How has Artificial Intelligence been supporting teachers’ daily routines?

By Bianca Silva, teacher and master’s degree holder in Social Sciences. Innovation Coordinator at Fundação 1Bi.

Since the beginning of human history, we have shaped nature to create technologies that make our daily lives easier. People were astonished by the arrival of cinema, telephones, and television, and more recently, the internet has brought about countless changes, including in the ways we relate to one another. Astonishment at what is new and at the developments we often cannot imagine is common and is part of the processes of social transformation, whether or not they are driven by technological changes. The use of artificial intelligence (AI), which is increasingly present in different social contexts and fields of knowledge, is no different. 

It is common to have doubts about what is new, but the changes brought about by technologies say a great deal about how we use them. As teachers become familiar with these changes and use them to their advantage, what was once a source of fear and astonishment becomes a support tool for making processes more dynamic.

Free, accessible digital products are emerging and seeking to contribute to different ways of learning and teaching. One example is the innovative initiatives that are already having a positive impact on everyday school life.

The AprendiZAP, a digital learning tool developed by Fundação 1Bi, supports teachers in the public education system. With the help of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the critical oversight of 35 specialist educators, AprendiZAP has created more than 8,000 activity proposals using active learning methodologies, alongside ongoing training for the teaching team. This ensures contact between the dynamic process enabled by AI and the knowledge and experience of teachers working in public schools.

On the AprendiZAP platform, teachers throughout Brazil can have their first contact with the use of AI, creating their own activities and enriching their repertoire of learning strategies. The initiative was designed to address teachers’ need to diversify learning strategies according to students’ different profiles. 

Teachers show interest in working with diverse classrooms, but still face difficulties adapting teaching materials to meet the needs of all students in a personalized way. These are some examples of how AI becomes a support tool for teachers, enabling them to offer learning experiences that engage with students’ needs and to jointly build transformative learning processes.

A survey by Associação Nova Escola of 20,000 teachers reveals that nearly two-thirds consider using AI in the classroom. According to the survey, the main purposes are developing lesson plans (47.5%), improving specific knowledge (46.6%), creating new activities (37.4%), adapting lessons to students’ specific needs (25.7%), and planning assessments (21.5%).

If public education does not have access to new technologies, there will be an even more significant gap in Brazilian education. As educators, we can contribute to this process as we become familiar with these changes, test them, and understand which uses make sense for our practice. In doing so, we develop the knowledge and experience needed to question and actively participate in transformation processes. By engaging with these initiatives, we equip ourselves with tools to prepare our students to explore their full potential and become the great creators of the future.