On the menu today:

• AI Vocabulary Word of the Week 🔡 

• Teacher AI News & New Tools 🗞️ 

• Recommendations & My Favourites 😍 

• 3 Free AI Tools to Save Your Sanity this December 🎄 

AI Vocabulary Word of the Week 🔡 

Data Mining ⛏️ 

Definition: 

The process of analyzing large sets of data to discover patterns and other useful information.

Analogy: 

In schools, teachers use data mining to look at things like grades, how often students take part in class, and answers to quizzes.

By studying all this information, teachers can find patterns that help them understand how each student learns best and how to make their classes even better.

News & Updates in Teacher AI 🗞️ 

1. New Research Paves Way for Artificial Intelligence in Education (Gov UK) - UK's latest research shows that AI is really taking off in education, with teachers and tech experts getting on board. They're using AI for all sorts of stuff, like making admin tasks easier and helping out students who need extra support. The government is even throwing in a cool £2 million to develop new AI teaching tools.

2. How Should Teachers Be Using AI? UNESCO Thinks It Can Solve Education’s Biggest Challenges (IBTimes.co.uk) - UNESCO sees AI as a key tool to address major challenges and improve student learning, especially for those with special needs or who can't attend classes in person. It's also seen as a potential solution to the teacher shortage issue. While there's some buzz about AI possibly replacing teachers (lol), it clarifies that it's more about supporting teachers, freeing them up to focus on more creative and complex aspects of teaching.

3. Microsoft: 6 Ways AI is Transforming Education - Microsoft discusses six key ways AI is transforming education. These include personalized learning paths, proactive academic support, bridging the achievement gap, immersive learning with AR and VR, data-driven insights for educators, and AI-powered classroom assistants​.

Some of My Favorites: Gift List Inspo 🎁 

1. This has made my sleeps so much more luxurious, not to mention it’s a gift anyone in your life will love.

2. Struggling to find a gift for a parent? I bought my dad this indoor herb garden. If your parents like cooking and you live somewhere you can’t garden year round, consider this.

3. These pens have been my absolute favourite through and through (after trying out tons of different pens). Teachers + A good pen = ❤️ 

4. This laptop stand has helped me be more mindful of my posture and really levels up (literally) my office space and I have more desk surface.

5. Obsessed with this keyboard & mouse - pressing the keys is so satisfying.

3 Free AI Tools To Save Your Sanity This December 🤌 

1. Almanack.ai’s free membership allows up to 15 pro feature generations (which is likely more than enough) - use this for quick gamification when your students need a fun-yet-engaging change of pace. I love the Jeopardy generator!

2. Eduaide.ai’s Mad-lib generator! This is great for creating anything around a theme or the holidays.

3. Diffit for creating sub plans and activities that are actually good for your next mental health day.