CIDDL Office hours: What are your burning hot topics in AI today?

On April 15, 2025, CIDDL hosted another CIDDL Office Hour, bringing together educators, researchers, and technology advocates to discuss the latest artificial intelligence (AI) developments in education. The conversation focused on real-world applications, emerging research needs, and strategies for integrating AI tools into classrooms, especially for students with disabilities. The session offered insights for the CIDDL community and beyond, from student self-regulation to AI ethics and family engagement.

Leveraging AI to Support Students’ Self-Regulation and Self-Determination

One of the central themes of the conversation was how AI can serve as a partner in student self-regulation and executive functioning. Participants discussed how students are increasingly using AI tools for studying, organizing, and managing their learning processes, especially as finals approach in secondary education settings.

One of the participants emphasized the growing importance of supporting self-regulation and self-determination by using AI. Schools are beginning to explore tools such as MagicSchool and student-created bots to promote personalized learning and independence, signaling a shift from teacher-initiated to student-initiated AI use.

Rethinking Assessment: Documenting AI Use and Measuring Understanding

A recurring concern in the session was ensuring academic integrity when students use AI for their assignments. Participants noted that schools lack clear structures to differentiate between what AI generates and what students create themselves. The group questioned whether the traditional question, "How much of this did AI do?" is even the right one to ask.

Instead, a new approach emphasizes conceptual understanding and students' ability to explain their process. CIDDL PIs shared examples of piloting assessments in undergraduate courses where students must use AI and document their reasoning, prompt revisions, and reflective thinking throughout the process.

Caregivers, Families, and Early Childhood: AI for Whole-Community Engagement

The conversation expanded to families and caregivers, especially early childhood education. Participants discussed how parents often receive conflicting or overwhelming AI-generated guidance and stressed the need for trustworthy, culturally sustaining AI resources that support families in making informed decisions.

There was consensus that early childhood educators and interdisciplinary teams (including teaching assistants and therapists) must be equipped to help families navigate AI-generated content, bridging the gap between home and school in ways that respect family contexts and routines.

If you're interested in exploring this topic further, check out CIDDL’s downloadable resources on our website.

Practical Tools and Tips: Building and Customizing GPTs for the Classroom

The session demonstrated how to build a custom GPT for educational purposes. Dr. James Basham showcased a HLP chatbot trained on the High-Leverage Practices (HLP) website. This tool provides teachers with tailored planning, instruction, and decision-making support. Dr. Basham explained how easy it is to create these chatbots using PDFs and custom instructions, making this strategy accessible even for non-programmers.

One participant shared his intention to build a GPT for a graduate course, while others expressed interest in using GPTs for teaching assistance, weekly planning, and simulation activities. The CIDDL team will discuss this topic more in-depth during our next CIDDL Office Hour on April 29th, 2025, at 1 PM CT/ 2 PM EST. You can register for that Office Hour here.

Frustrations and Solutions: Addressing AI Hallucinations and Improving Workflow

As AI use becomes more widespread, educators face technical frustrations. One participant shared his experience working with ChatGPT to generate visuals, only to encounter repeated errors and hallucinations. Others recommend using tools like Napkin.ai to create clean, editable visuals directly from text inputs. Napkin.ai, in particular, was praised for being intuitive and purpose-built for visual learning aids.

Conclusion

The April 2025 CIDDL Office Hours exemplified the evolving conversation around AI in education. From student empowerment to family engagement, the session offered inspiration and practical tools for educators committed to thoughtful integration of AI. As we look ahead to future webinars, publications, and CEC events, CIDDL continues to lead the way in ensuring AI supports, not replaces, authentic learning experiences for all.

Keep the Conversation Going!

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