What If AI Joined Your Classroom?

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 Good morning/afternoon/noon/night!

This theme is probably the most interesting nowadays since we are going to talk about the use of a very recient tool that has been surrounded by controversy. The AI. There is always a debate between if we should use it or not, if they are good or not. Well, I am afraid I can not answer those questions but what I can do is show you how we can use them for a good purpose in classes, to make them funnier and to learn also how to take advantage of something that has been created to make our lives easier.

Holmes et al. (2019), exposed the fact that AI has the potential to enhance learning by enabling personalized support and fostering creativity through visual tools. Let’s imagine this: you are about to start a lesson on 3D shapes, and instead of drawing cubes and pyramids on the board for the hundredth time… you pull out your tablet and let an AI assistant generate a rotating 3D model of a dodecahedron. Your students' eyes light up. Magic? Not really. It's Artificial Intelligence, and it is here to stay.

So, how can we bring AI into the playful world of Primary Geometry? Here are some ideas that will make your lessons feel like they are from the future (while still grounded in strong pedagogy):

AI Shape Detectives

Use free AI-powered apps like Google Lens or Seek by iNaturalist, that we talked about before, to go on a geometry hunt around the school. Let your students take pictures of objects and have the app identify shapes and angles. Suddenly, that boring trash can becomes a cylinder, and the soccer ball? A truncated icosahedron!

Creation of art

Try tools like DALL·E or Craiyon to generate artworks based on geometric prompts. An example of a prompt could be: “a futuristic city made of spheres and cubes” and discuss the geometric elements that appear. Students can then recreate their own version using paper cutouts or 3D materials. Moreover, it would be interesting to teach them how they can do the artworks so they are aware of it for their future so they know how to take advantage of the AI as well.




Chatbots as a way to learn Maths

Imagine a friendly chatbot that helps your students revise geometry concepts in plain language. Using for example ChatGPT they can talk to ask the why of some questions that they may have regarding the geometry, asking them to reply in a fun and playful way so a children of their age would understand. This incentivates their curiosity and they will learn new things that are not normally talked about in schools.


It is important to have in mind what Luckin et al. (2016), indicates us that AI should be viewed not as a replacement for teachers, but as a tool to support and extend their pedagogical intentions. So it is a way as it is indicated in the title but for that it does not mean that should be used alone or that it is going to be the future for archieving any kind of knowledge. Mishra and Koehler (2006) argue that effective use of technology in education depends on the teacher’s ability to integrate technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge. That means that  the teacher is the one to first see how chatbots will benefit the class depending on how they plan to use them.


Personalized Geometry Practice

Some AI-based platforms like Smartick or Prodigy adapt automatically to each student’s level. They are not just about memorizing: they give feedback, adapt in real time and even reward creativity when solving problems.


Now in terms of reaching any kind of students, Rose and Dalton (2009) highlight how digital tools can personalize and scaffold learning, particularly for students with diverse needs. What makes us realize how these AI can help us to create easier contents and multimedia for the students that need an extra help. The same thinks Salinas (2020) who said that AI can create easier personalized intineraries for learning to each type of students in order of their own style and rhythm.

AI does not have to be cold, robotic or scary. In the hands of a curious teacher, it becomes a bridge, a way to connect abstract concepts with the real world, support different learners and add a spark of wonder to your classroom. Do not worry, you are still the heart of the lesson. AI? Just your creative sidekick.


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REFERENCES

Holmes, W., Bialik, M.,y Fadel, C. (2019). Artificial Intelligence in Education: Promises and Implications for Teaching and Learning. Center for Curriculum Redesign.

Luckin, R., Holmes, W., Griffiths, M.,y Forcier, L. B. (2016). Intelligence Unleashed: An Argument for AI in Education. Pearson Education.

Mishra, P.,y Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge: A Framework for Teacher Knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054.

Rose, D. H.,y Dalton, B. (2009). Learning to Read in the Digital Age. Mind, Brain and Education, 3(2), 74–83.

Salinas, J. (2020). Inteligencia artificial y aprendizaje personalizado: Nuevos desafíos para la docencia universitaria. RIED. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia, 23(1), 25–44.

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