3 Free Technologies to Help Students Learn to Read

Once taught through traditional methods, the fundamental skill of reading has become much easier to acquire via the use of technology. Technology provides an exciting opportunity to enhance literacy in a way that's personalized, engaging, and accessible to all. This post delves into three technologies that help make learning to read easier in ways that empower both educators and students.

KhanAcademyKids.org

While some may associate Khan Academy with math videos, today, it is much more. Khan Academy now has Khan Academy Kids with thousands of educational games, books, and activities for children ages 2-8.

Kids can learn reading, phonics, writing, and social-emotional development through fun educational games and lessons. Find a variety of activities, from ABC games for kids to 2nd-grade books. Students can learn with catchy songs and yoga videos – while having fun moving, dancing, and getting the wiggles out. Khan Academy Kids is completely free, forever—no ads or subscriptions necessary.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI)

There are numerous Generative AI platforms available to support learning to read from the popular ChatGPT to Bing, Bard, Claude, etc. Here are some ideas for doing that, with more detail on each in this post. 

• Adaptive Content: Tailor reading passages to individual reading levels and languages, providing a personalized learning experience. 
• Create Personalized Stories and Songs: Create custom stories featuring students or write educational songs to make vocabulary learning fun. 
• Reading Comprehension Support: Utilize AI to develop questions that challenge and enhance reading comprehension skills.

Common Sense Education

Choosing the right tools for reading education can be daunting, but Common Sense Education simplifies the process:

• Customized Search: With filters for topic, grade level, device type, subject, cost, and more, finding the right resources is streamlined and efficient.
• Reliable Ratings: An overall learning rating helps educators quickly identify quality resources to suit their students' needs.

By integrating technologies like Khan Academy Kids, Generative AI, and Common Sense Education, educators can lead the way in transforming reading education. These tools offer a way to make confident reading a reachable goal for every child. The time to explore, adapt, and inspire is now, for the future of reading education is not just on the horizon—it's here.

Smackdown of Top AI Image Generators: The Winner, Runner Up, & The Rest!

AI image generators provide innovative educators with new and exciting possibilities for their students and themselves. They have emerged as groundbreaking tools, offering innovative educators a wealth of new opportunities. Whether it's illustrating abstract concepts, crafting historical visualizations, or enhancing creativity in the classroom, these tools present an invaluable resource.

Innovative educators are aware of the importance of ethical considerations when using images such as citing sources and fair use. This can make it difficult when searching for images to enhance learning materials. AI image generators are a practical tool educators can use for such needs without breaking the bank by having to subscribe to a paid-for image service. 

Here's what you need to know:

Versatility: AI-generated images can illustrate abstract concepts, historical events, or even mathematical principles in a visually appealing way.

Accessibility: These tools allow you to create unique visuals without the need for extensive artistic skills or expensive software.

Cost-Effectiveness: Many AI image generators are available at little to no cost, making them accessible to educators and students working within budget constraints.

Ethical Considerations: Always be mindful of fair use and citation requirements when utilizing AI-generated images in your educational materials. Cite where you generated your image and the prompt used. 

Choosing the right tool for your needs can be challenging, given the myriad of options available. To help you navigate this decision, I conducted a practical test using the prompt: 

"Woman wearing fashionable lady's disco-style zip-up sneakers with a heel. There are no shoelaces."

The results of this test, including some of the strengths and weaknesses of different AI image generators, provide insights that you may want to consider when using such tools. 

The winner

Bing Image Creator

Powered by DALL.E, you can access this image creator at no cost by visiting: Image Creator from Microsoft Bing. 

Bing Image Creator was able to produce a beautiful design. It was easy to use and available at no cost. 

Not only did Bing Image Creator generate the requested image, it then allows you to select a tool called "customize" that lets you create the image for various platforms with suggested text for various platforms (i.e. Instagram) or formats (i.e. poster). 

Here's an example of that.

The runner up

Stable Diffusion

You can access this image creator at no cost by visiting https://stablediffusionweb.com. 

Stable Diffusion did a nice job as well, however, it didn't have that customize option, making it the runner-up. 

The Rest

Many of the other AI image generators simply could not create the request. I gave each at least three tries. 

For free

Google's Image Generator

You can access this free platform at https://www.imagine.art. 

The platform could not produce the prompt. No zipper. Shoelaces were included. No heel. 

Here is what the platform generated.

Craiyon

You can access this free platform at https://www.craiyon.com. 

The platform did a mediocre job of generating the image. They were not worn by a lady and don't really look like sneakers. However, there are no laces, there is a heel and zipper. 

Here is what the platform generated.

For Fee

DALL.E

You can access this a limited number of times for free, then it becomes a for fee platform. Visit https://labs.openai.com/. 

The platform did a mediocre job of generating the image. While it did remove laces and it did provide some unique designs, it could not generate a zipper. 

Here is what the platform generated.

Midjourney

Midjourney is complicated to access. You have to sign up for Midjourney at https://www.midjourney.com. You must pay a fee of about $10 a month and then join Discord and figure out how to use the correct prompts and channels. One advantage of Midjourney is that you can put specific subjects and images into the prompts. 

The platform did a mediocre job with the prompt. It included shoelaces, usually did not provide a heel, though it did add a zipper. 

Here are some of the outputs the platform generated from the prompt given:

Adobe Firefly

You can access this paid-for platform at https://firefly.adobe.com. 

It could not do the task. No zipper, no heel, shoelaces present. 

After multiple tries, here are some of the results it generated:

 

With AI image generators, like the top-performing Bing Image Creator or the capable Stable Diffusion, you can create unique, engaging visuals that democratize the design process, making professional-level imagery accessible to all.

The journey of integrating AI image generators into your educational practices is one filled with discovery, creativity, and a bit of experimentation. It's essential to remember that these tools are as effective as the way they are utilized. Consider your student's needs, the subject matter, and learning objectives. If your students are using these tools, you must be aware of age restrictions.

Also, consider that the process is not without its challenges. As this exploration shows, not all AI image generators are created equal, and selecting the right tool requires thoughtful consideration of factors such as versatility, accessibility, cost-effectiveness, and user-friendliness. Some may offer additional features like customization, while others might fall short in delivering the desired results.

As innovative educators, we have the opportunity to harness these tools to inspire, engage, and enlighten our students. The future is here, and now is the time to embrace it.

Using Generative AI to Help Students Learn to Read

There are numerous Generative AI / Large Language Models (LLMs) available to support learning to read from the popular ChatGPT to Bing, Bard, Claude, etc. Whichever platform you choose, here are some ways to use generative AI to support learning:

• 
  Adapt reading passages to the appropriate level and language: 
  By employing LLMs, educators can easily adapt literature to the reading level of their students. For example, the tale of "Cinderella" could be rewritten with simpler sentences and vocabulary to suit Kindergarten students. If a student's native language isn't the primary language of instruction, these tools can seamlessly translate the text, ensuring comprehension and engagement.
• Personalized reading support:
  By analyzing the student's reading levels and interests, the model can recommend and even generate reading materials for students.
• Create personalized stories featuring students: 
  Personalization in learning builds a connection and enhances motivation. Teachers can create a story involving students from their class as characters, like a fun-filled class trip to the zoo. The story can be varied by reading level and even language. By using Generative AI, each story becomes accessible to all languages and reading levels and it is relatable and engaging, fostering a sense of identity and community within the classroom.
• Write songs to enhance learning and develop vocabulary:
  Imagine having an LLM create a catchy song to a familiar tune, featuring the vocabulary or concepts from a children's book. This engaging method can increase students' familiarity with vocabulary and deepen students' connection to the material, turning reading time into a memorable and enjoyable experience.
• Develop reading comprehension questions:
  Use the LLM to develop comprehension questions about a text to check understanding, help students make inferences, and connect to prior knowledge.  

As an innovative educator, you can take advantage of the exciting possibilities offered by generative AI to inspire and challenge your students in reading. By incorporating these strategies, you can create a more dynamic, personalized, and effective teaching experience. These tools encourage creativity and inclusivity, revolutionizing the way we approach education in our rapidly advancing digital age. 

Chat with any YouTube video using ChatTube!

Innovative educators know that it is best for students to interact with learning videos using techniques such as Frame, Focus, and Follow Up. ChatTube just made that a lot easier. ChatTube uses ChatGPT technology to allow you to chat with YouTube videos in real-time using AI to ask questions, get summaries, pinpoint key points, translate content, and more. You can even suggest it provides questions/answers geared to a particular grade level. You can converse with up to five videos a day at no cost and more if you want to sign up for a premium version. 

ChatTube is embedded into YouTube. As you can see from the screenshot below, you can find it in the pane on the right. 

For a more immersive experience, you can install the Chrome Extension.

Student Guide: Should I Use AI?

Unsure about whether or not your students should use AI? This guide from AI for Education can serve as a useful conversation starter with students. 

 

6 Ways to Help Student’s Verify & Use AI-Generated Content

The infographic from AI, data, and digital policy expert, Aleksandr Tiulkanov helps us think about the process for using AI-generated content. Essentially, it says that if we are using AI generated content, we must know how to verify and take responsibility for the output. That means fact-checking, cross-referencing, and validating the content is essential. Innovative educators understand that they must know how to do this for ourselves as well as teach our students how to take full-responsibility for the outputs they share. 

Here are some ways innovative educators can support students in developing the expertise to verify the accuracy of the content produced by generative AI. 

Understand the Capabilities and Limitations of AI

Generative AI models are powerful but they don't 'understand' information or 'know' facts in the same way humans do. They generate text based on patterns they have learned from vast amounts of data and can't access real-time or updated information. This means they might produce information that is out of date, incorrect, and inconsistent.

Realize the Output May not Be Current

An AI's training data defines its knowledge. When assessing the validity of the information provided by an AI, take into account its last training data update. For example, as of now, a tool like ChatGPT is trained on a diverse range of digital text through 2021. While that will certainly change in the future, for now, it is important to be aware this affects the output we will see and how we interact with this tool. For example, you wouldn’t want to ask it about rapidly evolving topics like today’s news or current events. 

Cross-reference with Reliable Sources

When looking at any content, it’s important to cross-reference information with credible sources. This is especially true when it comes to AI-generated content. If an AI produces a piece of information, especially something critical or unexpected, it's good practice to verify this information with trusted news outlets, scientific journals, or websites you’ve come to trust. Use critical thinking skills and digital literacy to discern credible sources from less reliable ones.

Use Fact-Checking Tools

There are many online tools that can help with fact-checking. Websites like Snopes, FactCheck.org, and Politifact have made it their mission to verify claims and debunk misinformation. Utilize these resources to confirm the veracity of the information AI provides.  

Scrutinize for Bias

While AI models are designed to be neutral, they can sometimes reflect biases present in their training data. They may overrepresent certain viewpoints or under represent others, depending on the sources they were trained on. It's crucial to remain critical of the information you're consuming and consider whether it might be presenting a skewed perspective. 

Teach Students Using Lessons & Tools

Common Sense Education has curated lessons and tools to help teach students about artificial intelligence. They've also put together guidance on how to handle artificial intelligence in schools. Become familiar with these lessons, tools, and guidance to build your comfort with supporting students in using artificial intelligence.

While generative AI has revolutionized the way we engage with digital content, they are tools, not infallible oracles. As users and educators, we must remain vigilant in helping our students understand how to cultivate their digital literacy skills and critically engage with AI-generated content. 

By understanding the capabilities and limitations of AI, identifying the source of the information, cross-referencing with reliable sources, scrutinizing for bias, and using fact-checking tools, we can help students responsibly navigate this new era of AI content generation. This way, we ensure that we are supporting students in utilizing AI as a helpful tool in our quest for knowledge, rather than becoming passive consumers of AI-generated information. 

Empower Students with Lateral Reading: A Crucial Skill for the Digital Age

A report released by the Stanford History Education Group (SHEG) showed many students struggled to discern which information was legitimate pointing to the need to teach students how to verify the reliability of sources. The report outlines how three different groups of “expert” readers – fact checkers, historians and Stanford undergraduates – fared when tasked with evaluating information online.

The fact checkers proved to be fastest and most accurate, while historians and students were easily deceived by unreliable sources.

What was the difference in how the fact checkers approached discerning information? A technique called lateral reading. This is a useful tool to help students validate and verify information. 

What is Lateral Reading?

The term "lateral reading" describes a method where an individual checks the credibility of an online source by consulting other resources outside of the original one. Unlike "vertical reading," where one stays on the website and checks its own content, lateral reading encourages users to perform quick searches to cross-verify information (Wineburg & McGrew, 2017).

Why is Lateral Reading Important?

Teaching lateral reading is crucial for several reasons.

• It promotes critical thinking, urging students to question the accuracy and reliability of the information they consume. 
• It develops digital literacy, which includes understanding the way the web functions and how information is distributed and manipulated online. 
• It cultivates responsible citizenship by equipping students to engage wisely and meaningfully in digital environments, consequently building a more informed society.

How Do You Read Laterally?

Lateral reading includes: 

• Opening new tabs in a browser to research website authors or organizations
• Looking for bias or messaging associated with organizations
• Looking for hyperlinks or citations to other sources and organizations and researching the hyperlinked organizations/sources for bias
• Locating several trusted sources to verify all information
• Using fact checking sites like Politifact,Snopes, and seeing what Wikipedia (and the sources therein) say

As a way to help lateral reading evaluation, Mike Caulfield at Washington State University created a method called SIFT. SIFT stands for Stop; Investigate the source; Find better coverage; and Trace claims, quotes, and media back to the original context. 

Integrating Lateral Reading into the Classroom

Here are some ways to introduce lateral reading in the classroom:

Model lateral reading:

Show students how you, as an educator, use lateral reading when encountering new information. Display your thought process out loud, demonstrating how to quickly open new tabs to cross-verify information.

Practice with real examples:

Use current news articles, blog posts, or social media updates to practice lateral reading. Encourage students to identify reliable sources and critically analyze the information.

Engage in collaborative exercises:

Let students work in groups to evaluate a website or an article. This encourages collective problem-solving and promotes peer learning.

Reflect and discuss:

Allow time for students to reflect on what they've learned and discuss the process. This can deepen understanding and enhance retention of these skills.

Ongoing reinforcement:

You can start with this lesson from Common Sense Education about lateral reading. However, do not restrict lateral reading to a single lesson. Reinforce it as an ongoing practice and incorporate it into various assignments and projects.

Innovative educators can equip our students with the knowledge and skills to effectively navigate the digital world. Teaching lateral reading fosters not only critical thinking but also prepares students for an information-laden future. By including lateral reading in our curriculum, we empower students to become responsible digital citizens and lifelong learners.

Digital Detectives: Teaching Students to Verify Online Information

Innovative educators know it is important to help students understand how to verify information and determine what sources are credible and reliable. To help with that, organizations like Common Sense Education are doing their part by empowering students with strategies and techniques to examine the legitimacy of online content.

One of their notable methods involves the critical engagement with media through a set of thoughtful questions. This strategy is known as the "5 Questions to Ask about Media". This technique encourages students to delve beyond the surface level of any given piece of information, asking questions like:

1. Who is the creator of this content? 

Understanding the source of the content can often provide insight into its credibility. Reliable sources usually have a track record of providing accurate, unbiased information.

2. Why was this content created?

Determining the purpose or intent of the content helps understand if it is meant to inform, persuade, or entertain. This can shed light on possible biases present in the content.

3. Who is financing this content?

The entity financing the content might influence the presented perspective. Fully funded independent research, for example, tends to have less bias than content paid for by a company with vested interests.

4. How and why is this content trying to capture my attention?

Sensational headlines, emotionally charged language, or celebrity endorsements might be used to draw attention. Recognizing these tactics can help students gauge the objectivity of the content.

5. Whose viewpoints are represented and whose are absent?

Identifying the represented viewpoints can reveal biases or omissions. Diverse perspectives enrich the discussion and contribute to a more balanced understanding.

By promoting critical thinking skills and fostering an atmosphere of inquiry, innovative educators can help students effectively navigate the vast digital seas of information. Armed with these critical evaluation skills, students will be better equipped to question, analyze, and assess the credibility of the content they encounter daily on the internet. This worksheet can be helpful in supporting our students in becoming savvy digital explorers who can uncover the truth and verify information amidst the online information deluge.

Asking Generative AI to Cite Sources - Which Tool Is Best?

In the "6 Tenets of Post-Plagiarism: Writing in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" Dr. Sarah Eaton explains that using generative AI in writing will become normal. The writing process has now shifted, and while AI may do some, or even most, of the writing, humans are responsible for fact-checking, verification, and knowing the source of the information as applicable. 

Popular generative AI tools include Bing, Google's Bard and Help Me Write, and ChatGPT. While you can get sources from each, they are not equally good at easily providing accurate sources. Let’s take a look.

Comparison of Generative AI Model’s Ability to Cite Sources

Google

Google’s Bard and Help Me Write, do a mediocre to poor job of citing sources. 

When asking Bard to cite sources, it is not unusual to get a response such as: 

I'm a text-based AI, and that is outside of my capabilities.

Or…

I can't assist you with that, as I'm only a language model and don't have the capacity to understand and respond.

With some additional prompting, you can often get past that, but even when it cites sources, it often may cite an indirect source. For example, instead of the direct source, it seems to generally cite a source such as Wikipedia. 

ChatGPT

Citing sources, is usually an afterthought with ChatGPT. Unlike Bing, the sources are generally not embedded. Even when prompted, ChatGPT may list some sources, but they may or may not include links directly to that source, and they are often not embedded in results. Sometimes they are inaccurate, so you must check and verify them.  

Bing

Bing is currently the best generative AI tool when it comes to citing sources. It will cite sources without needing additional prompts and the sources are generally accurate and direct. 

Let's take a look at the elements of each as it relates to source citation.

Comparison Chart 

	ChatGPT-4	Google's Bard / Help Me Write	Bing
Real-Time Updates	No	Sometimes	Often
Strengths in Citing Sources	Can be guided to include citation-like structures, but does not inherently cite sources	Can be guided to include citation-like structures in narratives, but does not inherently cite sources. Even when guided, the sources are often not direct.	Will usually provide accurate links to source material.
Currency	Currently only has data up until September 2021 so information may not be the most up-to-date and accurate.	Not versatile in citing sources, though it does have the ability to access up-to-date information.	Access to real-time information. Robust at searching up-to-date information.
Summary	Provides the best content, but does not provide up-to-date and accurate source citation.	Provides mediocre content and only sometimes provides reliable and useful sources when prompted.	Usually embeds accurate, up-to-date and reliable sources with direct links.

The Verdict

While Google and ChatGPT do a poor job of citing sources, each does have advantages. ChatGPT will provide the most robust and comprehensive response. Google’s Help Me Write is nice, because it’s embedded directly into Google Docs, so you can just ask for help while in a document rather than having to go elsewhere. 

However, when it comes to citing sources, Bing is the winner. However, the output is not as strong as ChatGPT, so it often makes sense to use a combination of Bing and ChatGPT for now. 

Embracing Post-Plagiarism: What It Means in the Age of ChatGPT

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has had a profound impact on education. As AI-powered tools continue to evolve, they are transforming the way we approach learning and teaching. Dr. Sarah Eaton published an insightful article titled "6 Tenets of Post-Plagiarism: Writing in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" on her blog. Take a look at the post for the full explanation of each tenant. Each provides a simple, yet powerful insight. 

Two powerful tenents to keep in mind are as follows:

Hybrid Human-AI Writing Will Become Normal

We've been using predictive text, spell check, grammar check, extensions, and more for at least the past decade. Those who have the ability can also ask family, tutors, and others for feedback. AI does this on steroids and can dramatically help an author improve their writing. As Eaton says, "Trying to determine where the human ends and where the AI begins is pointless and futile." Good writing usually incorporates feedback and assistance and there is nothing wrong with that. We can invite and even relinquish control to others, but her next tenant is key. 

Humans can Relinquish Control, but not Responsibility

Humans retain control over what they write, but the best writers usually ask for input from others. These days, that may include AI. These writers understand there is always room for improvement and asking for feedback to improve writing is a strength. However, when asking for feedback, it is up to the author to be accountable for fact-checking, verification, truth-testing, and ensuring their voice comes through. Humans are also responsible for ensuring that AI tools are ethically developed and non-bias. 

Read all six tenants on the blog post and/or in the graphic below.  

Visit the original post for the text of this graphic, video, and more details.

6 Ways CuriPod #AI Can Support Teaching & Learning

Innovative educators understand the importance of leveraging solutions to address the diverse needs of our students and foster a dynamic learning environment. One such tool is CuriPod, a platform that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to instantly create tailored slide decks for teachers, offering personalized, engaging, and effective learning opportunities for our students. Here are six ways this resource can elevate teaching and learning. 

6 Ways CuriPod Supports Teaching and Learning

1) Personalized Learning Pathways:

One challenge in education is addressing the diverse needs of students. CuriPod's personalized learning pathways enable educators to tailor content and activities based on individual student's abilities, interests, and learning styles. This customized approach not only helps students progress at their own pace, but also ensures they remain engaged and motivated throughout the learning journey.

2) Collaborative Learning Environment:

CuriPod fosters a collaborative learning environment by providing tools that facilitate group activities, discussions, and projects. This collaborative approach encourages students to work together, exchange ideas, and solve problems as a team. By nurturing collaboration, CuriPod helps students develop critical soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving – all essential competencies for success in the 21st century.

3) Integration of Multimedia Resources:

CuriPod recognizes that students learn best when presented with a variety of media formats. The platform allows educators to integrate multimedia resources such as videos, images, audio, and interactive elements into their lessons. This rich, multimedia approach caters to different learning preferences, making it easier for students to absorb and retain information.

4) Real-time Assessments and Feedback:

Effective teaching relies on continuous assessment and feedback. CuriPod offers real-time assessment tools that enable educators to monitor student progress and provide immediate feedback. This timely feedback loop helps students identify areas for improvement, stay on track, and maintain their motivation. Furthermore, educators can use the data collected through these assessments to refine their instructional strategies and address any gaps in learning.

5) Simplified Lesson Planning and Organization:

CuriPod streamlines the lesson planning process by offering a suite of organizational tools and resources. Educators can easily create, modify, and share lesson plans with colleagues, access a library of pre-built lessons, and manage their schedules – all within the platform. By simplifying lesson planning and organization, CuriPod frees up valuable time for educators to focus on what truly matters – their students. 

6) Extensive Library of Teacher-Created Lesson Slide Decks: 

One of the standout features of CuriPod is its comprehensive library of lesson slide decks, meticulously crafted by other dedicated educators. This vast repository of resources allows teachers to browse, select, and adapt pre-existing lessons to suit their specific classroom needs. By offering a diverse range of high-quality, teacher-curated slide decks, CuriPod empowers educators to draw inspiration from their peers, save valuable time on lesson planning, and focus on delivering engaging and impactful learning experiences. The platform's collaborative approach fosters a strong community of educators, collectively working together to elevate the teaching and learning process. 

Ensuring Educational Soundness and Best Practices Alignment 

While CuriPod provides a wealth of invaluable resources and AI-generated slide decks, it's essential for educators to carefully review and evaluate the content to ensure its educational soundness and alignment with known best practices. By taking the time to assess and refine the material, teachers can guarantee that the lessons adhere to established standards, promote critical thinking, and foster deep understanding among their students. This careful consideration also allows educators to tailor the content to their students' specific needs and learning styles, further enhancing the educational experience. CuriPod's combined with the expertise and discernment of dedicated educators, creates an optimal learning environment that nurtures student growth and success.

With its personalized learning pathways, collaborative environment, multimedia integration, real-time assessments, simplified lesson planning, and library of teacher created slide decks, CuriPod empowers educators to create engaging and effective learning experiences.  Give CuriPod a try. Like other platforms there is a freemium and paid version. Start with the free version and if you love it you may want to pay $7.50 a month for the additional features.  

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Written with support of AI. Initial prompt: Write a blog post explaining six ways Curipod can enhance teaching and learning in the style of the blog http://innovativeeducator.com.