One Size Fits None: Leveraging AI for Equity in Education

Are you curious about how AI has begun changing education? AI-powered tools like ChatGPT are revolutionizing the classroom by promoting fairness and equal opportunity for all students - while saving teachers who know how to leverage these tools lots of time. 

Let's delve into how ChatGPT can assist educators with planning and evaluation, ultimately creating a more diverse and inclusive learning environment for all of their students.

As you read, take a moment to reflect about how you currently plan your lessons and evaluate your students' progress. Consider the time and effort it takes to research and gather resources, differentiate work and materials, create assessments, and provide feedback. Then, think about how ChatGPT could enhance these processes. 

Planning

Planning is an essential aspect of teaching. Educators must ensure that the materials they use are accessible and meet the needs of all learners. ChatGPT can assist with planning by providing personalized and inclusive suggestions. 

For example, if an educator is creating a lesson plan for an ELA class, they can ask ChatGPT to suggest resources that are inclusive and diverse. ChatGPT can provide a list of resources that reflect different cultures, races, and ethnicities.

Let's say a high school English teacher is planning a unit on poetry and wants to ensure that the poems they select for the unit are diverse and inclusive. The teacher can use ChatGPT to generate suggestions for poems by asking a question such as, “What are some diverse and inclusive poems that would be appropriate for a high school English class?” (You could also add in a particular theme or essential question to your query for more specificity of results).

When I did, this was the response:

"I, Too" by Langston Hughes - This poem speaks to the experience of being a Black American and feeling excluded from mainstream society, but it also celebrates the speaker's resilience and determination to overcome oppression.

"When Giving Is All We Have" by Alberto Rios - This poem explores the idea of giving and receiving, emphasizing the importance of generosity and community.

"Maggie and Milly and Molly and May" by e.e. cummings - This poem tells the story of four young girls who go to the beach and discover the wonders of the natural world. It celebrates childhood curiosity and imagination.

"The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus - This poem is inscribed on the Statue of Liberty and celebrates America as a melting pot of cultures and peoples. It emphasizes the idea of welcoming immigrants and the importance of diversity.

"Dear White America" by Danez Smith - This poem addresses the legacy of slavery and racism in America and challenges white Americans to confront their privilege and complicity in systemic oppression.

These are just a few examples of diverse and inclusive poems that could be incorporated into a high school English class. By selecting a range of poems that reflect different cultures, races, and ethnicities, educators can create a more inclusive and representative learning environment for all students.

Accessibly 

In addition, ChatGPT can also assist with creating accessible materials. For example, if an educator is creating a worksheet, they can ask ChatGPT to provide suggestions on how to make the worksheet accessible for learners with disabilities. ChatGPT can provide suggestions such as increasing the font size or providing alternative formats such as audio or video.

ChatGPT can also assist in creating materials of different reading levels for students by using its natural language processing capabilities to analyze and adjust the complexity of text. 

Here's how it could work:

Analyzing the Input Text: ChatGPT can analyze the complexity of the input text and identify its reading level. For example, if the input text is written for a high school reading level, ChatGPT can identify this and use it as a starting point.

Adjusting the Text Complexity: ChatGPT can then adjust the complexity of the text to create materials of different reading levels. For example, if the teacher wants to create materials for a lower reading level, ChatGPT can simplify the language and sentence structure to make it more accessible to struggling readers. Conversely, if the teacher wants to create materials for a higher reading level, ChatGPT can use more complex language and sentence structures to challenge advanced readers.

Generating Materials: After adjusting the text complexity, ChatGPT can generate new materials based on the input text. For example, if the input text is a chapter from a textbook, ChatGPT can generate summaries or quiz questions for different reading levels based on the adjusted complexity. These materials can then be used for differentiated instruction and tailored to meet the needs of all learners.

Overall, by using ChatGPT to create materials of different reading levels, educators can ensure that all learners have access to materials that are appropriate for their skill level. This can help to create a more inclusive learning environment and support the academic growth of all students.

Evaluation

Evaluation is another critical aspect of teaching. Educators must evaluate the progress of their learners to ensure that they are meeting the learning objectives. ChatGPT can assist with evaluation by providing personalized and unbiased feedback. For example, if an educator is grading an essay, they can ask ChatGPT to provide feedback on the essay's structure and content. ChatGPT can provide feedback that is free from bias and reflects the learning objectives.

ChatGPT can also assist with identifying areas of improvement. For example, if an educator is evaluating a learner's progress in reading comprehension, they can ask ChatGPT to analyze the learner's performance and provide suggestions on how to improve. ChatGPT can provide personalized suggestions, such as providing additional resources or adjusting the lesson plan.

To use ChatGPT for automated grading and feedback on assignments, such as essays or short answer questions, you can follow these steps:

First, create a prompt for ChatGPT that outlines the assignment instructions and expectations, including the grading criteria.

Then, students submit their assignments through Google Docs, where they can be copied and pasted into ChatGPT for analysis.

Next, use ChatGPT to analyze the submissions and provide automated feedback based on the prompt and grading criteria. This can include identifying grammar and spelling errors, evaluating the coherence and organization of the writing, and assessing the depth and accuracy of the content.

Finally, review the automated feedback provided by ChatGPT and make any necessary adjustments or clarifications before sharing it with students.

It's important to note that while ChatGPT can be a useful tool for providing initial feedback and grading, it should not replace the need for human review and intervention. Teachers should still review and provide their own feedback on student work to ensure accuracy and fairness in grading.

In conclusion, AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT can assist educators in creating equitable learning environments by providing personalized and inclusive suggestions for planning and evaluation. By using ChatGPT, educators can ensure that their materials are accessible and meet the needs of all learners. Moreover, ChatGPT can provide personalized and unbiased feedback, ensuring that all learners have an equal opportunity to succeed. As we continue to explore the potential of AI in education, it is essential to keep equity at the forefront of our efforts.