Harnessing AI in Education: Insights from Chelsea Lopez of The Social Institute

In this episode of Digital Learning Today, Chelsea Lopez, a former special education teacher and current Director of Education Advancement at the Social Institute, discusses the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education. If you are a new listener to TeacherCast, we would love to hear from you.  Please visit our Contact Page and let us know how we can help you today! Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter To get our weekly Instructional Coaching Tips sent right to your inbox, please subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Conversation Takeaways AI is any technology that can perform tasks requiring human intelligence. Educators need to understand AI to effectively teach students about it. AI is already embedded in our daily lives, often without us realizing it. Policies should focus on how to use AI, not just how not to use it. AI can enhance productivity and support educators in their roles. Professional development on AI is crucial for educators. AI literacy will become a key component of digital literacy in schools. Collaboration between curriculum and technology departments is essential. AI can help create lesson plans and teaching materials efficiently. The future of education will increasingly integrate AI across various subjects. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI in Education 03:02 Understanding AI: Definitions and Applications 06:00 AI in Daily Life: Demystifying Technology 09:03 Navigating AI in Schools: Policies and Practices 11:47 The Role of Educators in AI Literacy 15:10 AI as a Teaching Assistant: Enhancing Productivity 17:52 Addressing Concerns: Control and Curriculum 21:01 Future of AI in Education: Trends and Predictions About our Guest: Chelsea Lopez Chelsea Lopez is a passionate and dedicated leader at The Social Institute, where she serves as the Director of Educator Advancement. In this role, Chelsea is responsible for creating and delivering innovative professional development for educators, focusing on social media and technology. She works in developing comprehensive teacher resources, asynchronous and synchronous courses, educational materials, and webinars. Before joining The Social Institute, Chelsea spent time as an educator, having taught K-5th Special Education and 6th-8th Special Education. In her most recent teaching role, Chelsea served as the 6th-8th grade Intervention Coordinator, where she supported students and teachers in meeting academic and behavioral goals. Her diverse teaching experiences provide her with a deep understanding of the challenges educators face and the strategies needed to support student success. Chelsea’s commitment to supporting educators and students extends beyond her professional work. She is actively involved in coaching middle school cheerleading as well as high school softball and has a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that educators, students, and families face today. Links of Interest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-lopez-4462ba59/ About The Social Institute The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in equipping students to navigate learning & well-being in a tech-fueled world. Through #WinAtSocial, our interactive, peer-to-peer learning platform, we empower students, educators, and families to make high-character choices online and offline. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach essential skills while capturing student voice and actionable insights for educators. These insights help educators maintain healthy school culture, foster high-impact teaching, and build meaningful relationships with families. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips students authentically, enabling our solution to increase classroom participation and improve student-teacher relationships. Through our one-of-a-kind lesson development process we create lessons for a variety of core and elective classes while incorporating timely topics like social media, A.I., screen time, misinformation, and current events to help schools stay proactive in how they support student health, happiness, and academic success. Links of Interest IG Pinterest Linkedin Twitter/X Follow Our Podcast And Subscribe View All Episodes Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube Follow Our Host Jeff Bradbury | @JeffBradbury TeacherCast | @TeacherCast Join Our PLN Are you enjoying the TeacherCast Network, please share your thoughts with the world by commenting on Apple Podcasts today? I enjoy reading and sharing your comments on the podcast each week. 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