Technology
Plan like a pro with AI Staying in the driver’s seat
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) has quickly become part of the education conversation, but for many teachers, using AI can feel like driving on an unfamiliar road with sharp turns and hidden dangers. AI can be a powerful support, not a replacement, for profes- sional judgment. We can think of it like a high-performance car: the teacher is in the driver’s seat, deciding the route, the pace and the destination. With the right approach, AI can help you work more efficiently and with greater impact. NAVIGATING THE ROAD When beginning with a new curricu- lum, subject or grade level, AI can help teachers quickly build background know- ledge. It can clarify learning outcomes, highlight common misconceptions and suggest real-world connections across the curriculum. AI can also serve as a thinking partner, broadening perspec- tives by developing multiple viewpoints such as student, parent, academic or other important perspectives. In everyday planning, AI can help with brainstorming, organizing and refining ideas, giving teachers back valuable time to focus on instruction and students—things that drive their joy in the profession. SHIFTING GEARS AI becomes most effective when it helps teachers move from generic lesson materials to intentional lesson design. By identifying proven teaching, engagement and assessment practices to be included in the lesson design, teachers can prompt AI to generate activities that build these strategies into lessons from the start. This approach also applies to Alberta’s KUSP framework (knowledge, under- standing, skills/procedures). Teachers can ask AI to generate tasks that target specific key KUSP components. Rather than accepting a general lesson plan on a component, teachers can focus their prompting on what they know to be most important. AI can also support differen- tiation by suggesting tiered activities, scaffolds for English language learners, enrichment tasks and more.
Over the horizon Watch for upcoming ATA profess- ional development opportunities, including workshops/seminars, YouTube content and self-paced courses, where these ideas will be explored in greater depth. AI WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE AI Tools to Amplify Your Pro- fessionalism and Save Time Explore how generative AI can create personalized content, assessments and more. We’ll guide you through a process that balances efficiency with crea- tivity, ensuring you remain the architect of exceptional learning experiences. Plus, let’s delve into professional considerations— because AI is not just about algorithms; it’s about impact. Prompting for Teacher Success Learn how to craft effective prompts to get tailored, high-quality results including generating engaging lesson plans, creating differentiated instructional materials or brain- storming new pedagogical strategies. Perfect for beginners and seasoned tech users alike, this session will equip you with practical skills to use AI as a creative collab- orator and thinking partner. Using AI to Enhance Human Centred Work In this workshop, participants will explore strategies that leverage
AI to enhance communication and connection. We will explore the intersection of AI and our social and emotional world, professional considerations for leveraging AI tools for human-centered work and versatile strategies that work with a variety of AI tools.
Danny Maas
Acting Associate Coordinator, Professional Development, ATA
Visit this website for information about scheduling a workshop: https://
abteach.cc/PdAiWorkshops.
Questions may be directed to pdworkshops@ata.ab.ca.
“ AI becomes
Knowledge, understanding, skills/procedures (KUSP)
most effective when it helps teachers move from generic lesson materials to intentional lesson design."
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Beyond text, AI tools can create images, slides or activity ideas that save preparation time and spark creativity. They can even draft formative assessment items, rubrics and feedback prompts, which lighten the workload while keeping the teacher in control. At its best, AI acts as a co-planner, helping teachers bring clarity and efficiency to their work. AVOIDING PITFALLS Teachers should be aware of potential risks. Protecting student privacy is essen- tial. Identifiable student work, images or video should not be uploaded into AI tools without careful consideration of division policy and appropriate permis- sions. Accuracy and bias also matter. AI outputs must be reviewed and adapted to fit the right students in the right ways at the right times in our classrooms, and teachers are the best judges of that.
Open communication with adminis- trators, colleagues, parents and students about how AI is being used helps build understanding and trust. When used best, AI enhances profes- sional expertise and never replaces it. LOOKING AHEAD By using AI wisely, teachers can save time for what matters most: building relationships, providing feedback and encouraging creativity in the classroom. Teachers are in the driver’s seat. AI is here to support the journey. ATA
The preceding article is a condensed version of a new ATA resource that is in development entitled: Plan Like a Pro with AI: Staying in the Driver’s Seat , which is scheduled for release sometime this year.
AI Optimism: A Guide to Redefining Artificial Intelligence in Education Becky Keene Available through the ATA library
ATA Magazine Fall 2025
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THE ALBERTA TEACHERS’ ASSOCIATION
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