Teach Early Years - Issue 14.2

The technology involved might be complex, but artificial intelligence can make your role simpler, as RichardWaite explains… RICHARD WAITE IS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD PROFESSIONAL A rtificial intelligence, or AI, seems to always be in the news, but if you’re still not sure what the fuss is about, you’re not alone. Earlier this year, Tapestry, the childhood education platform, surveyed early years educators and found that two- thirds had not used AI in their role, with many reporting they didn’t know anything about it. “AI” refers to technology that can perform tasks usually requiring human intelligence like recognising speech, generating ideas or spotting patterns. It imitates the way humans make decisions, solve problems and learn. There are lots of benefits to using it, and respondents to the Tapestry survey who had used AI reported it helped them save time, especially with admin tasks. DECIPHERING THE TECH SPEAK Generative AI : AI that can create content such as text, images and video, based on prompts that you provide. Prompt: the question or instruction you give to an AI tool to explain what you need, for example, “I need an image of a child aged 3-4 from a Caribbean ethnic background.” Large language model (LLM): a type of AI that is “trained”, using lots of text, to understand and respond in natural language. Examples are tools like Chat GPT or Copilot. Visit the Alan Turing Institute’s AI glossary (tinyurl.com/TEYdsai ) for more non-technical definitions. FOUR WAYS YOU CAN USE AI Personalised learning AI-powered platforms can suggest activities tailored to individual interests and developmental stages, helping educators to differentiate support. At the same time, your professional judgement is an essential part of the process. For instance, AI can help you to quickly identify learning gaps, but your knowledge of a particular child will be essential for providing the right next learning experience. SEND & EAL support Language and accessibility tools, such as text-to-speech and translation apps, can help children with additional support needs or those with English as an additional language. Reducing workload AI can be useful in drafting written information, anything from a poster to advertise the summer fete to information for a press release. It can help you to find information or research topics, and many AI tools explain information sources as well. Lots of admin tasks can be automated: some AI platforms can read and reply to emails or check and add dates to your calendar. Ideas & inspiration AI tools can be useful for coming up with ideas that you can then feed into your own planning. For example, you can ask AI to write your weekly newsletter just by telling it the theme you want to discuss. They can also help you to stay up to date, suggesting articles or training that you may wish to use for your own professional development. AI WITH HI Although AI can provide useful support, human intelligence (HI) is essential for understanding children’s unique needs. Educators notice subtle cues and can adapt to individuals’ backgrounds and emotional states. TOOLS TO TRY There are many AI tools that are relevant to early years settings. Here are a few that educators tell me they’re using… 1 Notebook LM and Gamma AI: lesson planning, generating activity ideas, and creating resources 2 Artspace AI: inspiring creative projects and digital art exploration 3 Sintra AI: streamlining communication and documentation 4 Designrr: creating e-books and guides for both staff and families 5 Otter.ai and Wispr Flow: speech-to-text apps for rapid notetaking and assessment records 6 Google Translate, DeepL and iTranslate: translation and accessibility tools for reducing language barriers and making content accessible to all learners Getting to grips with AI If you’re ready to explore AI, then start small and keep HI in the driving seat. Technology can empower us, but it can’t replace the skilled professionals at the heart of early years education. Richard has worked in the sector for over 30 years and has expertise in early years technology. Read more about the findings of the Tapestry survey at tinyurl.com/TEYtpsrv Teachearlyyears.com 29