Business teacher Dr. Brooke Martinez attended the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) edtech conference in Denver last month and shares her major takeaways from the event. "The future of education is brimming with AI possibilities! As a financial literacy teacher, I was particularly excited to see how AI can be leveraged to enhance our teaching and empower our students," she said. Read on for more from Brooke.

Here are seven key takeaways from ISTELive 2024 that specifically caught my eye:

1. A Shift in Generative AI

There was a clear buzz around generative AI tools, but the landscape seems to have shifted since last year. While ChatGPT was the hot topic in 2023, educators were leaning more toward Gemini this year. Teachers seemed to appreciate Gemini's focus on more factual accuracy and its alignment with curriculum standards.

2. School AI: A Champion for FERPA Compliance

When it comes to student data privacy, School AI emerged as the clear winner. This AI platform prioritizes FERPA compliance, making it a safe and reliable resource for teachers.

3. Introducing the Sidekick: Your Student's AI Ally

Imagine a personalized AI assistant for each student! School AI's "Sidekick" feature provides students with on-demand support. Students can utilize Sidekick to review test material, brainstorm ideas for their financial literacy digital portfolios, or even get guidance on writing assignments.

4. Boosting Engagement with Bell Ringers and Exit Tickets

Forget generic prompts! School AI allows teachers to create interactive bell ringers and exit tickets tailored to financial literacy topics. This AI can generate engaging questions that spark student interest and assess understanding at the beginning and end of lessons. Additionally, with School AI's impressive 140+ language translation capabilities, we can truly cater to diverse classrooms.

5. AI-powered Lesson Planning and Grading for Teachers

School AI has a treasure trove of tools designed to lighten a teacher's load. Imagine having a virtual curriculum coach to help you craft engaging unit plans or a project-based activity expert to brainstorm unique simulations for your students. School AI even boasts an essay grading assistant and research assistant, freeing up valuable time for personalized feedback and one-on-one interactions with students.

6. Ditch the Detectives: Focus on Authentic Learning

One key takeaway was the recommendation to abandon AI detection software. Apparently, none of these programs are reliable in truly pinpointing AI-generated content. Instead, the focus should be on encouraging authentic learning and critical thinking skills.

A much better solution was the Chrome extension "Brisk Teaching." This nifty tool allows you to see how many edits a student has made on their Google Docs work, providing valuable insight into their writing process.

7. Empowering Student Expression and Comprehension

Two other tools caught my eye: Curipod and Snorkl. Curipod is an AI writing assistant that can help students improve their vocabulary, writing fluency, and reading comprehension. Snorkl, on the other hand, is a dream come true for math teachers. This AI tool provides individualized support to students, adapting its assistance based on how they approach solving math problems.

Overall, ISTELive 2024 painted a bright picture for the future of financial literacy education. With AI tools like School AI and its various functionalities, we can personalize learning, enhance student engagement, and empower them to become financially responsible adults. I'm excited to explore these tools further and integrate them into my classroom!

Dr. Brooke Martinez is a Business Teacher at Granite Connection High School in South Salt Lake, Utah.

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