Empowering Education with Generative AI

A Practical Guide for Educators, Parents, and the Students They Support

As we prepare learners for their future, one thing is certain—that future includes generative artificial intelligence. Teachers, parents, and learning specialists need to understand how to harness the capabilities of this emergent technology while guiding students (and fellow professionals) to use it effectively and responsibly.

Similar to previous transformative technologies in education such as school-based internet in the late 1990s and classroom computers in the early 1980s, generative AI offers a wealth of possibilities to enhance teaching and learning, especially for students with disabilities. This vast potential, however, comes with challenges and limitations that if not properly recognized and managed can easily overshadow the benefits. 

In this three-hour webinar, we’ll explore a novel paradigm for how to think about generative AI in education using a mix of foundational knowledge, practical skills, and live demos. 

• Understand what generative AI is (and isn't) and how it works.
• Differentiate between the ever-increasing plethora of generative AI and AI-enhanced tools.
• Identify practical applications of generative AI to support diverse learners and enhance instruction.
• Craft effective generative AI prompts (user requests) for specific goals.
• Explore ways to address challenges and ethical considerations related to using generative AI in education.

Note: This is a pre-conference workshop of the Association of Educational Therapists (AET) presented by Shelley Haven, UCSC Silicon Valley Professional Education instructor in the Educational Therapy program. Student scholarships are available. Details

Speaker

Shelley Haven, ATP, RET, BSME

A RESNA-certified Assistive Technology Professional, Rehab Engineering Technologist, and former engineer, Shelley specializes in matching students with appropriate technology. Her consulting practice, Technology to Unlock Potential, serves families, educators, and schools both online and in person with a focus on learning differences, ADHD, and executive functioning. During her 38 years in assistive technology, Shelley previously directed AT for Stanford University’s Office of Accessible Education and helped create the Schwab Learning Center at Stanford (now part of Children's Health Council) for students with learning differences and ADHD. She also created and taught a popular online course—Assistive Technology for Learning Differences—for UCSC Silicon Valley Professional Education.

Shelley, an AET Allied Professional member, writes the column “Assistive Technology in Practice” for the organization’s professional journal The Educational Therapist. Her latest endeavor is training education professionals to leverage generative AI for teaching and learning.

Please explore the UCSC Professional Education AET-approved Educational Therapy certificate program.