The power of AI throughout the 7 Cs

In education right now, the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a dream of the future — it’s a full reality. Educators have a chance to begin integrating AI into everyday student learning experiences, giving students access to assistance, support, and opportunities. Let’s explore how AI can elevate the 7 Cs—essential skills that prepare our learners for success, both now and in the future.

Community: AI bridges geographical gaps, connecting students across continents. Imagine virtual pen pals collaborating on global projects, sharing cultural insights, and collectively solving real-world challenges. Tools like Microsoft Teams, Skype, and other video conferencing tools facilitate this sense of community, fostering empathy and understanding. Thanks to real time translation, transcription, and captioning services powered by AI, students everywhere can connect with a broader community. Edge browser’s built-in translation (not to mention Immersive Reader) lets students read news articles from another perspective, written in an unfamiliar language for an audience across the globe.

Collaboration: When we start to consider generative AI as a teammate, collaboration possibilities are mind-blowing. Students receive ideation support, organization support, and even step-by-step directions to complete a task, all personalized and powered by AI. Setting up a student learning Space in SchoolAI for students to use as a digital assistant empowers them to get started while lessening challenges like writer’s block. AI is a great collaborator!

• AI doesn’t take breaks or need time to rest. It’s always available.
• Need facts, figures, or historical data? AI looks at vast databases on information quickly. It’s a supercharged librarian at our fingertips. (I love librarians. Do not read that I am trying to replace librarians.)
• AI tackles repetitive and creative tasks, without judgement on the prompter. Ask for anything you need, and it’s going to try its best to help. (In fact, AI will err on the side of making you happy, even if it hallucinates to do it! See the section on critical thinking…)

Communication: Natural language processing tools, like generative AI apps running GPT, can enhance communication skills. Students can practice persuasive writing, engage in meaningful dialogues with AI chatbots, and receive personalized feedback. These interactions refine their ability to express ideas effectively. Early research is showing that humans will score writing tasks higher if they have been supported with AI. One could argue that banning AI tools in the writing process is a disservice to students at this point, and especially those who are traditionally marginalized. Allow students to use Editor in Microsoft Word to check and improve their writing with AI, or let them get feedback from a chat tool like Sidekicks in SchoolAI.  

Critical Thinking: AI is a perfect entry into critical thinking!

• Allow students to analyze data through patterns, trends, and evidence-based conclusions in tools like PowerBI or Microsoft Excel. This can include making predictions or probabilities, historical data, and even evaluating model accuracy.
• Give students opportunities to explore bias in AI. Demonstrate the responses from one tool to another, or ask AI to respond from a variety of perspectives. Analyze image generation bias. Use tools like IBM’s AI Fairness 360 to recognize (and report!) bias in AI.
• Guide students in fact-checking website to discern credible sources in their AI-generated responses. Verify claims, question sensational headlines, check for cross-references, and more with Microsoft’s Search Coach tool.
• Explore the ethical dilemmas in AI. For example, discuss the trade-offs between privacy and convenience when using voice assistants like Siri and Alexa. Encourage students to weigh pros and cons, consider unintended consequences, and propose ethical guidelines for AI development.
• Demystify AI. This is essential. AI should not be considered magic any more than it should be considered human (although Ethan Mollick says in his new book that we should still interact with it as such). It is based on code, developed by humans. By experimenting with inputs, outputs, and training data, students gain insights into how algorithms work. Use a tool like Teachable Machine to experiment together.

Computational Thinking: Coding with AI tools demystifies computational thinking. Whether using block-based code, JavaScript, or Python, students develop logical reasoning, algorithmic understanding, and problem-solving prowess. AI becomes a creative canvas for their digital ideas. Use generative AI tools to debug, look for patterns, and create new ideas within a MakeCode environment. In fact, Minecraft Education recently released two prompt lab lessons to support coding with Copilot. I’ve personally found it very helpful to troubleshoot code on my website, newsletter, and other platforms using AI.

Creativity: Generative AI models inspire creativity. Students can compose poetry, design digital art, or even create music using tools like OpenAI’s GPT-4, which is free in Copilot! Microsoft Designer is free for anyone (13+), and Canva for Education allows all ages to use Magic Media. Adobe Express is also free for education! These programs allow students to create imagery to support their stories, imaginations, or even visualize science and history. By blending human imagination with AI, we unlock new modes of expression. Don’t forget about built-in design tools like Sway and Designer for PowerPoint.

Changemaking: AI amplifies student agency. From climate change simulations to social justice projects, students can use AI to address real-world issues. By empowering them as changemakers, we cultivate a generation that shapes a better tomorrow. Give students an opportunity to interview changemakers in the past through the historical figures in SchoolAI’s pre-created Spaces, for example.

While jumping in without caution isn’t the right approach, ignoring AI or moving at a glacial speed isn’t either. With the right tools and conversations, let’s embrace AI as an ally in nurturing the 7 Cs. Together, we’ll empower our students to become compassionate, collaborative, and innovative global citizens, ready to shape a brighter future.