop can provide things such as feelings, emotions, or personal experiences.  This indicates a SUBJECTIVE response, as belonging is not a static feeling or experience and AI cannot actively participate in, or contribute to, a community or culture in the same way humans do.
• ⏩ BELONGING: AI-generate images can evoke feelings, an emotional connection, and a sense of seeing oneself in different contexts. As AI struggles to capture the dynamic nature of how individual experiences and a broad and diverse social context change over time, I want to make sure that I am sharing to lean into specific and contextual descriptive language.  This not only helps build future data sets, but it can help foster a symbolic representation of humans, culture, and community.

​Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach education. By automating tasks, providing personalized recommendations, and analyzing data to identify patterns and trends, AI can help educators create more effective and efficient learning environments.

One potential use of AI in education is the development of personalized learning platforms. These platforms use algorithms to analyze a student's strengths, weaknesses, and learning style, and then provide customized content and recommendations to help the student learn more effectively. For example, a personalized learning platform might recommend videos or interactive activities to a visual learner, or provide text-based explanations to a student who prefers to read. Personalized learning platforms can also provide feedback on student progress, allowing educators to identify areas where a student might be struggling and provide additional support.

AI can also be used to analyze data from assessments and other learning activities to identify patterns and trends. This can help educators understand what approaches are most effective for different groups of students and make data-driven decisions about how to improve teaching and learning.

Another potential use of AI in education is the automation of tasks such as grading assignments or providing feedback on student work. While it's important for students to receive personalized feedback from their teachers, this can be time-consuming for educators. AI can help by automating certain tasks, freeing up teachers to focus on more important tasks such as providing one-on-one support to students.

Of course, AI in education also raises important questions about equity and access. It's important to ensure that all students have access to the technology and resources they need to participate in an AI-enhanced learning environment. Additionally, there are concerns about the potential for AI to perpetuate biases and perpetuate existing inequities in education. These are important issues that need to be addressed as we explore the use of AI in education.

Overall, the potential for AI in education is significant. By automating tasks, providing personalized recommendations, and analyzing data, AI can help create more effective and efficient learning environments. As with any new technology, it's important to carefully consider the potential benefits and challenges as we explore the use of AI in education.

In full disclosure, I used Open AI to "write"/generate the post above using the prompt "Write a blog post about AI in education".  Did it sound like one of my usual blog posts? I think it had great content, but it didn't have the conversational human voice that I normally use when writing blog posts.  I ran the generated text through a GPT-2 Output Detector and this was the result (image below).  99.98% fake.  It definitely was a decent blog post, but I feel it was missing MY HUMAN writing voice.  So, does it live up to the hype?

I recently came across the following Instagram posts from @spencereducation and I think he had some great points that resonated with me - especially voice, empathy, and context.  I agree, AI is here to stay and we need to be aware of ways it is being used (unlocking your phone or computer with your device's camera (facial recognition), the automated suggestions that pop up when you write an email or text message (prediction), map and direction-based apps that adjust your route based on accidents, construction, or other hazards - just to name a few.  I highly recommend tapping through the images in each of his posts embedded below.  They definitely made me think deeper about the implications of AI use in education!  It is important to reflect on the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, and HOW of use in a specific situation.

I feel it is important for teachers to have proactive conversations with students about how AI can be used ethically, morally, and educationally.  It can be a great tool for generating ideas, formulating thoughts, or other uses.  Tools such as TinyWow have a large list of AI tools that could be helpful for students of all abilities.  I have created the AI Virtual Room below to introduce students to the concept of AI and some applications of use.  I know that I am a personal fan of Canva's Text to Image tool for generating images that I could not otherwise locate through an image search.  This Virtual Room could be a starting point for engaging students in conversation around what AI is and the implications of use.

Did you look at this and say, "Wow! I totally want to do that with my students!".  Well, I am going to hook you up with an easy way to do so - with a ready-made HyperDoc!  Feel free to grab a copy of the HyperDoc I created and use it with your students so they can create their own digital ofrendas and write a story about it. 

Students (and adults) have been OBSESSED with Pop Its lately for the fidget benefits.  Teachers are always looking for ways to capitalize on student interests, hence leveraging something that might be a distraction for some into a way to incorporate content.  Which makes me curious...how might you use Pop Its in your classroom (basic/plain or custom digital ones)?

Before designing the learning for participants, I created my own room.  This was not just to have a room of my own, but to also place myself in the seat of the learner.  As I was building my own relaxation room, one of the most overwhelming things to me was not the designing of the room, but locating the resources that would be linked in my room.  I wanted to find engaging, calming, and relaxing resources that would appeal to teachers and students alike.  I spent a lot of time looking for examples of rooms and resources and knew this would be a big hurdle for teachers as well (and they have enough on their plates in addition to participating in this course!).  So, I started a list of resources and asked as part of the learning that teachers share a few resources of their own that I would add to the list.  This turned out to be an AMAZING central repository of resources that I have returned to time and time again!  If you would like to look at the list of resources, click on the button below!

If you are thinking of creating your own Virtual Relaxation Room, I highly recommend taking a look at the rooms on the button above - it is amazing to see all the different rooms others have created!  If you are interested in reading more about some of the research behind this, check out a blog post I wrote for the Kent ISD The Bulletin!

In celebration of all birthdays in all times of the year, I thought I would put together some fun STEAM activities!  Whether it be a Maker Mat, a Choice Board, and a pixel art activity, any (or all!) can easily be integrated for some student creativity and critical thinking.