Harnessing the Power of Generative AI to Support ALL Learners

Abstract

While generative AI such as ChatGPT has important drawbacks, it can potentially unlock new types of learning and support – specially for English learners and students with disabilities – by facilitating teachers’ Universal Design for Learning (UDL) efforts. As generative AI is quickly becoming an integral part of our lives (e.g., being incorporated into existing tools such as Google products), teachers will need to decide how they can use and benefit from this new technology. Our analysis of data collected during a summer teacher institute found that in Summer 2023 the majority of teachers had never used generative AI and were evenly split on whether it was a “friend” or “foe” in their teaching efforts. Overall, 43% of teachers reported, “ChatGPT and other generative AI will help make instruction more accessible for ALL learners,” while 32% of teachers were “undecided” indicating an opportunity to improve teacher perceptions. In this article we discuss strategies for using generative AI for improving UDL to benefit ALL learners brainstormed by the teachers. Practical implications for multilingual learners are discussed.