Blog #1

In the past, ChatGPT has been really useful to me with my research writing assignments. It has broken down large topics into manageable bits and given me innovative concepts and suggestions that I have been able to include in my writing. For example, I had to write an essay on the importance of ecosystems and the efforts made by various cities, provinces, and nations internationally to preserve and restore their different ecosystems. Instead of browsing through hundreds of different websites, I simply asked ChatGPT to give me a list of examples of "successful ecosystem restoration and protection in the world." ChatGPT was able to provide me with a comprehensive list of examples along with a succinct explanation of why each example has been successful. It saved me a great deal of time spent researching. I've also used ChatGPT to come up with writing ideas and pick out a few that captivate me. Then I used the MRU library's looking tool to find scholarly articles to back up what I found. This has also helped me narrow down writing ideas that are too broad at times. 

During the first week of my practicum, my mentor teacher advised me to use AI technology to make teaching effective. She demonstrated to me how to utilize ChatGPT to polish any writings that might be seen by the public, such as the Google Classroom summary, and how to make emails more formal and professional while remaining emotionally neutral. Multiple means of technology are being used to communicate with parents, platforms like "MyCBE", and Power School are being used for digital report cards, to which parents have access. Direct emails are also being used for communication between parents and teachers. 

Most of the teaching in my classroom takes place on the smartboard. Google Classroom has also been set up to provide weekly updates for parents. Laptops are also being used in the classroom for educational learning such as reading apps, math games, and research assignments. 

My burning question for using digital technologies in K education is the types of digital tools and resources that are most effective for engaging and motivating K-9 students, and how the use of AI influences students' cognitive thinking. Because I can see the negative influence AI have on my personal life, with of the progress of AI, I have observed that I am less eager to ponder and more lazy when it comes to answering questions.  For instance, when it comes to creating lesson plans, I instantly look for "STEAM ideas for grade 2" rather than being creative and innovative to come up with my own ideas. This might possibly have an impact on my critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.