Article: Instructional Practices

A Framework for Considering How We Might Use AI in Classroom Activities

Rich Ross

teaching.virginia.edu/resources/a-framework-for-considering-how-we-might-use-ai-in-classroom-activities

Rich’s Recommendation

Think about how your learning activities fit into the four categories in this framework. After doing so, consider how to incorporate AI in those activities (or not). This framework strives for balance, not favoring or despising the use of AI in any learning activity.

Countless educators have enumerated many different types of learning activities and other classroom activities. Many of these lists can be quite instructive, but I’d like to focus on four main types of learning activities that instructors and students may use in the classroom. These four types of activities are: acquisition, synthesis, genesis, and iteration.

As I mention each, I’ll try to highlight how AI can both help and hinder instructors and learners who engage in the given type of activity. In creating this resource, I’ve tried to take a balanced view towards generative AI: I don’t view the technology as solely positive or solely negative; hopefully you find the resources useful as you consider the use of these tools in your own courses.

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