On November 20, 2024, OpenAI, in partnership with Common Sense Media, released a free guide called “ChatGPT Foundations for K–12 Educators”. This material is designed to help teachers understand how to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT to improve their workflow and enhance student learning.
How the Guide Helps Teachers
This foundations course provides practical advice and examples on how to use ChatGPT in the classroom. Teachers can learn how to create lesson plans, develop interactive activities, and provide more personalized learning support for their students. The guide also demonstrates ways to save time on routine tasks, helping teachers focus more on teaching and engaging with students.
The Guide’s Structure
OpenAI’s “ChatGPT Foundations for K–12 Educators” course consists of 8 lessons designed to provide an introduction to using the model for educational purposes. It is primarily text-based, with supplemental videos included to clarify key points. It focuses on practical applications and includes sample prompts that teachers can adapt to suit their specific needs (with examples of both good and bad prompts).
The topics covered range from improving productivity and streamlining lesson planning to using ChatGPT for multimodal tasks, such as combining text and images. It also addresses the importance of responsible AI use, touching on how educators can implement AI ethically in their teaching.
While it is a compact resource that can be completed in a single day, it is more of a starting point than a deep dive into AI tools for teaching. Teachers may find it helpful for gaining initial insights into AI’s potential in the classroom, but additional training might be needed to fully integrate these tools into their work.
Why AI is Useful for Teachers
As AI becomes a bigger part of education, tools like ChatGPT can make teaching more efficient and effective. OpenAI’s guide offers a straightforward introduction to AI in education, making it a good starting point for teachers who want to explore how AI can support their work.
For Language Teachers: A Deeper Dive with ‘AI-Powered Teacher’
For language teachers, understanding ChatGPT is just the beginning. Our program, “AI-Powered Teacher,” is designed to provide more comprehensive training, including:
1. A variety of AI tools: Learn to use multiple AI platforms beyond ChatGPT, expanding your teaching capabilities.
2. AI fundamentals: Gain a clear understanding of how AI works, making it easier to adapt these tools to your classroom.
3. Language teaching focus: Get strategies and tools specifically tailored to teaching languages, ensuring relevance to your subject.
This makes the “AI-Powered Teacher” course an ideal next step for language educators looking to deepen their understanding and use of AI.
Combining the Resources
Teachers can start with this OpenAI’s free guide to get a basic understanding of ChatGPT. Then, our “AI-Powered Teacher” program builds on this knowledge with a broader scope, focusing on tools and strategies that are especially useful for language teachers.
Conclusion
OpenAI’s guide provides an accessible way for teachers to explore the potential of AI in education. For language teachers who want to go further, combining the guide with our course offers a powerful way to integrate AI into their classrooms even more effectively.
