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A GUIDE TO TEACHING ELEMENTARY SCIENCE: TEN EASY STEPS

Generative Artificial Intelligence: A State-of-the-Art Tool for Teaching and Learning

Yvette F. Greenspan, Ph.D. https://www.teachingscienceteachers.com

teachc6@att.net

As teachers, we are generally accustomed to embrace strategies from curriculum guidelines, textbooks, workbooks, and lesson plans that incorporate manipulatives and online platforms. This paper is designed to introduce you to a current educational approach that will impact your teaching. It is technologically innovative and ground-breaking and encourages teachers to brainstorm ideas, explore different teaching strategies, and refine their lesson objectives.

      Recent studies indicate that Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is an instrument that revolutionizes the way we teach and the way students learn. Bowen and Watson (2024) explain that GenAI has already been integrated into classrooms and workplaces and is well underway in impacting and challenging ideas about creativity, authorship, and education. They believe that GenAI provides teachers with interactive learning techniques as well as advanced assignment and assessment strategies. In their book, they offer practical suggestions for integrating GenAI effectively into teaching and learning environments while also examining critical issues that teachers should consider.

     What is GenAI? Generative Artificial Intelligence is a subfield of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that uses generative models to produce text, images, videos, or other forms of data. It is a computer platform that encompasses various chatbots providing information according to the needs of the user. Models learn the underlying patterns and structures of their training data and use them to produce new data based on the input, which often comes in the form of natural language prompts (Wikipedia, 2025). Each chatbot has its own characteristics and depends on individual use and specific needs. There are several types of chatbots:

• Rule-based chatbots have a predesigned set of rules to respond to user input, such as a diagnostic system in healthcare.

• GenAI powered chatbots are virtual assistants that are designed to interrelate with users in their natural language, simulating human-like conversations. They can be integrated into various communication channels such as websites, messaging apps, social media platforms, and voice assistants, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Jasper. Within those parameters are the following kinds of chatbots:

• Menu or button-based chatbots are the most basic kind that allows the user to click on a button and interact with a scripted menu, such as a reservation, a menu, or a location.

• Voice chatbots are GenAI-powered systems that interconnect with users through spoken language using technologies like voice recognition, natural language processing (NLP), and speech synthesis. It uses spoken input and output, such as Siri.

• Generative AI chatbots create new content like text, images, music, or even code, based on existing data, such as MusicGen.

• Hybrid chatbots are predefined rules that handle simple queries and switch to AI-driven responses for more complex or unpredictable situations, such as Bank of America’s Erica (Finn, 2025).

     ChatGPT, probably the most talked about GenAI, is only one of many that are available to use in the classroom. It has a variety of tasks from creative writing to coding, and can even prepare the user for future interviews. Claude GenAI, Perplexity GenAI, and Google Gemini also offer unique strengths. Claude GenAI excels in creative writing and conversational AI, while Perplexity GenAI shines in research and real-time information retrieval. Google Gemini offers strong performance and multimodal capabilities, particularly for users within the Google ecosystem.

     According to Lee (2024), Perplexity has the highest IQ score of 136 and is higher than 99.98% of the population, though not the number one GenAI tool for education. Jasper surpasses Perplexity as number one because it can write content quickly and easily.

     Keep in mind that each chatbot is only as good as the data it has gathered, which may include predefined knowledge bases, FAQs, or even learned patterns from previous conversations. This data forms the foundation of its ability to understand questions and generate responses.

     How effective is GenAI in the classroom? How can a teacher incorporate it into lesson planning that makes it meaningful for student learning? Khan (2024) states, “AI can personalize learning by adapting to each student's individual pace and style, identifying strengths and areas for improvement, and offering tailored support and feedback to complement traditional classroom instruction” (p.1). Likewise, other studies indicate that students can also become more independent learners, and develop more efficiency in accessing resources during the learning process (Singer, 2025).

     Moreover, the benefits for teachers is undeniably significant. Teachers can become more efficient by automating everyday tasks. For example, they can create lesson plans, facilitate grading, and communicate easily with parents. Not only does GenAI allow teachers to simply analyze student data and identify learning gaps in student progress, it also gives them access to a vast amount of resources and interactive simulations that aide them in developing curriculum.

     However, some believe GenAI has disadvantages and creates possible pitfalls in learning. Shelton and Lanier (2024) remark that there are many downsides to incorporating GenAI. Possible perils include potential biases, minimal digital access for students of low income, academic integrity, and word plagiarism. In other words, students using GenAI risk plagiarizing, cheating, and relying too heavily on the information the platform provides, which leads them to learning misinformation and content inaccuracies. Critical thinking and social interaction also are challenged. Holmes and Porayaska-Pomsta (2025) discuss the negative impact of using GenAI in the classroom. They debate such topics as - what would happen if a child is subjected to a biased set of algorithms that impact negatively on their school progress? – What about a student’s privacy? – How about respect for human autonomy? These are all ethical issues that need to be considered when teachers incorporate GenAI into their curriculum.

     In 2024, Dilbert et al., conducted a survey of educators, both teachers and administrators, around the United States to determine whether GenAI would affect teaching strategies and improve learning. Of the over 1,000 K-12 teachers surveyed, they found that 18% used GenAI in their teaching and 15% had tried it only once. They also discovered that middle and high school teachers were more likely to be GenAI users. They learned that the most common ways that teachers used GenAI tools was to generate materials and adapt instructional content to fit the level of the students. All in all, the study suggested that Generative Artificial Intelligence tools were leading to some improvements in teaching while student learning was lower than expected.

     Nonetheless, considering both pros and cons, some schools are beginning to embed GenAI into their curriculum. The traditional classroom as we know it is evolving. Education is experiencing a seismic shift driven by the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (Fitzpatrick, 2025).

     Not long ago, Fitzpatrick (2025) completed research on eight universities and public schools utilizing Google’s AI tools, such as NotebookLM and Gemini to transform their educational practices. The universities studied were San Diego State, Wake Forest, University of California, Riverside, and Boise State University. The public schools were in Chicago, Albuquerque, Miami Dade County, and Ottawa Catholic School Board. All were integrating GenAI to personalize learning from higher learning to K-12 education. Fitzpatrick concluded, “As these eight institutions demonstrate, the key to success lies in a thoughtful and strategic approach that prioritizes clear goals and a focus on empowering both educators and students” (p. 1).

     Recently, Singer (2025) published an article in the New York Times highlighting a school in Miami Dade County, which embraced the idea of teaching Generative AI tools in social studies. A teacher at Southwest Miami Senior High wanted her students to learn about John F. Kennedy, specifically his social and economic policies summarized in his campaign for a ‘new frontier.’ Using Gemini, the teacher told her students to act like President Kennedy and investigate his ‘new frontier.’ Immediately, Gemini blurted paragraphs of text. The teacher then asked her students to analyze whether the chatbot simulations accurately reflected the actual text of Kennedy’s speeches. They concluded that the Gemini text was ‘awkward and weird’ but very believable. As a follow-up, students were required to write an essay in longhand comparing different presidential policies. “I’m teaching students to use AI as a tool that’s helpful, like a book or a dictionary,” she said. “I’m not telling them to use it to get the answer” (Singer, 2025, p. 4). The Assistant Superintendent of Innovation of Miami Dade County agreed, “AI is just another tool in the arsenal of education….we have to make sure that we use it ethically, that we use it responsibly, and that we have certain guardrails in place…”(Singer, 2025, p. 4).

     On another note, the state of Florida appears to be at the forefront of incorporating GenAI into the curriculum. They have commissioned the University of Florida to set up a statewide education task to develop a curriculum that includes GenAI guidelines. Other states are following suit. California, and Oregon have adopted it into their curriculum and offer teacher training. Other states have created positions in their education departments (Klein, 2024).

     In addition, the American Federation of Teachers is spearheading the tech’s industry to embed AI chatbots in classrooms. Partnering with Microsoft, Open AI and Anthropic, together they will invest $23 million dollars to create a national training center for teachers that will begin in the Fall 2025. The national hub will open in New York City with hands-on workshops for teachers. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers says, It will be “an innovative new training space where school staff and teachers will learn not just about how AI works, but how to use it wisely, safely and ethically…a place where tech developers and educators can talk with each other, not past each other” (p.1). This will be groundbreaking Weingarten continues “and will ensure that teachers have some input on how AI tools are developed for educational use” (p. 2).           Finally, let me summarize. There is no doubt that we are in the early stages of changes in our traditional methods of teaching and learning with the inclusion of Generative AI in our curriculum. We are on the threshold of incorporating this new strategy that will engage our students in ways we never thought possible. In that regard, we, as teachers, have to become vigilant of the biases and misconceptions that can be apparent in learning with GenAI. Our students’ lives outside of school revolve around technology from Instagram to Facebook to TikTok to many of the chatbots mentioned. On one hand, we need to prepare them for the job demands of tomorrow and, on the other, we need to get them ready to face everyday challenges in the real world. Generative Artificial intelligence cannot be understated – it will shape the way we teach and the way students learn.

References

Bowen, J.A. and Watson, C.E. (2024) Teaching with AI: A practical        guide to a new era of learning. Baltimore, MD: John Hopkins        University Press, Clark, H. (2023). The AI infused classroom                paperback. Boise, ID: Elevate Books Edu.

 

Clark, L. (February 19, 2025). Ten best free chatbots to boost your     ROI in 2025. Retrieved from https://www.proprofschat.com›           blog›best-free-chatbots

 

Dilibert, M. K., Schwartz, H. L., Doan, S., Shapiro, A., Rainey, L. R.,       Lake, R. J. (April 17, 2024). Using artificial intelligence tools in K-   12 classrooms. Retrieved from https://www.rand.org

 

Finn, T. (March 7, 2025). 6 types of chatbots and how to choose         the right one for your business. Retrieved from                                 https://www.ibm.com

 

Fitzpatrick, D. (March 20, 2025). 8 Schools Innovating With Google     AI –Here’s what they’re doing. Retrieved from                                   https://www.forbes.com

 

Holmes, W. and Porayaska-Pomsta, K (2023). The ethics of                 artificial intelligence: Practices, challenges and debates. New         York, N.Y. Routledge Press.

 

Khan, S. (2024, May). Brave new words: How AI will revolutionize       education (and that is a good thing). NY, NY, Viking Press.

 

Klein, A. (September 11, 2024). A solid start: States are crafting         AI guidance for schools but have more to do. Education Week, 1.     Retrieved from https://www.edweek.org/technology

 

Lembo, G. (2025). The complete guide to AI in education. Freeport,     MA. Wheelwright Publishing.Patrick-Lee, C. F. (2024, September     26).

 

Patrick-Lee, C. F. (2024, September 6). Artificial intelligent                  chatbots achieve IQ scores higher than most people. Authorea,      1. Retrieved from https://www.authorea.com

 

Rebelo, M. (March 4, 2025). The best chatbots in 2025. Retrieved       from https://zapier.com/blog/best-ai-chatbot/

 

Shelton, K. and Lanier, D. (2024). The promises and perils of AI           education: Ethics and equity have entered the chat. Hallandale       Beach, FL. Lanier Learning.

 

Singer, N. (2025, July 8). Open AI and microsoft bankroll new A. I.       training for teachers.  New York Times, Retrieved                             from https//:www.nytimes.com/2025/07/08/technology            /chatgpt-teachers-openai-microsoft.html

 

Singer, N. (2025, May19). How Miami schools are leading 100,000     into the future. New York Times, Retrieved from                                 https://www.nytimes.com

 

Wikipedia. (n.d.) (In Wikipedia generative artificial intelligence).         Retrieved from                                       https://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generative_artificial_intelligence                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                       

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