An interdisciplinary team of researchers funded by the US National Science Foundation has created a teacher -focused study program called Shark ai. This optional online program presents teachers and students of the Florida college to artificial intelligence through the science of paleontology. With AI sharks, science teachers learn to integrate the concepts of AI and automatic learning in their classrooms to help their students develop essential skills and prepare 21st century STEM careers.
“Most learnings of AI K-12 occur with computer standards and learning objectives,” said Bruce Macfadden, distinguished professor at the University of Florida (UF) (PI) on the project. “”Shark IA adopts a new approach using AI to teach concepts related to biology, paleontology and the nature of science, while also connecting to the objectives of computer education, “he said.
Developed with and for teachers, Shark AI is a free and optional online program with five flexible modules – all aligned with college science standards – that teachers can choose to integrate into their instructions. The lessons aim to demystify AI by teaching students to collect data and the classification of objects using fossil shark teeth, showing students how to train and assess automatic learning models while recognizing the limitations of a model and supporting students when they create unique AI models.
But to best prepare students to use AI, teachers must also know how to use technology. An essential component for the use of shark AI is to have access to real fossils.
Credit: Christine Wusylko, University of Florida
“With AI sharks, students have access to real high quality fossils they can touch and feel,” said Macfadden. “Children love to have that, just like teachers.”
The other key room is the support provided by the professional development of Florida college educators who voluntarily put a shark AI in their classrooms.
“If the teachers do not have the opportunity to learn, they can never bring this knowledge back to their schools,” said Seema Naik, an engineer who has become sixth and an eighth year educator, and Professor Recruue of the year in technical education this year for his school in the Brooward County. “I never imagined that you could really establish a link between fossils and AI, that you can train a model and do it. It was quite fascinating,” she said.
The shark team has organized a week -long summer workshop to support teachers’ cohorts. Educators learn from various experts, including other “teacher leaders” of the college, who use the study program.
Credit: Erika Nortemann / Florida Museum
“One thing that teacher cohorts appreciate professional development is to work with other teachers – their peers – who facilitate many of this AI learning experiences,” said Pacha “Pacha” Antonenko, teacher of educational and co -i technology on the project. “From this project, we learned that teachers can Use AI. Teachers are Use of AI. We just need to help them do it more effectively, “said Antonenko.
Above all, this commitment between peers has helped teachers like Naik to unpack some of the common common ideas than them and other people on AI.
“I had several questions and concerns about technology before following the training, but now I’m comfortable using AI in my class,” she said. “Learning how AI could be used positively, it was quite powerful.”
Credit: UF College of Education, University of Florida
Community teachers are developing while participating in shark AI training are also essential when navigating in the new study program. For example, Naik said that some Florida schools use Microsoft applications while others use Google. This caused some technical obstacles to some of the Shark AI teachers, but they worked together to help out and finally share their best practices.
And to help teachers establish clear links for their students between the science class and the STEM labor, the project offers “model visits”, where a member of the research team visits science courses to engage directly with students using AI sharks.
“Go to a class and say:” I am a real scientist, and if you wish, you can be too. You classify fossils using automatic learning tools, and that’s exactly what I do as a scientist. “It is very powerful for teachers, not only for content support, but also for scientific identity that students could leave,” said Macfadden.
For Naik, Shark Ai not only gave him a better understanding and better confidence to use AI in his science lessons, but she recognizes how the study program gives her students “the property of their learning”, something she says is the key when they move in high school and become more self -sufficient.
“This project is truly teachers’ champions,” said Christine Wusylko, postdoctoral researcher of the UF in the team. “The teachers of the Shark AI feel special, and they feel in a club. The program is flexible, and he is led by teachers. And as a former science teacher myself, it is invaluable.”