edci337blog

Here is my Fundraising for University pitch that was generated by Tome in a slides presentation format:

https://tome.app/edci337/fundraising-pitch-copy-clpa8370y004kmr7a93fnlaro

Tome AI has a paywall that unlocks some of its features, in addition to only giving new users 500 credits to play around with. I used up majority of credits creating various presentations and collages and tried to play around with as many of its features as I could without spending money. In short, Tome creates engaging presentations quickly using artificial intelligence. It has the following functionalities:

• Pre-designed templates and themes
• AI-generated text for titles, headers, and descriptions
• AI-powered image generation
• Generation of AI-driven animations
• Integration with third-party apps such as Figma and GIPHY
• Collaborative workspaces for real-time collaboration with colleagues
• A companion mobile app for added flexibility and accessibility

I can see Tome being best used as a template for designing portfolios, resumes, work/school presentations. Its a good starting point to create structure for these projects and has the added advantage of AI-driven animations and images that don’t require copyrights and an aesthetically pleasing design. However, I do find the content of Tome-generated projects to be way to general and it does not do the best job at generating information based on text given to it compared to another AI tool such as Chat GPT.

Have you used AI applications before? If you have, what have you used them for?

I have tried all sorts of AI applications before, however, the only one I’ve used continuously beyond just experimentation is Chat GPT. I’ve used it as an aid for various school contexts. It is very good at quickly providing general knowledge that help me answer questions that I may not know, though the cutoff date of its data is 2022 so I must make sure the question isn’t regarding recent data. It is great for helping me with preliminary research. It starts me off with ideas of what questions to ask when doing my research; I never rely solely on ChatGPT for all the research because of its limitations of generating information with no valid sources or using outdated sources. I have also used Chat GPT to generate ideas for projects, presentations, or creative assignments. It is also very useful for creating structure for an essay, case study, any type of reports, and resumes/cover letters. Likewise, I find Chat GPT to be very good at writing and can assist in proofreading and editing written assignments.

What apps have you come across that are not in the Explore section that you’ve found useful?

I have used very few Generative AI tools, so many of the ones in the explore section are the ONLY AI tools I’ve ever come across. However, in my studies I have been introduced to many useful data visualization tools, including ones that are not in the explore section. The one I have used most is SAS (Statistical Analysis System). It is a software suite used for advanced analytics, business intelligence, data management, and predictive analytics. It can build interactive dashboards to explore and analyze data. It can also generate various types of charts and graphs to visual data. And it can support decision support by generating decision trees. It is very useful in almost any field and any job that requires analysis of large quantities of data.

What guidelines do you think should be in place to guide their use in an educational institution? What factors should be considered?

Introducing AI into educational institutions necessitates a thoughtful examination of ethical, privacy, and pedagogical considerations. Guidelines such as proper Ethical use should be considered. Institutions should develop and have students adhere to a code of ethics for AI use in education. This would help avoid using AI in ways that could compromise academic integrity or violate ethical standards. An example of this would a student using an AI-powered essay generator to write their essay. The student submits the paper generated by the tool, presenting it as their original work without proper attribution or understanding of the content. A preventative measure(s) for this situation would be to educate students about the importance of academic integrity, the consequences of plagiarism, and how to ethical use of AI in their studies. Additionally, use of anti-plagiarisms tools can force students to adhere to ethical standards.

In instances where AI is introduced into educational institutions from the instructors’s perspective, other guidelines should be considered. This includes transparency and explainability of the AI systems usage in the curriculum. As well as proper bias detection and mitigation. For instance if an instructor used AI for automatic grading, the system may prefer particular writing styles or disadvantage specific demographics. Resulting in consistently underestimating the work of certain students and inaccurate and unjust grading. Solution to this is providing clear explanations for the criteria used in evaluation. This transparency allows instructors and students to understand how the system reaches its conclusions. Furthermore, the instructors should regularly audit how the AI runs to mitigate these potential biases.

How might the use of these tools create a more inclusive learning experience? Who might be excluded?

There are several ways that AI tools can create a more inclusive learning experience provided that the algorithms have full transparency and explanation, as well as regular auditing from instructors. The first way is creating personalized learning paths.AI has the capability to assess unique learning styles, preferences, and progress of individuals, enabling the customization of educational content and activities to deliver a personalized learning experience for every student. For instance, AI can conduct assessments on students and restructure assessment methods and curriculum for that particular student based on their preferences and learning style. Another benefit would be AI-powered language translation tools on existing curriculum which can help students who speak different languages. This can ensure students whose first language may not be English can understand and engage with educational materials. Another instance of AI could help learning be more inclusive is to develop educational content that is culturally sensitive and inclusive, helping students understand and appreciate diverse perspectives. Study of Humanities often has more subjective learning and AI can help make the curriculum more culturally sensitive by examining a broad spectrum of literary pieces, and make sure that the reading materials encompass a variety of cultures, ethnicities, and viewpoints. By taking into account historical context, authorship, and thematic elements the curriculum can present a well-rounded and inclusive selection of material.

Though AI tools have the potential to include more diverse learners it can have the opposite effect. Students and instructors who lack access to reliable internet connectivity, devices, or necessary software may face barriers to using AI tools, leading to exclusion from the benefits of technology-enhanced learning. Furthermore, in cases where AI tools lack accessibility features or do not cater to diverse disabilities, students with disabilities may face exclusion. An illustration of this is when AI-generated content does not offer adequate support for screen readers or alternative input methods, rendering it inaccessible to specific students. The last group of people who may be excluded are those of lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Lack of equal access to technology beyond the school setting for students can lead to discrepancies in exposure to AI tools. This inequality may result in the potential exclusion of these students from specific learning experiences.

What is your experience with video game learning supports?

Video game learning supports typically denotes the utilization of games as instruments for education and the improvement of learning. I have some experience with this type of learning; in middle school I played games on “Cool Math Games” or played language games on Duo lingo. This strategy of learning capitalizes on the captivating and fun qualities of video games to foster the acquisition of knowledge and the enhancement of skills across different subjects.

Which principles (Mayer’s and Merrill’s) seem to be commonly applied in in-game support and which ones are often missed in your experience?

Many of Mayer’s principles are commonly applied in in-game learning supports. One of those principles is the Multi-media principle. In video games, this principle can be applied by integrating text, graphics, and audio to present information in a more engaging and effective manner. Another principle applied is Mayer’s Personalization Principle. It suggests that the use of conversational rather than formal language can enhance learning; video games often incorporate dialogue among NPCs ( Non-player characters) or game elements and a overall story which contributes to a more engaging and relatable learning experience. Furthermore, video games are often designed in a spatially and temporal way ( having a story/progression throughout the game) which encaptures Mayer’s Contiguity principle of avoiding cognitive overload to enhance understanding.

Some of Merrill’s principles are also applied in in-game learning supports such as Task-centered Principle. This principle emphasizes that learning is most effective when it is organized around real-world tasks or problems; video games often revolve around tasks or challenges that players need to accomplish. An example would be a game that sequences a math quiz into a series of tasks and gives a reward upon complete. Video games also apply Merrill’s Application and Integration principles, many games include simulations of real-life tasks that players can apply their knowledge and skills towards.

Though many of Mayer’s and Merrill’s principles are applied in in-game learning, I’ve noticed that there are a few missing from my personal experience. The first one that is usually missed is Mayer’s Coherence principle. Video games often focus a lot on graphics and visual effects but sometimes that can takeaway from learning. I’ve played a lot of learning games where extraneous text, images, and animations often distract me from actually learning. Video games also sometimes miss Mayer’s Redundancy principle. I’ve found that video games often duplicate information,presenting the same information in both visual and auditory formats simultaneously. Sometimes this can be redundant and lead to cognitive overload.

Link to Lesson Plan

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QgZGiKy3H61Mg6bKCz9k05XdbPTwb4pGgS3Z9P9KeH4/edit?usp=sharing

H5P Learning Object: Quiz on Web Design Principles

Describe a meaningful learning experience that started with a story that you heard.

My dad would gave me many lectures on why I should try hard to succeed in school and one of those stories is about my mom upbringing. She was brought up as a poor farmer in the countryside of China where no one in her family up to this point had formal post-secondary education. She was able to escape this lifestyle by doing exceptional well in school to where she got scholarships to big universities in China. And now she is able to support a good lifestyle for me and my brothers.

What made it impactful for you?

The story was impactful to me because of the embedded important life lessons in the story. My mom had to walk hours to school everyday because she wanted to receive the best formal education she could and not at her local school in the countryside; the takeaway my dad wanted me to understand is that I should put in as much effort as possible in the stuff that I find very important to my future. It was also impactful because of the inspirational way my dad told the story, the resilience and determination that my mom had in the story made me want to inherit those same traits.

What senses did it appeal to?

The story appealed to my auditory, visual, and emotional senses. It obviously appealed to my auditory senses, words and spoken language used by my dad in the story were heard and created an emotional and intellectual connection through the sense of hearing. It appealed to my visual senses through vivid descriptions and imagery that enabled me to create a mental image and visualize the scenes, characters, and settings. The story also evoke a wide range of emotions for me, including happiness, sadness, fear, hope, and gratitude.

Did you recognize any of the storytelling techniques reviewed this week?

I recognized quite a few of the storytelling techniques in my dad’s story. The first technique is bring characters to life. He was very description about the people in the story to create the illusion of three-dimensional characters. Another technique used was ” Show, not tell”, my dad’s story used scene-by-scene construction of events and dialogue instead of narration that allowed me to better visual what was going on. And lastly, my dad’s story utilized the technique of ” end with a positive takeaway”. In this case it was the piece of advice that hardship is necessary for success and showed by the example of mom escaping a lower social class due to her hard work.

What storytelling techniques have you used instinctively and which ones require more work for you?

Everytime I tell a story, I instinctively personalize the story and bring characters to life. I’m always describing characters in detail to create three-dimensional characters and show how the story is related to me. However, that being said all the other techniques such as suspense and build-up that require more work from me. I often get too excited or hone in a specific details too much and don’t build the story in a progressive way.

Which techniques will you focus on moving forward?

I will try to focus and be aware of the other techniques that I don’t use in my stories such as, Immerse my audience in the story, , show. don’t tell, build up to S.T.A.R moment, and end with a positive takeaway. I will achieve this by first trying to capture my audience’s attention with a reason for why they should listen to the story and maintain a proper progression of events in the story. Have the events create suspense and end with a message that the audience can takeaway and possibly apply to their own life.