Hurdles of a Teacher

  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...

 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...

  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...