AI integration in education

PERSONAL VIEW ON AI APPLICATION IN EDUCATION

As an English teacher at a private school in Hanoi, I’ve witnessed firsthand how technology has transformed the classroom experience. In this technological era, the integration of digital tools into education is not just encouraged—it’s often seen as a hallmark of effective teaching. With that in mind, I’ve made a conscious effort to embed technology into my lessons to make them more interactive, engaging, and personalized. For example, I regularly use Quizizz and Kahoot to help students revise grammar points in a fun and competitive way. I also rely on Wordwall to check reading comprehension, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding through games and interactive tasks rather than traditional quizzes. These tools have had a noticeable positive impact on my teaching. They boost student engagement, make lessons more dynamic, and provide instant feedback, which helps both me and my students monitor progress more efficiently. However, this shift hasn’t come without its challenges. As I embraced more digital tools in the classroom, I began to notice a concerning trend: students increasingly turning to AI platforms like ChatGPT to complete their assignments. While these tools can be incredibly helpful for brainstorming or improving language use, I found that some students were relying on them to do the work entirely. This raises serious concerns about the loss of creativity and learning autonomy. Instead of developing their own ideas and expressing themselves, some students now submit polished but impersonal responses generated by AI. In this blog, I will give some personal thoughts on: how the adoption of AI will impact my teaching in the near and far future? What’s my vision?

The adoption of AI will undoubtedly reshape my teaching practices, both in the near and distant future. Like every technological advancement, AI comes with both opportunities and challenges. On the upside, AI can serve as an incredibly effective tool for lesson planning and content creation. For instance, I can use AI to generate customized reading materials or interactive quizzes tailored to my students’ proficiency levels and interests. This not only saves time but also helps me deliver more engaging and personalized lessons. Additionally, AI-powered platforms can provide real-time feedback on student work, allowing me to quickly identify learning gaps. For example, if a student consistently struggles with grammar in their writing, the AI can spot this pattern early, enabling me to provide targeted support before the issue becomes more serious. However, there are also concerns that come with the increasing reliance on AI in education. One major risk is that students might become too dependent on AI-generated responses or tools, which could limit their ability to think critically or solve problems creatively. For example, if students rely on AI to write essays or solve complex problems, they may miss the opportunity to develop their own voice or reasoning skills. Moreover, the human elements of empathy, mentorship, and spontaneous classroom interactions—essential aspects of teaching—cannot be fully replicated by machines.

It’s now part of my mission not only to integrate technology meaningfully into my lessons but also to guide my students in using it responsibly—helping them see AI not as a shortcut, but as a support tool to enhance, not replace their own thinking.  I see AI as a co-pilot that can support me in delivering more dynamic, responsive, and inclusive instruction. For instance, I imagine using AI-driven simulations to help students explore real-world scenarios or incorporating virtual tutors to assist with individualized learning outside of class hours. Ultimately, I aim to use AI to deepen learning experiences, foster creativity, and strengthen the human connection in education—ensuring that students not only gain knowledge but also grow as independent, critical thinkers.  It’s a reminder that while technology can be a powerful aid in education, it must be used thoughtfully.

Reflection 6 - Flipped learning

 

In my recent educational journey, I've delved into the realm of flipped classrooms, where the traditional teaching style gets turned on its head. This innovative approach merges theory with practice, creating a vibrant learning atmosphere. Through my exploration, I've come to see how flipped classrooms can truly revolutionize education.

One concept that really struck a chord with me is constructivism. It suggests that learners actively build knowledge by engaging with new information and linking it to what they already know. In a flipped classroom setup, students dive into materials before class, allowing them to construct their own understanding at their own pace. Then, during class time, they collaborate and discuss, building knowledge together. It's been fascinating to witness students shaping their understanding through exploration and interaction, perfectly in line with constructivist principles.

Active learning is another key aspect of flipped classrooms. By flipping the script on traditional lectures, students become active participants in their learning journey. They take charge of their education by engaging with content outside of class and using class time for deeper exploration and critical thinking. This hands-on approach not only enhances learning but also fosters better retention of information.

Social learning theory has also played a significant role in my flipped classroom experience. This theory emphasizes the importance of social interaction in learning. In flipped classrooms, activities like group projects and peer discussions provide valuable opportunities for students to learn from each other. I've seen firsthand how students benefit from sharing insights and collaborating with their peers, enriching their learning experience.

Lastly, my classmates have introduced me to a plethora of useful websites that I can use as resources for my students. These platforms are not only interesting but also user-friendly, making them ideal tools for enhancing the learning experience outside of the classroom.

In essence, my journey with flipped classrooms, informed by various learning theories, has highlighted the transformative potential of this approach. By embracing constructivism, promoting active learning, and fostering social interaction, flipped classrooms empower students to take ownership of their education and develop essential skills for the future. Integrating theory into practice in the flipped classroom setting enhances learning outcomes and enriches the educational experience for everyone involved.

Reflection 5 - Project-based Learning and Rubrics

This week, we've studied project-based learning and rubrics. Project-based learning (PBL) stands as a beacon of innovation in education, and my journey with it, intertwined with insights from my TESOL course, has illuminated its profound impact on language acquisition and student engagement. PBL is not just a teaching methodology; it's a philosophy that empowers learners to delve deep into authentic, real-world challenges, fostering holistic language development while nurturing essential life skills.

One of the core principles of PBL is its alignment with communicative language teaching (CLT), a cornerstone of TESOL pedagogy. CLT emphasizes meaningful communication and real-life language use, mirroring the authentic contexts that PBL projects provide. Through collaborative tasks, problem-solving activities, and project work, students are immersed in language-rich environments where they must negotiate meaning, express ideas, and interact with others—a process that mirrors real-world language use and fosters communicative competence. Moreover, PBL resonates deeply with principles of learner-centered instruction, another fundamental tenet of TESOL pedagogy. In a PBL classroom, students take on active roles as creators, investigators, and problem solvers, driving their learning journey through inquiry and discovery. This learner autonomy enhances motivation and engagement and cultivates critical thinking, creativity, and self-regulated learning skills—attributes crucial for language acquisition and lifelong learning. Due to PBL, we need another way to assess students. Therefore, we are introduced a rubric that enhances its effectiveness as an instructional approach. Rubrics provide clear criteria and expectations for project outcomes, guiding students' efforts and providing meaningful feedback on their language production and performance. My classmates and I were introduced to some websites that can assist us in creating a rubric, such as Rubistar. Although I think it is outdated, to some extent, it still supports me. However, I must research and find more websites to help me and other teachers create rubrics. In conclusion, PBL, enriched by the integration of rubrics, embodies the essence of effective language teaching, blending theory with practice to create vibrant, student-centered learning environments. As educators, embracing PBL cultivates language proficiency and nurtures the 21st-century skills essential for success in our increasingly interconnected world. Through thoughtful integration and application of PBL principles and rubric-based assessment strategies, we can empower English language learners to thrive as confident, competent communicators in diverse linguistic and cultural contexts.

Reflection 4 - Spice up your lesson.

 

This week, we're diving into how we can use different tech options to spice up our lessons. Plus, we're digging deep into teaching reading and writing skills, focusing on ensuring our students get the hang of it.

Boosting reading and writing skills is important for helping students do well in language and school. We can help them out in many ways, making sure they're confident in these areas. Getting them to read a bunch of different stuff, like stories, articles, and poems, not only helps them understand better but also helps them learn new words and enjoy reading more. Websites like CommonLit and ReadWorks have tons of stuff to read, all sorted by level and interest, plus quizzes to check understanding. Playing word games and doing vocabulary exercises on platforms like Quizlet and Vocabulary.com can really help them improve their writing skills.

When it comes to writing, we've got to guide them through every step, from coming up with ideas to polishing their final drafts. Giving them good feedback on their writing is key to helping them get better. And technology can be a big help here, too! Tools like Google Docs or Microsoft Word let them work together on writing projects and get feedback in real-time, which means they can keep improving their work. And apps like Grammarly can help them spot and fix mistakes in their writing, making it even better.

But, of course, all this cool tech stuff relies on having a good internet connection, which isn't always a given. So, it's important for us teachers to have backup plans ready to go in case the internet goes down. We can use offline software or stick to old-school pen-and-paper activities to keep the learning going, no matter what.

By mixing these tech tools with our teaching skills, we can create really exciting learning environments that help our students become awesome readers and writers, ready to tackle anything that comes their way.

Reflection 3 - Building Websites

Technology in building language skills

In the third module, we discussed what teachers could do to enhance the listening and speaking skills of the students and how to exploit online applications in their teaching practice. Besides, we also learned to use Diigo as an online website to create social bookmarking.

First, we were asked to read an article about Technology and Speaking in which the author recommended six technology activity types for classroom instruction. After that, by looking through some suggested speaking lesson plans, we had a chance to reflect upon our teaching practice to find areas for improvement. It was a beneficial activity as on a daily basis, we are usually trapped in a vicious vortex of numerous deadlines and immense workloads, so we are not able to strike a work-life balance, let alone ponder on our lessons. Therefore, it was a great activity in my opinion.

Next, we took turns to share our useful online tools in the discussion of teaching aural/oral skills. There was a diversity of great cyber platforms mentioned by my classmates such as Podomatic (podcast-making website), Ted-Ed, ESL cyber lab, and so on. For my part, the website that I often recommend to my students is Voicetube. VoiceTube is a globally accessible platform for English learning, offering a hands-on approach: immersing yourself in your beloved YouTube content with subtitles. With a collection of over 40,000 captioned videos sourced from YouTube, TED talks, movie excerpts, TV shows, music videos, professional advice on work and business, news segments from BBC and CNN, and an array of captivating videos covering diverse subjects. The students can easily select the topics they're interested in and match their English level to filter the most suitable videos. All in all, utilizing VoiceTube offers users the opportunity not only to learn English and improve listening and speaking abilities but also to develop critical thinking and debating skills. Moreover, it caters to diverse learning styles with its extensive range of video content. I wholeheartedly recommend this valuable platform to my students of all levels.

Finally, we joined the breakout Zoom section to share about Diigo which is a cyber cache to save my favorite web links. Thanks to the sharing from my peers, I have saved a lot of links that facilitate my teaching process and research.

 

Reflection 2 - ABCD objectives framework and Web searching

Effective websearching???
ABCD objectives framework! 

I was truly enlightened in the second module revolving around the ABCD objectives framework and web searching devices. This lesson is meaningful as it has provided useful teaching tools to enhance my teaching skills and emphasized the importance of having concise objectives for the lesson which would serve as a guide for what I should employ in class.

Before the Tet holiday, we were assigned a discussion task about different web-searching devices in which we shared different online tools to facilitate our teaching process in class. I found the posts from Ms. Ha Tu, Ms. Nhung, and Ms. Nguyen Thu Trang handy. Since I'm kind of a tech-illiterate person, none of the mentioned websites like Slideshare, Edutopia, and Busy Teacher have I experienced before. So those posts broadened my horizons, and I believe that they would facilitate my teaching in the future. In terms of my contribution to the post, I suggested Live worksheet.  From my experience, this website is superb since it is suitable for students from all levels. It comprises a variety of exercises to practice not only vocabulary but also grammar. Not to mention its interface is really user-friendly and eye-catching. I often use it to assign online homework for the students to practice the grammatical unit delivered in class. Besides, it can also release the score immediately after students submit their assignments, so learners would know how well they have advanced and what domain should be revised again. However, Live worksheet has its own drawbacks. The majority of online worksheets are appropriate for students who are at A1-B2 levels, and for those who are superior, it's really challenging to find ones. Besides, since it's a shared cyber forum for both non-native and native teachers, not every designed exercise is correct, so if you choose to use it, make sure that you check it carefully before giving to the students.

In the first lesson after the holiday, we gained an insight into what the ABCD objectives framework was and then we had some time to practice writing this model ourselves. After that, we joined a breakout room to discuss what we had done, and how we could establish the objectives for the lesson according to the ABCD framework. In short, the ABCD framework can be used for a whole lesson or for an activity in class. To be more specific, A represents the audience, B stands for behaviors expected, C is the condition where the behaviors are displayed and measured, and D is the degree of how well that behavior can live up to the expectation of the teacher. My takeaway from this lesson is the clearer your condition is, the easier for you to assess Ss' performance.

All in all, this module this week was really practical. Not only did I gain more knowledge, but I was also motivated and eager to apply all these techniques to my teaching, to advance, and to be better in my field. 

Reflection 1 - Blogging in ELT

 Blogging and ELT???

In the realm of English Language Teaching, blogging holds significant importance as it provides language learners with a dynamic platform to enhance their language skills in authentic, real-world contexts. Blogs function as a community, greatly facilitating students' learning experiences. Specifically, engaging in regular writing tasks aids students in refining not only their language abilities but also their critical thinking and communication skills. Blogging enables students to express ideas, share experiences, and interact with peers, thereby fostering their interpersonal skills. Furthermore, it cultivates a sense of community by encouraging interactive learning through comments on each other's posts. Additionally, I believe that blogging has the potential to promote independence by empowering students to take control of their own language-learning journey.

In the article from the British Council, Aaron Campbell (2003) has outlined three types of blogs for use with language classes which are the Tutor Blog, the Class Blog, and the Learner Blog. Basically, The Tutor Blog functions as a notice board that informs students about assignments and upcoming deadlines, and the interaction of this type of blog is often overlooked. The Class Blog places a great emphasis on interaction between teachers and students and students themselves. Members are encouraged to interact with others by commenting on each other posts and expressing their viewpoints. Finally, for the last type, the Learner Blog caters to a personal cyberspace where students can establish their own blogs and share their own pieces of writing. As an IELTS teacher, I always aim to develop all four skills for the students and I am passionate about creating a holistic academic platform in which the students can immerse themselves in English in a fun and relaxing way. Therefore, The Class blog would be the most suitable. My blog can be used to share useful information like techniques to improve listening skills, top 6 movies to enhance your lexical range, and so on. Besides, the students can also make contributions to my blog about anything that interests them to share with their peers in the comment section below.

In the sharing session, we were divided into different breakout Zoom and took turns to share about the process by which our blogs were created. Besides, we also helped other team members to clarify their confusion about blogs and to work out some technical obstacles they had encountered.

References :

1. Graham Stanley, British Council, Barcelona Blogging for ELT