MODULE 1:  INTRODUCTION TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND DESIGN THINKING

INTRODUCTION: 

This module has immersed me in the exciting universe of Artificial Intelligence, unraveling its meaning and exploring its impressive evolution. I have understood how Artificial Intelligence enables machines to perform tasks that traditionally require human intelligence. We started a journey from its historical origins to its practical applications in education, culminating with an interesting introductory certification and an important online discussion where each of us in the group shared our perspectives. The unit then led us to delve into the pillars of Artificial Intelligence: language models, machine learning, deep learning, and prompt engineering. We also addressed the challenges inherent to Artificial Intelligence, such as hallucinations, and the crucial need for ethical and responsible use of these technologies. The module also introduced us to Design Thinking, a human-centered methodology for creative problem-solving. We explored its phases, designed a project applying this approach, and presented it. We completed another certification in Design Thinking, and most importantly, we reflected on how we can make use of it in our teaching to transform our classrooms.

REFLECTION ON KEY CONCEPTS: 

Before starting this module, my understanding of Artificial Intelligence was quite superficial, and I perceived it as a distant discipline, almost exclusive to scientific or programming fields. However, as we progressed through the units, I discovered with amazement its direct and tangible impact on the field of education, and in particular, on the teaching of English. One of the most eye-opening learnings was understanding how Artificial Intelligence works: how machines manage to emulate human capabilities such as reasoning, learning, and problem solving. I became familiar with crucial terminology such as machine learning, deep learning, and language models, pillars of such everyday tools as virtual assistants or educational chatbots. The emergence of hallucinations, “mistakes or wrong answers,” led me to reflect on the imperative need to cultivate critical thinking in our students when interacting with these technologies. Another concept that captured my attention was the engineering of prompts or instructions, the ability to formulate clear questions and directions to elicit more effective responses. This will undoubtedly become a valuable tool for designing more effective classroom activities.

CONCLUSION AND KEY LEARNINGS: 

In conclusion, my key learning from this module is that Artificial Intelligence is not a replacement for human educators but a powerful augmentative tool that demands intelligent application and ethical consideration. The knowledge gained will profoundly influence my teaching methods, shifting them towards a more dynamic, personalized, and critically engaged approach. I can envision specific lessons and activities to apply what I've learned. For instance, in writing classes, I'd have students use LLMs to generate initial drafts or brainstorm ideas, and then focus our class time on refining the text, evaluating its coherence, accuracy, and identifying any AI-induced "hallucinations." This fosters critical thinking and editing skills. For vocabulary acquisition, I could use prompt engineering to generate unique contextualized sentences or short narratives that integrate target words, catering to different learning styles. Even for grammar, AI could provide diverse examples of common errors for error correction exercises, or generate explanations tailored to specific student difficulties, moving beyond generic textbook examples to truly individualized support.

INCORPORATION OF CONTENT CREATED WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 

One of the most rewarding experiences of this module was the opportunity to earn several certifications, including “Generative AI for Educators”, “What is Generative AI” and “Enterprise Design Thinking Practitioner”. These recognitions not only provided me with an essential introduction to the course content, but also opened the doors to the fascinating and ever-changing universe of artificial intelligence. Another activity that left a deep impression on me was learning about prompt engineering. Understanding its components, its structure and the many ways it can be applied was eye-opening. Exploring various examples allowed me to grasp how prompts directly influence the behavior and results of AI tools, which further fueled my curiosity. This knowledge prompted us to move from theory to practice in a very creative way: we had the opportunity to design and customize our own Funko Pop figures using artificial intelligence. Also the activity step by step guide activity using AI tools,Step by Step Activity all of them were fun and enlightening to see how specific and well-formulated instructions could generate unique and tailor-made results. In addition, we experimented with creating different types of images to meet different needs or objectives, which gave me a deeper appreciation of how prompts engineering is a powerful skill, not only in education, but also in the creative and professional realm.