EDUC 5313: Week 4 Blog

 

Image created in Canva by Dana Setchell

Activity 1: Blog Accessibility

For this week’s blog assignment, I tested out the accessibility of my Week 2 post by using a screen reader. I headed over to the Chrome Web Store and downloaded the first one that popped up... Read Aloud: A Text to Speech Voice Reader. It was super easy to install and use!

Listening to my Week 2 blog took a total of 5 minutes and 28 seconds, and overall, I thought it read pretty well. I didn’t feel like I needed to make any changes or shorten anything. The flow felt natural, which was good. I did notice that the screen reader automatically numbered my bullet points (1, 2, 3), even though I hadn’t numbered them in the post. Not a big deal, but something I observed when listening to the read-aloud.

I also added some accessibility features to my blog. After doing a quick Google search, I landed on elfsight.com .... again, it was the first thing listed, so I went with it (are we sensing a theme?). I was able to copy the HTML code from the site and paste it directly into the HTML editor on Blogger. Once I reloaded the page - voilà! The accessibility widget popped up, and I gave it a whirl... it worked great!

As a special education teacher, I really appreciate this part of the assignment. It’s easy to assume our content is accessible just because it “looks good,” but using these tools gave me a new perspective. I love that there are free resources out there to make our content more inclusive, and I’m definitely planning to keep these tools in mind for both student use and teacher-facing content going forward.

Activity 2: Lesson Plan Generator with Reflection

Here is the Lesson Plan I created using Magic School AI. (Q4)

Part 1: Lesson Plan Generator

Questions 1 & 2: Looking at this lesson I created using Magic School AI, I’d say it’s pretty well aligned with the standard I selected; 8.G.4, which focuses on understanding angle concepts and solving for unknown angles. The lesson includes explicit teaching on the types of angle relationships (supplementary, complementary, vertical, and adjacent), and students are given multiple opportunities to apply that knowledge in both guided and independent practice.

In terms of rigor, I think it does a good job for my 8th grade adapted math students. The problems start off simple and build in complexity, and I love that the extension task allows for challenge without overwhelming students who may need more support. I also appreciate that the lesson includes opportunities for students to write and solve equations, not just guess or memorize.

As far as assessment alignment, the worksheet and quick review quiz both connect directly to the objective. They give me a clear view of who’s grasping the concept and who might need reteaching. I like how the lesson includes scaffolds throughout the learning process, so students are supported from start to finish, but also given an opportunity to show what they can do independently... having both is really important in my classroom.

Question 3: In my opinion, MagicSchoolAI is a helpful starting point, but it’s definitely not a plug-and-play solution... especially when it comes to creating truly rigorous lesson plans. It gives a solid framework, which is great when you’re short on time or just need something to build from. But I’ve found that I still need to go in, tweak things, and layer in scaffolds, accommodations, and real-life connections to meet the needs of my students (especially in an adapted classroom).

For example, the original version of my "Angle Adventures" lesson touches on the basics, it had clear objectives, vocabulary, and a flow that matched the standard. But it didn’t include much differentiation or specific strategies for building deeper understanding. I will have to add those pieces in myself to make it truly rigorous and accessible - and also meeting the needs of my specific students. That said, the tool definitely helped me get the bones of the lesson down quickly so I could spend more time focusing on the parts that matter most, like engagement and scaffolding.

So yes, it’s useful... but like with any AI-generated content, the real magic happens when you bring your teacher voice and expertise to the mix. 😉 I guess you could say MagicSchoolAI brings the wand... but teachers bring the spell.✨

Question 4: Please see above (Q4).

Question 5: Yes, I think my “Angle Adventures” lesson ties into a lot of what we’ve been reading over the past few weeks. One of the big things I’ve been thinking about is how to make learning more accessible and meaningful, and I feel like this lesson does a good job of that.

From a UDL perspective, I tried to give students different ways to access the content (like visuals and anchor charts) and different ways to show what they know, whether that’s solving equations, talking it out, or working through problems with a partner. That’s something I always try to build into my lessons anyway, especially with my students who need more support (CAST, 2018).

It also connects to Authentic Intellectual Work. Students are doing more than just memorizing rules, they’re applying what they know to real-world situations, like designing a park path. They’re writing equations, solving for unknowns, and having to explain their thinking. That’s the kind of work that sticks. It feels useful. It’s also the kind of stuff Newmann, Secada, and Wehlage (2007) talks about... when students are doing higher-level thinking, they’re more engaged, and learning actually goes deeper.

And finally, Gura’s (2016) chapter on creativity totally applies here too. I may not be having students write songs or build websites, but there’s still creativity in how they solve problems and show their thinking. It’s not about flashy tools, it’s about giving students room to think differently and make connections. That’s what I’m shooting for.

Part 2: AI Powered Tools

For this week’s activity, I tested out all three tools in the Student Room:

• AI Tutor
• Custom Chatbot
• and Raina for Students

I was curious how each one worked and wanted to see which might be most helpful for my students.

All three had their own strengths, but what really stood out to me was how each tool offered interactive support in a use-friendly way. I especially liked how students could ask a question and not only get an explanation, but then be prompted with a follow-up question to keep them thinking. That kind of back-and-forth really supports engagement and helps build confidence, something my students with learning challenges definitely benefit from.

I could absolutely see myself using these tools with my students, particularly for reinforcing concepts or reviewing material independently. I probably wouldn’t use them to deliver new instruction, but I would 100% use them as scaffolded practice or even informal assessment tools. For example, a student struggling with multi-step math problems could use the AI Tutor to get step-by-step feedback, or I could create a Custom Chatbot with review questions tailored to our current unit. Ohhhhh the possibilities! 😁

Overall, I think tools like these have real potential... especially for students who need that extra bit of support but might not always ask for it out loud, or need support when they're at home working on homework. It’s a great way to promote independence while still giving them the help they need.

Part 3: Reflection

YES, YES, YES! I absolutely love MagicSchoolAI! I think it’s such a great tool, not just for teachers but also for students. There are so many features available beyond just lesson planning, it has tools for writing IEP goals, differentiating materials, generating student activities, and even creating parent communication templates. There are also student-centered tools like AI writing support and question generators that can help with independent practice or self-reflection. I could totally see myself using it to support lesson extensions, reteaching, or even to create customized practice sheets. It’s also a fantastic resource I’d share with my colleagues, especially gen ed teachers who sometimes struggle with how to scaffold or differentiate for students with a wide range of needs. That said, the biggest challenge (no surprise here) is just finding time during the school year to explore everything and figure out how to best integrate it into my daily teaching... because, let’s be real, teachers are constantly short on time. 💯

I also found the Guidance and Considerations for Using AI in Oklahoma K-12 Schools document helpful in thinking about responsible implementation. It emphasized the importance of human oversight, transparency, and using AI as a support, not a replacement, which totally aligns with how I see it fitting into my classroom. It’s a tool, not a teacher, and it works best when combined with our professional judgment and relationships with students.

I’ve also had some experience using Diffit to adapt texts for my students on IEPs, which has been really helpful in creating more accessible reading content. And like I mentioned, I’ve already used MagicSchoolAI to generate lesson ideas for reteaching or providing extra practice alongside our consumable math curriculum. It’s been such a helpful tool to have in my back pocket! 🙌🏼

References:

CAST. (2018). Universal Design for Learning guidelines version 2.2. http://udlguidelines.cast.org

Gura, M. (2016). Make, learn, succeed: Building a culture of creativity in your school. International Society for Technology in Education. 

Newmann, F. M., Secada, W. G., & Wehlage, G. G. (2007). Authentic instruction and assessment: Common standards for rigor and relevance. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED631097.pdf