AI Masterclass for Teachers

Artificial intelligence has become part of everyday school life. But how can it be used in a way that genuinely supports teachers and enhances learning? A video series co-developed at the Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien (IWM) provides scientifically based and practical answers to these questions. Five selected episodes of the ‘AI Masterclass: Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom’ are now available free of charge on the IWM portal schule-mal-digital.de.

The twelve-part Masterclass is aimed at teachers across all types of schools. It covers the fundamentals of artificial intelligence and uses concrete examples to demonstrate how AI can be effectively used in different subjects and at different stages of the lesson. The series not only examines the potential of the technology, but also its limitations, as well as issues relating to ethics, data protection and a changing examination culture.

From lesson planning to examination culture

The videos now available offer a concise insight into key topics in the series. IWM Director Prof. Dr. Ulrike Cress explains why engaging with AI has now become part of every teacher’s remit. She also demonstrates how generative AI challenges established assignment and examination formats, and what forms of a contemporary examination culture might replace them.

Prof. Dr. Peter Gerjets, Head of the IWM’s Multimodal Interaction lab, focuses on the practical aspects of teaching: at what stages can AI support teachers and learners? Where can it ease the workload – and where does pedagogical judgement remain indispensable? In the series’ outlook, he also addresses the societal implications of the technology and asks how AI might affect autonomy and self-determination.

An introductory episode featuring Ulrike Cress, Peter Gerjets and Prof. Dr. Detmar Meurers, Head of the IWM lab on Language and AI in Education, provides an overview of the structure, objectives and topics of the masterclass.

IWM expertise for teacher training

The masterclass was developed and produced by Ulrike Cress’s team at the IWM, in collaboration with the Institute for Quality Development in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the Rhineland-Palatinate State Institute for Education. The complete series is being made available as part of the teacher training programme. The introductory episode and four selected subject-specific episodes are now freely available at schule-mal-digital.de.