From the Cool Cat Teacher Blog by Vicki Davis Follow @coolcatteacher on Twitter So, I’ve spent this week looking at and testing many AI tools. I know I’m a total beginner, but then again, I guess everyone is a beginner right now. While all of these schools have been rushing to block ChatGPT, many don’t realize that generative AI tools are making their way into Google Workspaces and Microsoft 365. (If you have public website, your data can also be used to train tools like Chat GPT and some are trying to block their sites from being training data, as well.) For example, Microsoft CoPilot will be integrated into Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and all of the Microsoft Apps (I’m guessing...
“I Am I Am I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death” by Maggie O’Farrell In this amazing collection of memoir vignettes, best-selling author Maggie O’Farrell relates 16 times she came close to dying. The 17th story revolves around her daughter’s ongoing struggles with anaphylaxis. O’Farrell has led a remarkably dangerous life. Why she isn’t dead several times over is beyond comprehension. Nature can pose problems. Twice she encountered a dangerous person while in the woods. The ocean nearly did her in a couple of times. And the encounter with a blindfolded knife thrower is jaw-dropping. O’Farrell saves the “explanation” for her attitude regarding risks and death till the next-to-last short story. At the age of 9, she fell ill with encephalitis....
To say that AI has helped a multitude of industries across the board is an understatement. From automating manual processes, streamlining operations, and boosting productivity, to enhancing overall customer experience, AI has been the face of all tech breakthroughs of the 21st century. Naturally, organizations’ leaders are wise enough to invest and leverage AI’s capabilities, reap the benefits, and keep up with the riptide of cutthroat competition in today’s business ecosystem. But forward-thinking leaders know that the best way to maximize its potential is to merge multiple AI technologies into one handy toolbox and optimize different facets of their company. As of January 2023, 40% of businesses see customer experience as their primary motivator for incorporating AI into their tech...
One day, while visiting one of our grandchildren, an 8-year-old, I stepped out the back door to locate her. She was perched snuggly up in an oak tree, reading; as if that’s where everyone might choose to spend their afternoon. I watched the expressions on her face while the sun touched her hair. A breeze came through and seemed to wisp up some fairy dust as she escaped to her world filled with enchantment, dragons, and princesses. That same mystical world where Alice really does have a conversation with a rabbit, Pete spends an entire day with the dragon, and Clara actually is swept off her feet by the nutcracker. I can’t think of a place I’d rather be than...
When you hear the word “inference,” does it make your head spin? If I had a penny for every time my coworkers and I talked about improving inference skills, I’d be rich! Inferencing is always a big topic of conversation because it’s a tough skill that has a huge impact on our students' reading comprehension skills, no matter their grade level. It’s also taught in EVERY single grade in elementary school, so coming up with new and engaging ways to teach it can be challenging. For that reason, I am always looking for engaging and unique ways to enhance my students’ inference skills with activities that go beyond just simply reading and answering inference questions. What is an inference? It...
