Drawing inspiration from previous educators, Aida Hadzovic has built a reputation for her innovative English teaching strategies. Hadzovic earned a bachelor’s degree in English education and later earned a bachelor’s of science in part due to the demand for science teachers in Brooklyn, New York. Her diverse background in teaching writing, science, and coding positioned her well to participate in the Topeka Pilot Project, a multifaceted AI program that provided real-time feedback to students to support the development of argumentative writing skills. EdSurge recently spoke with Hadzovic about his experiences using AI in his instructional practices in middle school English classes.
EdSurge: How has using AI tools in your classroom changed your approach to teaching writing?
Hadzovic: At first, to be honest, I was hesitant. Like many teachers, I was uncertain about using AI in my teaching. However, I think it has been a game changer in terms of how I approach writing and teaching. I now tell students that the writing experience is not so much about the final product but rather the journey. Project Topeka has helped me as a teacher educate students on the importance of revision. Through this writing process, they can have their own epiphanies.
I also use AI to create sample scripts. Then I have the students figure out if the sample is accurate. They break it down and determine if the evidence is reliable, reasonable, and relevant. This helps them practice the writing and proofreading process and understand that sometimes there are errors in AI tools.
How have you used AI tools to personalize student instruction?
My classes have many English learners and they speak a multitude of languages. With AI tools, I can provide them with images or a lower Lexile level read rate. But it’s important to remember that everyone learns differently and there’s no one-size-fits-all. So, in a class of 30 students, each student needs one-on-one instruction. And the use of AI tools makes personalized learning more affordable.
How have your students responded to integrating AI into their writing?
Some students expressed concerns at first. They were concerned about the use of AI in the qualification process. I tell the students that these are the tools that exist and that we are going to use them to help us improve. It’s really about explaining how the AI works in the writing process, that the AI tool looks for a specific language. We talked about it being an input-output situation, and with practice, you can figure out the desired components and, in your mind, beat the system. But here’s the exciting reality: what they’re doing is improving their writing and learning about input and output relationships. I guide and encourage them until they come to their own conclusion on how to get a better result. And it becomes this interdisciplinary lesson, part science, part math, part writing, where students learn to solve cause and effect problems. It is not just about teaching them about AI learning, but also about how they can change certain aspects and get a better result.
How do you ensure that learning opportunities are equitable for your students when using the AI tool?
I think giving everyone a chance to experience AI is the first step to making it fair. Where I teach in New York, we have a culturally sensitive educational background and a lot of that involves acknowledging your own bias. So sometimes using AI tools in class is an opportunity for us to talk about our own bias, how bias can be present in AI, and how we need to be aware of it. I think having open discussions with students about this and really listening to their ideas and perspectives is a starting point. I teach students that AI is a tool; it can be used to push us around or provide scaffolding. But I also have students who recognize their own agency in this process. They need to be critical thinkers to use this tool correctly.
What role do you think AI will play in the future of teaching and learning writing skills?
The AI can be used as a review and editing tool for students. We can teach students how to use AI to maximize their resources and broaden their horizons when writing. AI also increases the efficiency of teachers grading a lot of papers.
As with any technology, AI is a tool that can be used to enhance a skill. We need to help students use AI responsibly, and we do that by practicing with it in the classroom. AI is not going away. So we need to guide students on how AI tools can be beneficial, but also talk about things like unconscious bias and critical consumption. I try to teach my students to question more critically and use AI as a tool, but not as a complete answer.
To learn more about using AI systems to support and augment classroom teaching and Digital Promise’s work with AI, visit our Artificial Intelligence in Education website and read about our recent AI work.
