What is aiEDU and How Can It Be Used for Teaching? Tips & Tricks

aiEDU
(Image credit: aiEDU)

aiEDU, or The AI Education Project, is an artificial intelligence literacy program designed to help teachers and students navigate the fast-growing world of AI for education.

This free-to-use nonprofit platform is here to help people learn about how AI actually works -- in the face of more and more apps adopting this ever-growing technology. This makes a lot of sense as it helps students, and teachers, see the workings behind AI so they can think critically before using a tool.

The website is very easy to use and has materials that can be used digitally as well as downloadable content, making this ideal for in-class and at-home use. This guide aims to help you understand what aiEDU offers and how it can be of use to teachers and students right now.

What is aiEDU?

aiEDU, short for The AI Education Project, does as the name suggests by offering training for teachers, students, and any other learners who want to see how the ever-evolving world of artificial intelligence is developing. This is an AI literacy education platform.

aiEDU

(Image credit: aiEDU)

aiEDU is very adaptive in its offerings, so you can visit as someone who wants to learn a little on the subject of AI in a five-minute overview, or someone who wants to dig deeper and take on a nine-week course.

Consequently, the various resources can be adapted and used as needed, either as a specific course, for students, or perhaps as a module section that fits into an ongoing course. However you choose to process the resources available, these should help to encourage independent thinking about AI and its uses.

Featuring research-based strategies, this platform offers education techniques and resources for Computer Science, Math, English, Social Studies, Science, CTE, and more. 

How does aiEDU work?

aiEDU has everything readily available online for immediate access by teachers and learners, without the need to give any details -- simply navigate to what you need and get going right away.

aiEDU

(Image credit: aiEDU)

Since this system is all online, it can be accessed by nearly any web browser with an internet connection. Select the "Learners" tab, for example, and you can dive right into AI challenges for day-to-day use, AI crafting projects, a five-minute overview, and more.

Or go via the "Teachers" tab to be offered a selection of modules including "Introduction to AI" aimed at grades 9-12 and comprising 35- to 45-minute sessions. AI Snapshots for grades 7-12 has 180 five-minute warm-ups. And there's Project Dashboard, for grades 9-12, with teacher-led or independent projects. 

The website couldn't be easier to navigate, and with a wide selection of options, it should be welcoming to a broad range of students as well as varying levels of tech-savvy, or less tech-friendly, teachers. 

What are the best aiEDU features?

aiEDU offers some great five-minute intro exercises that can provide anyone with a taste of what is to come, while teaching them the basics of AI right from the outset -- all making this very accessible.

aiEDU

(Image credit: aiEDU)

A really useful section is the AI Challenges page, which lets you engage with current AI systems to not only learn how these work and how you can use one but also how AI in general operates. 

Many of the learning activities are hands-on, so this helps keep students of varying ages and abilities engaged. The focus on data, its quality, and any biases associated with it are very useful points of focus to help teach students to think critically when using these AI tools.

Since this curriculum is built using Google Slides, it makes access across devices, as well as sharing, super simple. Plus, you can easily print any materials that are relevant for physical use in order to engage students away from screens as needed.

Everything is coding-free, making it accessible to all, thanks to the use of a platform called Hugging Face that lets students build AI projects even without prior knowledge.

How much does aiEDU cost?

aiEDU is a nonprofit setup so there are no charges at all for anything that it offers. There is no tracking and there are no ads. 

What's more, you don't have to give any personal details at all to get started using everything that's available here. So this is totally free and available to all.

aiEDU best tips and tricks

Start simple
Don't underestimate the power of the five-minute course to give students a taste of what they can benefit from by learning about AI.

Self-school
Even if you're not AI savvy, the courses are intuitive to teach and allow you to learn as your class learns at the same time -- fun for all.

Use AI
Have students begin to use AI tools for class tasks -- such as SlidesGPT -- as a way to show they understand how AI works and the shortcomings. 

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Luke Edwards is a freelance writer and editor with more than two decades of experience covering tech, science, and health. He writes for many publications covering health tech, software and apps, digital teaching tools, VPNs, TV, audio, smart home, antivirus, broadband, smartphones, cars and much more.