The humble AI enthusiast in the classroom: “There is no cheating in learning”
“There is no cheating in learning,” says Ola Brorson, a secondary school English teacher, referring to the debate on whether AI counts as a help or a hindrance in schoolwork. Thanks to a grant, Ola Brorson has been tasked with exploring various AI tools related to education, with a key focus on how AI can strengthen learning in the classroom.
Two years ago, ChatGPT and AI suddenly became buzzwords, but were they a threat or an opportunity? And what should the approach in schools be? Opinions were divided, but since then, technology has advanced rapidly, and today we know that AI can truly be a force for good when used correctly – regardless of the industry.
One person who has gained experience using AI in the classroom is Ola Brorson. Ola is an English teacher at a school in southern Sweden with 250 students from years 6 to 9.
Ola and his colleague, Victoria Kahlroth, have had the opportunity, thanks to a grant from the Teacher’s Foundation for Innovative Learning and a collaboration with a university (Linnéuniversitetet), to explore how AI can contribute to teaching. The project has involved actively testing various services and tools that can streamline teaching and promote students’ learning and knowledge acquisition. One of the tools that has been tested and is now in use is Skolup.
– I tried Skolup in a workshop and was hooked immediately. It was like ChatGPT, but with more functionality and, moreover, packaged in a more educational and secure way. We don’t invest in digital tools unless we truly believe they will benefit us, but after testing Skolup with colleagues, we made the active decision to purchase licenses for the entire school. We haven’t regretted that decision, says Ola.
It’s important to involve everyone – and to learn from each other
Today, both teachers and students use Skolup in their work, and for Ola, it has been crucial from the start to involve everyone in the classroom.
– Both I and the students think AI is cool, just imagine the possibilities! We approach it with the mindset that we can and should learn from each other. We are all beginners when it comes to AI, so we experiment, share tips on how to prompt effectively to get good answers, and above all, we discuss a lot. If you don’t get the answer you want, how can you instruct and prompt to reach your goal? Step by step, we’ve all really progressed, and we’re getting better every day.
“It doesn’t give you the answer, it ensures you grasp the knowledge”
Ola emphasises several times that it’s important to view the chatbot as much more than just something that provides answers to questions so that students can ace a test.
– It’s a sparring partner, a conversation starter, a problem solver, and a way for students to develop their language and questioning skills. As the user, you become your own content creator. The “Test me” function in Skolup is, in my opinion, a brilliant example, where AI becomes your coach for quizzes or exams. It doesn’t give you the answer; it ensures you understand the knowledge.
So, what about cheating in the classroom?
– My message to everyone is, “There’s no cheating in learning,” meaning the important thing is not HOW you learn, but THAT you learn. You can never cheat your way to learning. I see AI tools as just another way to acquire new knowledge, just as you can learn by reading, listening, watching videos, and so on.
“A magical way” for personalised learning
And Ola uses the expression “a magical way” when talking about using Skolup as part of differentiated teaching:
– Yes, as a language teacher, I think it’s a magical way to personalise teaching. Let’s say you have a student who has a great interest in dogs. You can prompt the AI to create a reading comprehension test with 10 related questions about dogs, at an A2 level. AI models are fantastic for language subjects, helping develop everything from language and reading comprehension to grammar and vocabulary practice.
AI – a great relationship builder
As we know, AI development is moving fast, and Ola looks forward to exploring the field even more. Despite his already broad experience with various AI tools, he still considers himself part of a learning process. A message he also wants to send to colleagues across the country:
– To teachers and student teachers, I’d like to say that it’s not about being unprofessional if you “don’t know AI.” As teachers, we know our subjects and are GREAT at what we do in our profession, but we can’t and shouldn’t be experts at EVERYTHING. The most important thing is to have a humble approach to new things and developments; “I haven’t tried it, but I’m willing to learn!”. Create an open environment in the classroom, involve the students, and learn together along the way.
Finally, Ola adds one last, but very important, detail:
– Did I mention that AI is also a great relationship builder? I’m often inspired by students who come to me to show the prompts and hacks they’ve learned – and in turn, they teach ME! It fosters openness, encourages dialogue, and truly builds relationships between teachers and students.
This is Skolon – we gather the best digital educational tools and make them work in the classroom.
Skolon is an independent platform for digital educational tools and learning resources, created for both teachers and students. With Skolon, accessing and using your digital educational tools is easy – security increases, administration decreases, and there’s more time for learning.
The digital educational tools come from both small and large providers, all of whom have one thing in common – they create digital educational tools that are beneficial for the school environment.
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“There is no cheating in learning,” says Ola Brorson, a secondary school English teacher, referring to the debate on whether AI counts as a help or a hindrance in schoolwork. Thanks to a grant, Ola Brorson has been tasked with exploring various AI tools related to education, with a key focus on how AI can strengthen learning in the classroom.
Two years ago, ChatGPT and AI suddenly became buzzwords, but were they a threat or an opportunity? And what should the approach in schools be? Opinions were divided, but since then, technology has advanced rapidly, and today we know that AI can truly be a force for good when used correctly – regardless of the industry.
One person who has gained experience using AI in the classroom is Ola Brorson. Ola is an English teacher at a school in southern Sweden with 250 students from years 6 to 9.
Ola and his colleague, Victoria Kahlroth, have had the opportunity, thanks to a grant from the Teacher’s Foundation for Innovative Learning and a collaboration with a university (Linnéuniversitetet), to explore how AI can contribute to teaching. The project has involved actively testing various services and tools that can streamline teaching and promote students’ learning and knowledge acquisition. One of the tools that has been tested and is now in use is Skolup.
– I tried Skolup in a workshop and was hooked immediately. It was like ChatGPT, but with more functionality and, moreover, packaged in a more educational and secure way. We don’t invest in digital tools unless we truly believe they will benefit us, but after testing Skolup with colleagues, we made the active decision to purchase licenses for the entire school. We haven’t regretted that decision, says Ola.
It’s important to involve everyone – and to learn from each other
Today, both teachers and students use Skolup in their work, and for Ola, it has been crucial from the start to involve everyone in the classroom.
– Both I and the students think AI is cool, just imagine the possibilities! We approach it with the mindset that we can and should learn from each other. We are all beginners when it comes to AI, so we experiment, share tips on how to prompt effectively to get good answers, and above all, we discuss a lot. If you don’t get the answer you want, how can you instruct and prompt to reach your goal? Step by step, we’ve all really progressed, and we’re getting better every day.
“It doesn’t give you the answer, it ensures you grasp the knowledge”
Ola emphasises several times that it’s important to view the chatbot as much more than just something that provides answers to questions so that students can ace a test.
– It’s a sparring partner, a conversation starter, a problem solver, and a way for students to develop their language and questioning skills. As the user, you become your own content creator. The “Test me” function in Skolup is, in my opinion, a brilliant example, where AI becomes your coach for quizzes or exams. It doesn’t give you the answer; it ensures you understand the knowledge.
So, what about cheating in the classroom?
– My message to everyone is, “There’s no cheating in learning,” meaning the important thing is not HOW you learn, but THAT you learn. You can never cheat your way to learning. I see AI tools as just another way to acquire new knowledge, just as you can learn by reading, listening, watching videos, and so on.
“A magical way” for personalised learning
And Ola uses the expression “a magical way” when talking about using Skolup as part of differentiated teaching:
– Yes, as a language teacher, I think it’s a magical way to personalise teaching. Let’s say you have a student who has a great interest in dogs. You can prompt the AI to create a reading comprehension test with 10 related questions about dogs, at an A2 level. AI models are fantastic for language subjects, helping develop everything from language and reading comprehension to grammar and vocabulary practice.
AI – a great relationship builder
As we know, AI development is moving fast, and Ola looks forward to exploring the field even more. Despite his already broad experience with various AI tools, he still considers himself part of a learning process. A message he also wants to send to colleagues across the country:
– To teachers and student teachers, I’d like to say that it’s not about being unprofessional if you “don’t know AI.” As teachers, we know our subjects and are GREAT at what we do in our profession, but we can’t and shouldn’t be experts at EVERYTHING. The most important thing is to have a humble approach to new things and developments; “I haven’t tried it, but I’m willing to learn!”. Create an open environment in the classroom, involve the students, and learn together along the way.
Finally, Ola adds one last, but very important, detail:
– Did I mention that AI is also a great relationship builder? I’m often inspired by students who come to me to show the prompts and hacks they’ve learned – and in turn, they teach ME! It fosters openness, encourages dialogue, and truly builds relationships between teachers and students.
This is Skolon – we gather the best digital educational tools and make them work in the classroom.
Skolon is an independent platform for digital educational tools and learning resources, created for both teachers and students. With Skolon, accessing and using your digital educational tools is easy – security increases, administration decreases, and there’s more time for learning.
The digital educational tools come from both small and large providers, all of whom have one thing in common – they create digital educational tools that are beneficial for the school environment.
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