Kerala has initiated a groundbreaking endeavour by launching AI training sessions for 80,000 school teachers. Organized by the Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) under the General Education Department, Government of Kerala, this three-day training program aims to equip teachers from Classes 8 to 12 with essential AI skills by August 2024.

"AI offers exciting possibilities for education, but it's crucial to understand its full potential and limitations in this field. Challenges like algorithmic bias, privacy concerns, and non-alignment with curriculum goals can hinder its effectiveness. The key lies in positioning AI responsibly as a tool for teachers. By equipping educators with proper training on AI's potential and limitations, we can develop a comprehensive strategy for integrating it effectively into classrooms, just as we've done with digital education tools before." said K Anvar Sadath, CEO of KITE.

The training curriculum covers various AI applications tailored to enhance teaching methodologies. One key focus area is Summarization techniques, which enable teachers to simplify complex materials such as PDFs, images, and videos into concise summaries. Additionally, teachers will learn Image generation techniques to create and manipulate subject-specific visuals, transforming them into cartoons or paintings and incorporating text within the images. The training also includes sessions on Prompt Engineering and Machine Learning, which assist teachers in crafting precise prompts necessary for effective AI tool utilization and understanding the fundamentals of AI programming.

Data Visualization is another crucial component of the training. It allows teachers to harness AI to create dynamic presentations and animations and generate and customize tables, graphs, and charts according to educational needs. Furthermore, teachers will be trained in AI assessment techniques, empowering them to design various question formats, including unit tests, for evaluating student learning outcomes.

Emphasis is placed on cultivating a responsible AI culture, where teachers are encouraged to recognize potential risks associated with AI usage and gain insights into privacy concerns and algorithm biases. As part of this initiative, teachers will even create avatars to comprehend the concept of Deepfakes.

Each training batch comprises 25 teachers equipped with laptops and mobile phones. To ensure data privacy, KITE has provided the teachers with G-Suite accounts, eliminating the need to use their private email IDs and other credentials. The training curriculum incorporates a dynamic selection of tools recommended by KITE's expert committee, enabling teachers to personalize learning activities for individual students and customize resources to cater to students with disabilities.

The AI training program commenced with 1856 teachers participating across 70 selected centres throughout the state. Teachers from Classes 1 to 7 will undergo similar training sessions from September to December 2024, further extending the reach and impact of AI integration in Kerala's education system.

Image source: KITE

Source: https://kite.kerala.gov.in/KITE/index.php