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English Language Learners with AI

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Learning academic content while developing English proficiency can be challenging. English language learners may understand a concept but struggle to express their ideas or follow unfamiliar vocabulary. I believe AI can help teachers provide support that allows these students to participate more confidently. One beneficial capability is AI-powered translation. Teachers can use it to draft bilingual vocabulary lists, translate directions, and provide explanations in a student’s home language. For example, during a science lesson about energy, a teacher could provide key terms in English and Spanish alongside examples of cooking food or charging a phone. Students could connect familiar experiences to new English vocabulary while working toward the same learning objectives as their classmates. As a Spanish-speaking adult GED teacher, I see how language affects access to instructional materials. This experience helps me recognize the value of home-language support for students learning Eng...
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Barriers in Technology

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As a graduate student and a GED teacher working with Spanish-speaking adults, I see both the benefits and challenges of educational technology. Technology helps me create materials, translate information, and explore different ways to explain concepts. However, having a tool available does not automatically mean it meets students’ needs. The barriers I encounter include time, language accessibility, and the challenge of choosing technology that supports learning. One barrier is the time required to learn new tools and adapt their content. As a student taking online classes while teaching, I have to balance learning technology with completing assignments and preparing lessons. My experience comparing Canva and Gamma showed me that an attractive presentation can still need significant revision. I have to check whether the wording is clear, the information is accurate, and the layout is easy to follow. Mishra and Koehler’s (2006) TPACK framework connects technology, pedagogy, and content ...
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Emerging Technology

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  Teaching Students to Question Confident Answers: AI and Trust The trend I chose from the 2026 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report is “AI is reshaping trust in information.” Robert et al. (2026) explain that AI can generate convincing text and visuals without making their authorship, sources, or reasoning clear. This makes it harder to judge credibility by appearance alone. For educators, this trend raises a question: how do we help students evaluate information when an inaccurate answer can look polished and authoritative? As a new GED teacher, I see potential benefits in using AI to support this kind of learning. I could present an AI-generated explanation alongside a reliable source and ask students to compare them. For example, students studying energy could identify whether both explanations accurately describe the difference between energy transfer and transformation. This activity could strengthen science knowledge while teaching students to support conclusions with evidence. AI can a...
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Technology Integration with UDL

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 For this discussion, I chose to learn about Diffit, an AI-powered tool that helps teachers create and adapt instructional materials. Teachers can begin with a topic or existing resource and generate materials suited to different reading levels. They can also adjust vocabulary, translate content, and add visual supports. As a GED teacher working with Spanish-speaking adults, I was interested in how these features could help me make lessons more accessible while maintaining meaningful learning goals. Engagement Diffit could support motivation by helping me provide material that challenges students without overwhelming them. CAST’s UDL Guidelines emphasize choice, relevance, and a balance between challenge and support. My GED students bring different levels of reading experience, so giving everyone the same passage may create unnecessary frustration. I could use Diffit to prepare accessible versions of a reading while keeping the same central concept. For example, a science lesson ab...
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IXL learning environment

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  The learning environment I investigated was IXL Learning, which is an online platform that supports students through skill practice, diagnostic assessments, and personalized recommendations. Its diagnostic tools identify students’ current understanding and recommend skills they are ready to work on next. As a substitute teacher, I can see how this approach could be helpful because my some students come to class with different educational backgrounds and learning needs. Some need to review foundational skills, while others are ready for more challenging material. So seeing this being used in every classroom I go and substitute for made me curious into how helpful is this online tool. How does the learning environment facilitate cognitive presence? Cognitive presence involves making meaning through inquiry, reflection, and applying what we learn. I think IXL can support this process by providing targeted practice that helps students work through gaps in their understanding. Its per...
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Overview of the Two AI-Powered Educational Technology Tools

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For this activity, I decided to compare Canva and Gamma to see how useful they could be for creating instructional materials. I chose Canva because I have used it before for work and for some of my college assignments, but I had never really used its AI features. I chose Gamma because it was completely new to me, and I wanted to see how it would create a presentation based on information I provided. Both tools were able to create a presentation fairly quickly, but I noticed some differences in the way they organized information and allowed me to customize the content. The prompt I used for both tools was: “Create for me a lesson plan in the form of a PowerPoint for my GED classroom to introduce them to learning about AI. Include learning objectives, key concepts, discussion questions, and an assessment.” One of the biggest strengths of Canva was how easy it was for me to use and customize. Since I was already familiar with Canva, I did not have much trouble putting the prompt into the ...
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ChatGpt: Is it an AI safe tool to use in the classrooms?

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  For this assignment, I explored the trustworthiness of privacy when it comes to using ChatGPT. ChatGPT is a generative AI tool that can help users learn, create, brainstorm ideas, and solve problems. The AI Nutrition Facts label I reviewed identified several privacy features, including data deletion, human oversight, guardrails, and a 30-day data-retention period. First, ChatGPT does not claim ownership of the data users input . According to OpenAI’s terms, users retain their ownership of their input and their outputs. However, educators should still be careful about entering private or sensitive student information into an AI system. Second, there is a clear way to opt out of having conversations used for model training . Users can change their settings through the Menu and turn off the option to improve the model. ChatGPT also offers temporary chat, which provides an additional privacy option. This gives educators more control over how their information is handled. Final...
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