Why Some Educators Are Convinced Artificial Intelligence Can Make Teaching Less Stressful
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Millions of schoolchildren walked into their classrooms at the start of the academic year missing one crucial element that should have set them up for success: the prior knowledge they needed to take on a new grade level. In search of answers, we asked education psychologists, technologists, and teachers how artificial intelligence help make learning recovery more effective and less stressful.

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Dr. Michelle Zimmerman has taught students from ages 3-16. She received her Ph.D. in learning sciences and human development from the College of Education at the University of Washington in Seattle, and her research has been recognized with multiple awards. She currently leads the ongoing re-envisioning at Renton Prep Christian School in Renton, Washington. Microsoft selected Renton Prep as the first K-12 Microsoft Flagship School in the United States in September 2018. Since 2007, Zimmerman has presented around the world for groups including the American Education Research Association, UCLA CRESST, ISTE, NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering, New York Academy of Sciences and New York Academy of Medicine, as well as at multiple edtech conferences and universities.

Dr. John Nesbit is a professor at Simon Fraser University where he teaches and researches educational psychology and the learning sciences. With colleagues, he has conducted meta-analyses on topics such as intelligent tutoring,g tutoring systems, concept mapping, and self-explanation. His most research examines the application of argument visualization in postsecondary education and just-in-time guidance in simulation-based learning.

Danielle S. McNamara, Ph.D. , is a Professor in the Department of Psychology, Director of the Science of Learning and Educational Technology (SoLET) Lab, and Executive Director of the Learning Engineering Institute at Arizona State University. She is an international expert in the fields of cognitive and learning sciences, comprehension, writing, natural language processing (NLP), intelligent tutoring, and artificial intelligence in education. She and her team have developed several intelligent tutoring systems, including iSTART and Writing Pal, for comprehension and writing instruction and practice. Research on these technologies have explored methods for improving student engagement via game-based practice, enhanced adaptability functions, and assessed the feasibility and usability of these systems in real world settings such as high school classrooms.

Jon Harper is the former assistant principal at the New Directions Learning Academy in Cambridge, Maryland. He recently returned to the classroom teaching students with special needs. He is the host of the My Bad podcast and co-host of the Teachers’ Aid podcast, both on the BAM Radio Network. He is also the author of the book, My Bad: 24 Educators Who Messed Up, Fessed Up and Grew!