What is AI?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to computer systems designed to perform tasks that usually would require human-like intelligence, such as understanding language, recognizing patterns, generating content and problem-solving. Modern AI models such as ChatGPT or Gemini work by analysing large amounts of data that the model has been trained on and predicting useful responses based on the training data.
Generative AI systems are systems that create new content, whether that be text, images, sound or videos, based on user prompts. They are powerful tools for learning, creativity and problem solving as long as the user knows how to interact with them properly.
Generation AI project is a part of a national strategic research effort funded by the Strategic Research Council in Finland. The project’s main goal is to build a foundation for AI literacy for learners of all ages and to support educators with research-based resources. The project also addresses broader societal issues such as how digital systems influence trust, control and fairness in a data-driven world. Tools such as Somekone that are developed in the project include interactive activities that let the learners see how AI systems are created and how they behave.
Screenshot of Generation AI GenAI Teachable Machine that demonstrates pattern recognition
How to talk effectively with AI?
When communicating with AI, it’s less about giving commands and more about providing clear, thoughtful instructions. The quality of the response usually depends largely on how well the request is formulated. When teachers understand this, AI becomes a much more useful and reliable support tool. Here are some things to help you communicate with AI:
- Clear and specific prompts lead to better results
- A vague prompt produces a general answer, whereas giving more specific details, such as the context, goals and desired format, can make the response more particular and relevant. For example, instead of asking: “Explain climate change,” you could ask: “Explain climate change to a 10-year-old using simple language and a short example.”
- Assign a role to the AI
- You can prompt the AI to play the role of a co-teacher or a tutor, etc. This will guide the tone and depth of the answers. For example, “answer as a 3rd grader” or “answer as a university professor”. This will definitely change the answers
- Use dialogue
- AI can refine its answers with your follow-up prompt. You can ask it to: “Make it more particular”, “Give examples”, etc.
Next, there is an example of how to use AI to support your teaching and how it changes its answer according to your prompts.
AI as an Ideation Partner
AI can serve as a creative ideation partner for both pedagogical planning and everyday school tasks. AI can suggest approaches and perspectives you might not have considered. Here are some examples:
For younger students, for example, AI can help design playful and engaging activities. For example, a teacher could ask:
“I am teaching a class of 10-year-olds about plants and their life cycles. Many students find the topic abstract. Suggest three hands-on, creative activities to make the concept concrete. Include one activity that can be done in the classroom and one outdoor option.”
ChatGPT:
Teaching 10-year-olds about plant life cycles works best when they can see, touch, and experience the process themselves. Here are three creative, hands-on activities — including one classroom-based and one outdoor option — to make the concept concrete and memorable.
🌱 1. Classroom Activity: “Seed-to-Plant in a Cup” Experiment
Concept focus: Germination and early growth
Materials:
- Clear plastic cups
- Paper towels
- Bean seeds (fast sprouting, like lima or kidney beans)
- Water
What students do:
- Line the inside of a clear cup with a damp paper towel.
- Place a bean seed between the towel and the cup wall.
- Keep the towel moist and place the cup near sunlight.
- Observe daily and record changes in a “Plant Journal.”
Why it works:
…
This prompt guides AI to provide concrete, age-appropriate ideas while allowing the teacher to choose what works best for their group.
For older students, for example, AI can support social and collaborative classroom activities. For instance, a teacher might prompt:
“I have a class of 14-year-olds who are new to each other. Suggest five low-pressure activities that help students get to know each other, build teamwork, and create a positive classroom atmosphere without forcing anyone to perform in front of the group.”
ChatGPT:
With 14-year-olds — especially when they don’t know each other yet — the key is low-risk, small-group interaction, and structured sharing. Here are five activities that build connection and teamwork without putting anyone on the spot in front of the whole class.
1. 🔎 “Find Someone Who…” (Movement + Low-Pressure Talking)
How it works:
- Give each student a sheet with prompts like:
- Has a pet
- Speaks more than one language
- Likes spicy food
- Has traveled to another country
- Students walk around and find classmates who match each prompt.
- They write the person’s name in the box.
Why it works:
…
Here, AI provides multiple options that encourage collaboration and social interaction, helping teachers foster a supportive classroom environment efficiently.
Support in communication and information tasks
AI can be a useful and time-saving tool in daily communication and information-related work. It can help to organize thoughts, improve the structure of messages or adjusting the tone to better suit the audience. For example, it can support drafting emails, reports or other written communication so that the main points are represented clearly.
In addition, AI can assist with tasks such as translating short texts, clarifying language, summarizing longer documents into key points, and organizing notes into a logical structure. It can also generate draft versions of texts that can be reviewed and improved later on.
When used carefully, AI can help with routine tasks and create more time for core responsibilities. At the same time, AI should be understood as a support tool, not a replacement for decision-making. The user is the one who is responsible for reviewing the content, checking facts, ensuring clarity and appropriateness and making ethical decisions.
In short, AI can support more efficient work processes, but responsibility and final decisions always lie with the user themselves.
AI in image generation
Generative AI systems can be used for creating images that can be used, for example, as motivational material.
Screenshot of image generation about a panda holding a Finland sign
AI image generation can be especially useful when you want to create motivational pictures for the students or when you are teaching about a subject that doesn’t have already-made pictures. One thing to be aware of about AI image generation is that it uses a lot of computational resources, so when generating images, you should also think about the environmental impact and issues with the AI using copyrighted content in the generated image.
AI hallucinations
AI systems can sometimes provide information that is incorrect; this is called hallucination. When the AI hallucinates, it may have possibly created made-up sources of information or found sources that have information that is not accurate. Therefore, it is important to always verify the facts with a trusted source. You should always treat AI tools as supportive tools rather than the deciding authority.
A screenshot of AI hallucination
Conclusion
AI can be a powerful tool for supporting teaching, learning and creativity. Knowing how to ask the right questions and how to contextualize responses helps us make better use of AI in education.
