Educators from Regions 3 (St. Ann and Trelawny) and 4 (St. James, Westmoreland, Hanover) recently gathered for a ground-breaking workshop aimed at exploring the practical applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the classroom. Hosted by the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Faculty of Humanities and Education at The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, in collaboration with e-Learning Jamaica Company Limited, the workshop provided a platform for approximately 60 teachers spanning infant/basic, primary, and secondary levels.

Dubbed "Artificial Intelligence: An Orientation and Exploration of its Classroom Applications," sessions were held at The UWI Mona Western Jamaica Campus, from February 29 to March 1, 2024. Participants were engaged in interactive sessions, discussions, and brainstorming related to how newly developed AI tools such as ChatGPT and Bard could be used in educational practices.

Professor Daniel Coore from the Department of Computing, Faculty of Science and Technology at The UWI, Mona, emphasised the importance of familiarising teachers with Generative AI tools. "The mainstreaming of Generative AI presents many possibilities for enhancing teaching methodologies, but also some threats to student learning and assessment. The AI Workshop aimed to sensitize secondary level teachers to the capabilities of the most common Generative AI tools and to empower them to incorporate such tools into their day-to-day teaching practice," he said.

The workshop also featured  other distinguished guests including Veniesha Morgridge, Education Officer, Region 3, and Dr. Michele Pinnock, Regional Director, Region 4. Both speakers encouraged the educators to use the knowledge acquired to make the classroom a better place for them.

Reflecting on the workshop, Tanisha Stewart, Educator, Professional Development Lead, and Teacher Mentor at Higgins’ Land Primary and Junior High School, shared her enthusiasm, stating, "The workshop was enlightening, informative, practical, and amazing. It was a fantastic experience and I am excited to share the knowledge gathered with my colleagues as well as use it to improve my teaching practice."

Dr. Andrew Lee, Chief Executive Director of e-Learning Jamaica Company Limited, commended the collaborative effort that made the workshop possible, expressing his optimism for the future of AI integration in education.

With the successful second staging following an inaugural event in August 2023, organizers and participants alike are poised to continue driving innovation and excellence in Jamaican education through the strategic integration of Artificial Intelligence.