AI and Critical Thinking – an Erasmus Project
A group of our dedicated teachers attended an incredible 3-day training in Budapest this week, focusing on AI and critical thinking. The course was packed with insights on how to harness various AI tools and resources, making classroom learning more engaging and effective. We’re thrilled to bring back fresh ideas and innovative strategies to integrate technology into our lessons!
Testimonials:
Ms Francesca Cilia – Grade 4 Teacher
Follow-up AI Training in Budapest – by Francesca Cilia (Grade 4 teacher)Participating in this training course was a very rewarding experience that greatly expanded my knowledge and skills in using AI tools in the classroom. I was introduced to various websites beyond ChatGPT, such as Claude, Gemini, Magic School, and Padlet, which broadened my understanding of how AI can support innovative teaching methods. I learned how to use Padlet effectively, particularly the “I can’t draw” feature, which encourages students to express ideas visually. One of the most useful skills I acquired was using AI character generators, which I plan to integrate into creative writing lessons, allowing students to bring their imagined characters to life. Furthermore, I discovered Ideogram, a tool that helps create images for complex concepts, which will be valuable for visualizing abstract topics in class. Perhaps the most exciting tool I encountered was Suno.ai, which can generate songs on any topic, such as composing a song about the planets to make lessons more engaging and memorable. The course concluded with us creating a comprehensive lesson plan using multiple AI tools, which was a true eye-opener. This hands-on activity demonstrated the immense potential of AI in education, making it an invaluable learning experience.
Ms MaryJo Ellul – ICT Teacher
I am an ICT teacher at St. Joseph Junior School in Sliema, and I recently attended a three-day seminar in Budapest focused on the application of artificial intelligence in education. This experience proved to be highly enriching, allowing me to deepen my understanding of AI technologies. On the first day, I explored various chatbots that can be utilized in the classroom. I also gained insights into the significance of creating effective prompts to achieve desired outcomes, along with an overview of fundamental AI terminology. The second day provided me with valuable knowledge about a range of AI tools suitable for educational purposes. Among these tools are: Suno.ai: for generating songs; Toolsaday: for character creation; Ideogram.ai: for image generation; Microsoft Designer: for photo editing, Elevenlabs.io: for converting text to speech; Sketch Metademo Lab: for scanning and animating images. On the third day, the focus shifted to utilizing AI for assessment purposes. We examined how to create rubrics, quizzes, lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, and flashcards. One of the tools I plan to implement during the first term is Sketch Metademo Lab. I will integrate this tool with a coding lesson, where I will teach students the concept of algorithms. After explaining algorithms, students will receive a set of instructions to draw a friendly monster. Once their drawings are complete, I will use Sketch Metademo Lab to scan the monsters, and the students will be excited to see their creations animated on the screen. Overall, this seminar has significantly enhanced my knowledge, and I am eager to incorporate the AI tools I have learned about to benefit my students’ learning experiences.
Ms Amy Caruana – Grade 5 Teacher
Erasmus+ Experience in Budapest – by Amy Caruana (Grade 5 teacher)
During my Erasmus training course in Budapest I learnt about basic AI Concepts, prompt engineering and activities related to higher order thinking. I also learnt how to create content texts, images, audio and video using AI Tools. I was also introduced to using AI for assessment and differentiation. The different tools will surely help me create interesting lesson plans and improve assessment techniques by using a tool such as Suno. A simple grammar rule can be introduced through a song created by Suno and the lyrics can be given to pupils to highlight the usage of any grammar topic such as nous, verbs, adjectives, etc. Gemini or Chat GPT will also help me create lesson plans incorporating group work, texts with open ended questions, research and assessment tools such as quizzes and rubrics needed to carry out an engaging lesson in any subject or topic. AI tools such as Claude have a dyslexic feature that is useful for dyslexic pupils and the Text to Speech tool is also useful in the classroom. These AI tools will surely help me as a teacher to create enjoyable lessons where the pupils can engage effectively.
National Quality Label for our eTwinning Project
Our school has been awarded the eTwinning National Quality Label for our participation in the project “Rakkonti Racconti”. Well done to all the students and educators involved!
“Rakkonti Racconti” – an eTwinning Project
In October 2023, our school embarked on a new E-Twinning project together with St Augustine Primary School Marsa, St Francis School Msida and Istituto Comprensivo Alessandro Manzoni Montelepre, Sicilia.
The objective of the project is to promote a country’s native language and empower students aged 9 to 10 years in taking ownership of their writing experience.
The children were first exposed to various descriptive stories and discussed together the criteria needed to create such a genre. The students then introduced themselves on Padlet as part of this eTwinning project. They then went through the writing process of their original story in their native language and learnt about its roots. Students are also being exposed to the Italian language and culture since a school from Sicily is taking part with us in this project.
Students will be sharing their stories between themselves, and finally, by June 2024 these stories will be collated in one eBook which will be disseminated to all church schools.
Read below the stories written by students from these participating schools and compiled in one e-book “Rakkonti Racconti”:
https://www.calameo.com/read/007681269b6d23aeda594.
The participating schools were St Joseph Junior School Sliema, St. Augustine CollegeSt Francis School, Msida-San Ġwann, I.C. Wojtyla – Arenella Palermo
Thanks to ETwinning Europe, DDTLS and Digital Literacy within SFCE for their support.