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New Reading Tools to the Rescue from Google and Microsoft #tcea #tceajmg

Get the latest on Microsoft’s Reading Coach and Google’s new Reading Practice features for Google Play Books. Google and Microsoft continue to announce exciting new tools that enhance reading. Let’s take a moment to review their contributions to improving reading skills.

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Online Course: Blended Learning #tcea #tceajmg

📚 What is Blended Learning? It’s a mix of online and in-person activities, giving students control over their learning. Become a Blended Learning expert with our course and accelerate your teaching!

👉 tcea.org/courses/blended-learning/

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Online Course Options: Canva Educator and Specialist #tcea #tceajmg

Two Canva courses guaranteed to boost creativity and productivity

Canva Educator

🎨 Unleash your creativity with our Canva Educator course! Learn to create stunning resources with ease, no design skills needed. Free for K-12 educators. Plus, get a free 1-year TCEA membership!

👉 tcea.org/courses/canva-educator/

Canva Specialist

🤖 Dive deep into Canva’s AI features with our Canva Specialist course! Perfect for K-16 educators, learn to design beautiful, engaging content quickly using Canva Magic Studio.

👉 tcea.org/courses/canva-specialist/

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The K12 SIX Essentials Series for School Cybersecurity

Dig into this K12 SIX series of cybersecurity tools, which offers specific actions you can take as a CTO and school leadership team. Since the start of 2024, there have been 5,300 school districts that suffered a data breach. These schools are all in the United States. In 2021, 56% of schools reported data breaches. In 2022, 80% of schools reported ransomware attacks (source). Almost half resulted in ransom payments (source). Massive data leaks expose sensitive information. This information ends up on the dark web in the hands of nefarious individuals. It is a big money business. Let’s explore a free resource by K12 SIX that’s available to K-12 schools in the United States.

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Online Course: Bitmoji Educator #tcea #tceajmg

🎉 Boost engagement with our Bitmoji Educator course! Learn to create a Bitmoji classroom that enhances student learning and builds community. Perfect for virtual and face-to-face teaching!

👉 tcea.org/courses/bitmoji-educator/

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DALL-E: Edit #AI Images in ChatGPT #tcea #tceajmg

Take advantage of ChatGPT’s DALL-E image editor to generate images. Use text prompts to easily add, remove, and make changes! Ready to take your AI-generated artwork to the next level? If you pay for ChatGPT Plus, you have access to OpenAI’s DALL-E. This image generator now enables you to edit images without even leaving ChatGPT. What’s more, you can change them with a typed description. Let’s explore some of the new functionalities of DALL-E generated images in ChatGPT.

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Online Course: Assessment-Based Feedback Tools #tcea #tceajmg

🔧 Enhance your feedback skills with our ‘Assessment-Based Feedback Tools’ course! Discover digital tools and strategies that improve feedback, retrieval practice, and more. Maximize your impact with high-effect size techniques!

👉 tcea.org/courses/assessment-based/

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Seven Ready-to-Use Story Bin Activities #STEM #tcea #tceajmg

Embark on a journey of story-fueled engineering design and problem-solving with story bins. Explore this creative idea for young learners!

“Have you heard of STEM Bins?” Peggy Reimers said. “No, I haven’t,” I replied. In a moment, I’d fallen off the plank, submerged into a sea of learning. Like treasure chests filled with tools for creative imagineering, STEM Bins are fun. I like to think of them as Story Bins, because they turn stories into powerful learning opportunities. Let’s explore several practical ideas for elementary Story Bins.

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Eduaide and MagicSchool: Compare Two Top #AI Tools for #Teachers #tcea #tceajmg


Image created in Canva by author

Discover two top AI tools for teachers: MagicSchool and Eduaide. Explore how they’re alike and different, and see what they can do for you! Are you on the hunt for the perfect AI assistant to lighten your lesson planning load? There are many choices available. Let’s take a look at two exciting AI tools for teacher, Eduaide and MagicSchool. Let’s explore how these platforms can transform the teaching and learning experience.

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Exploring Extreme Heat Science: Five Resources for Educators on Climate Change #tcea #tceajmg

All over the world, people are longing for a cool breeze to relieve the extreme heat. As school begins, it’s important to learn about extreme heat. It is sobering to think that this summer may be one of the coolest ones that people experience from this point on.

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Heat Science a la Hemingway

In the late summer, the world grew hotter. The ice melted, the seas rose, and the heat waves came more often. Scientists measured the heat stress in the sunlight using a complex formula. They called it the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature. It took into account the temperature, humidity, wind speed, sun angle, and cloud cover. The cloud cover told them about the solar radiation. In the shade, they used the Heat Index, which considered only the temperature and humidity. The world was changing, and they measured it all. (Source: An amazing revision a la Hemingway via Perplexity.ai, which rewrote of my original glossary of terms).

Resources

A round up of websites raw data and graphs:

A Personal Note: One of my favorite blog entries was this one. I learned quite a bit about the science behind heat. Now, I’m re-reading it to remember. It’s ironic that I used AI, which is stressing the environment with its water usage and more, to revise a portion of it.

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AI Notes: Comparing GPTs

Analysis and notes by AI:

Based on the provided source, here is a chart comparing the features of GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo:

Feature GPT-4 GPT-4 Turbo
Release Date March 2023 November 2023
Cost More expensive Cheaper
Speed Standard Faster
Context Length 128k tokens 128k tokens
Availability Available to ChatGPT Plus users Available to ChatGPT Plus users
Usage General-purpose AI model Optimized for cost and speed

The chart highlights the key differences and similarities between GPT-4 and GPT-4 Turbo, focusing on aspects such as cost, speed, and context length[1].

Sources

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Online Course: Artificial Intelligence Educator #tcea #tceajmg

🚀 Embark on a 12-hour journey with the ‘AI Educator’ course! Tailored for K-16 educators, learn to integrate AI into classrooms and enhance teaching practices. Join us in revolutionizing education with AI!

👉 tcea.org/courses/artificial-intelligence-educator/

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Online Course: Advanced Streaming with OBS #tcea #tceajmg

🎥 Elevate your virtual teaching skills! Join our course to learn how to deliver engaging, high-quality content just like top streamers. 🌟 Enhance your students' digital experience.

👉 Register now

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Event: AI Educators Conference

Ready to master AI? Join the AI for Educators Conference this summer! 🌞 Learn about AI ethics, privacy, new tools, and tips to wow your students and colleagues. Don’t miss this virtual event! 🌐 #tcea #tceajmg #edtech

👉 Sign me up

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LinkShare: StoryDice

Thanks to a colleague for introducing me to Dave Birss' StoryDice. Check it out at https://davebirss.com/storydice/

Now the classic story ideas generator is available for free in your browser. In this version there’s over 50 options for each dice – with more options being added as I get around to drawing them.

As well as being a fun diversion for parents and kids, this is also a handy tool for writers looking for inspiration to create their own story ideas. As a creative exercise, it’s a brilliant way of giving your imagination a workout. And because your imagination is where your ideas come from, that’s a great mental muscle to flex. The more practice you put into turning the prompts into stories, the better you will get at storytelling and articulating your own ideas.

The tool below is fully functional but if you want a stand-alone version, just click on the button at the bottom of the page. (It may look a bit crushed on a smartphone screen. If that’s the case, scroll down and click that button when you’re ready.)

Are you sitting comfortably? Let’s begin…

Read the TCEA blog entry by Diana Benner, Spark Creativity in the Classroom with StoryDice

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60+ Education-Friendly AI Prompt Suggestions: A Compilation #tceajmg #edtech

Image Source: Image was generated via Nightcafe

There are a lot of amazing education focused uses for AI chatbots. This list below may be helpful to you, if you only have access to ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Poe AIs that may be free. Of course, the prompt suggestions will also work in the paid versions of the AI chatbots.

Helpful Blog Entries

You may find these TCEA blog entries helpful:

Online Courses

You may also want to sign up for AI courses:

Ok, let’s take a look at the prompt suggestions (and check out this list).

The List of Prompt Suggestions

This list adapts ideas from education AI chatbots (e.g. Brisk, Diffit, EduAide, MagicSchool, SchoolAI, and other; see list here). I’ll be adding to it over time. While it’s no replacement for those amazing AI tools, you can use these prompts to get you started.

Function Description Sample AI Chatbot Prompt
3D Science Evaluator Create a 3D science assessment based on NGSS or new Science TEKS. “Create a three-dimensional science assessment for a middle school unit on ecosystems using [NGSS] or [new Science TEKS].”
5E Lesson Designer Create a science lesson using the 5E instructional model. Develop a 5E lesson plan on [SCIENCE TOPIC] for grade [LEVEL]. Outline a hook activity to Engage, a hands-on activity to Explore, direct instruction to Explain, an extension task to Elaborate, and an assessment to Evaluate understanding. Aim for a 60-minute lesson.
Academic Content Maker Produce custom academic content based on specified criteria. Create a study guide on [TOPIC] for my [COURSE NAME] students. It should summarize the key information from [CHAPTERS/UNITS]. Use bullet points and tables to organize the information.
Accommodation Advisor Suggest accommodations for students needing support. I have a student with [LEARNING DISABILITY/CHALLENGE]. What are some accommodations I can provide to support their learning and success in the classroom? Consider recommendations for instructional, assessment, environmental and social-emotional accommodations.
AI-Proof Assignments Get ideas for making assignments AI-proof. “How can I design an assignment on Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ that is difficult for AI chatbots to complete?”
Appreciation Composer Write an appreciation note. Draft a thank you note to [PERSON] for [REASON]. Express my sincere appreciation and mention [SPECIFIC THING] that I’m especially grateful for. Use a warm, heartfelt tone.
Assignment Decomposer Break down an assignment into manageable steps. Here is an assignment I want to scaffold for my students: [DESCRIBE ASSIGNMENT] Break it down into 5-6 more manageable sub-tasks or steps to help them tackle it independently. Provide a suggested timeline or checkpoint for each step to keep them on track.
Behavior Intervention Strategist Recommend behavior interventions based on observed student behaviors. I have a student who is struggling with these behaviors: [DESCRIBE BEHAVIORS] What are some strategies I can try to support the student and encourage more positive behavior? Consider recommendations for class-wide preventive practices, targeted behavioral interventions, and ways to respond when the challenging behaviors occur.
Behavior Contract Crafter Generate a Student Behavior Contract. “Suggest a Behavior Contract for a student exhibiting [list of behaviors] who may also experience [conditions such as ADHD].”
Choice Board Architect Design a choice board aligned with UDL principles. Design a choice board for a [SUBJECT/TOPIC] assignment that allows students to demonstrate their learning in various ways, aligned with UDL principles. Include 9 options, with varying formats, media, and levels of complexity to support all learners. The options should all assess the same key objectives: [LIST OBJECTIVES]
Clarity Enhancer Clarify and simplify instructions for students. “Rewrite these instructions to be clearer and more concise for 5th-grade students: [insert instructions].”
Coach’s Practice Planner Plan a sports practice session. “Create a one-hour soccer practice plan for 10-year-olds.”
Concept Connector Brainstorm ways to make content relevant to students. “Generate ideas to make a lesson on the water cycle relevant to high school students.”
Conceptual Understanding Builder Suggest ways to build conceptual understanding. “Provide strategies to help students build a conceptual understanding of algebra.”
Content Translator Write a family update email in multiple languages. Draft an email update to send to my students' families about [TOPIC/EVENT]. Aim for 2-3 short paragraphs hitting the key points. Then translate the email into [LANGUAGE] as well.
Copyedit Text Proofread and edit text. Proofread and edit the following text to fix any spelling, grammar or punctuation errors and improve clarity and concision where needed: [PASTE TEXT]
Custom Chatbot Maker Create a chatbot based on custom criteria. Let’s create an AI chatbot assistant to help [GRADE/SUBJECT] students with [TOPIC]. The chatbot should be able to: [LIST KEY CAPABILITIES, e.g. answer questions, provide explanations, give examples…] It should communicate in a friendly, encouraging tone while breaking down concepts step-by-step as needed.
Data Analysis Designer Create a data table and questions for analysis. Create a data table showing [DESCRIBE DATA SET] and write 4-5 questions that ask students to analyze and draw conclusions from the data. The questions should require reading the table, performing calculations, and critical thinking. Include an answer key.
Decodable Story Crafter Write a decodable text to support early literacy. Write a short decodable passage for early [GRADE] readers that focuses on the phonics pattern [XYZ]. Use simple, repetitive sentence structures and common sight words. Aim for 50-80 words. The passage can be about [TOPIC].
DOK Question Generator Create questions at different Depth of Knowledge levels. Create a series of questions on [TOPIC] that span the DOK levels: 1 Level 1 question, 2 Level 2 questions, 2 Level 3 questions, and 1 Level 4 question. Provide an answer key.
Email Reply Composer Compose a reply to an email. I received this email from a parent: [PASTE EMAIL] Draft a professional response addressing their concerns and questions. Keep the tone positive and empathetic. Aim for 2-3 concise paragraphs.
Exemplar Illustrator Provide exemplar and non-exemplar work samples. Here is the prompt for a writing assignment I gave my [GRADE] students: [PASTE PROMPT] Generate an exemplar response that fully meets expectations and a non-example that would not yet meet expectations. Annotate each response explaining what makes it strong or weak.
Formative Assessment Creator Generate a multiple choice assessment. Create a multiple choice assessment on [TOPIC] that covers the following standards: [LIST STANDARDS]. Include 20 questions with 4 answer choices each.
Gifting Guru Suggest gift ideas for teachers to give. “Suggest gifts for a teacher to give to colleagues and students.”
Group Activity Designer Create a group work activity. Design a 30-minute collaborative learning activity on [TOPIC] for [GRADE] students working in groups of 3-4. The activity should be engaging and hands-on, addressing this learning objective: [STATE OBJECTIVE] Provide instructions for what each group should do and the expected deliverable.
IEP Drafter Draft an Individualized Education Program. Generate an IEP draft for a [GRADE] student with [DISABILITY]. The IEP should include goals and accommodations in the areas of [NEED AREAS]. Use the standard IEP template and language.
Informational Text Composer Write a custom informational text. Write a 500 word informational article for [GRADE LEVEL] students on the topic of [TOPIC]. Explain the key concepts in student-friendly language. Include relevant examples, diagrams or illustrations.
Jeopardy Game Maker Make a Jeopardy-style review game. Create a Jeopardy-style review game for my [SUBJECT/UNIT] class. Develop 5 categories with 4 questions each of increasing difficulty. The questions should assess knowledge of: [LIST KEY TOPICS] Provide the answers in the form of a question.
Lab Investigation Designer Design a science investigation. Design a hands-on science investigation for [GRADE] on [TOPIC] aligned with this standard: [PASTE STANDARD] The lab should take 30-45 min and use readily available materials. Provide a materials list, procedures, and 3-4 follow-up questions for students to answer.
Lesson Plan Crafter Develop a lesson plan. Create a 60-minute lesson plan for teaching [TOPIC] to [GRADE LEVEL]. The objective is for students to [OBJECTIVE]. Include an engaging intro activity, direct instruction, guided practice, and independent practice.
Letter of Recommendation Writer Draft a letter of recommendation. I’m writing a college recommendation letter for a student. Here are key details about their academic record, character traits, accomplishments and my relationship to them: [LIST DETAILS] Draft a compelling letter highlighting their strengths and why they’d be a great fit for [COLLEGE NAME].
Math Review Spiraler Create a spiral review of math problems. Create a 10-question math spiral review for [GRADE] covering these topics: [LIST TOPICS] Include questions in a range of formats (multiple choice, fill-in-blank, short answer) and difficulty levels. Provide an answer key.
Math Storyteller Compose a math word problem with a story context. Create an engaging word problem to help [GRADE] students practice [MATH CONCEPT]. Set the problem in the context of a story about [TOPIC]. Solution should require [SKILL/OPERATION].
Misconception Buster Identify and address common misconceptions about a topic. “List common misconceptions about photosynthesis and how to correct them.”
Multilingual Explainer Provide several ways to explain a concept. Provide 2-3 different ways to explain the concept of [TOPIC] to [GRADE/SUBJECT] students who are struggling to understand it. The explanations should build on prior knowledge, use relatable analogies or examples, and address common misconceptions. Aim for concise, student-friendly language.
PBL Unit Planner Plan a PBL unit. Design a PBL unit for [GRADE/SUBJECT] on the topic of [TOPIC]. Start with the driving question and identify key learning objectives. Then outline the major components, deliverables and timeline for the project. Aim for a 2-3 week project.
Professional Email Drafter Write a professional email. Draft a professional email to [RECIPIENT] about [TOPIC]. Strike a friendly but respectful tone and keep the email concise. Proofread it for any errors before sending.
Reading Level Adapter Adapt a text to a different reading level. Adapt this text to an appropriate reading level for [GRADE] students: [PASTE ORIGINAL TEXT]. Simplify vocabulary and sentence structures as needed while preserving the main ideas.
**Real-World Connector ** Give real-world examples connected to content. Brainstorm 3-4 relevant real-world examples or applications of [TOPIC] that would help [GRADE/SUBJECT] students understand the importance of this concept and how it connects to their lives. The examples should be age-appropriate and engaging.
Recommendation Wordsmith Draft a letter of recommendation. I’m writing a college recommendation letter for a student. Here are key details about their academic record, character traits, accomplishments and my relationship to them: [LIST DETAILS] Draft a compelling letter highlighting their strengths and why they’d be a great fit for [COLLEGE NAME].
Report Card Commentator Produce report card comments. Write end-of-term report card comments for a student, highlighting their top strengths and 2-3 key areas they should focus on improving next term.
Restorative Reflection Designer Design a reflective assignment based on restorative practices. “Design a restorative reflection assignment for a student who disrupted the class.”
Revising Writing Rewrite text based on specific criteria. Here is a paragraph from a student’s essay: [TEXT] Rewrite it to improve the clarity and flow while varying the sentence structures more.
Rubric Maker Create a rubric for an assignment. Create a rubric table for evaluating student [PROJECTS/ESSAYS] on [TOPIC]. The rubric should assess [CRITERIA]. Include 4 performance levels with clear descriptions for each.
SAT Passage Creator Generate an SAT-style reading practice test. “Generate a practice SAT reading test with passages and questions.”
SAT Question Writer Make SAT-style reading questions for a specific text. “Create SAT-style reading questions based on the text from ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen.”
Science Lab Designer Design a science investigation. Design a hands-on science investigation for [GRADE] on [TOPIC] aligned with this standard: [PASTE STANDARD] The lab should take 30-45 min and use readily available materials. Provide a materials list, procedures, and 3-4 follow-up questions for students to answer.
Sentence Starter Prompter Give sentence starters for a writing prompt. Generate 5-6 sentence starters to help [GRADE/SUBJECT] students begin writing in response to this prompt: [PASTE PROMPT] The starters should use academic language related to the topic and help students frame claims or topic sentences.
Social Story Maker Write a social story for an event or situation. Write a social story to help a student prepare for [EVENT/SITUATION]. Describe what will happen sequentially using simple language and positive tone. Incorporate strategies the student can use if they feel anxious or overwhelmed. Aim for roughly 250 words.
Song Lyrics Rewriter Rewrite lyrics to a song to teach content. Rewrite the lyrics to the song “[SONG NAME]” to teach students about [TOPIC]. Keep a similar rhyme and meter to the original. Aim for 2 verses and a chorus.
Standard Deconstructor Break down a standard into its components. Break down this [SUBJECT] standard into the key skills and concepts students need to know and be able to do: [PASTE STANDARD] Explain what each component part means in simple terms.
Student Feedback Provider Give feedback on a student work sample. Here is a piece of student work: [PASTE WORK OR LINK] Analyze the work and identify 2-3 key strengths and 2 areas where the student could improve. Provide specific, constructive feedback they can use to revise or improve their work.
Student Text Scaffolder Scaffold a text for struggling readers. “Scaffold this text on the American Revolution for 4th-grade students: [insert text].”
Syllabus Outliner Create a class syllabus. “Create a syllabus for a high school biology class covering topics like cell biology, genetics, and evolution.”
Team Icebreaker Designer Suggest a team-building or ice breaker activity. What’s a fun 5-10 minute ice breaker activity I can use to help my [GRADE/SUBJECT] students get to know each other better and build community? It should be easy to explain and something all students can participate in regardless of skill level. Ideally the activity reveals something interesting about each student.
Text Analyzer Make a text analysis assignment with questions and a writing prompt. Create a text analysis assignment on this passage: [PASTE PASSAGE] Include 5-8 text-dependent questions that scaffold students in analyzing the passage and a writing prompt that asks them to synthesize their understanding. The questions and prompt should assess [READING SKILL/STANDARD].
Text Questioner Write questions that require close reading of a text. Here is a key passage from the text we’re analyzing in class: [PASTE EXCERPT] Generate 5 text-dependent questions that will require students to re-examine and think critically about this part of the text. Include an answer key.
Text Summarizer Summarize a text to a specified length. Summarize the main points of the following [ARTICLE/CHAPTER/REPORT] in roughly 100 words: [PASTE TEXT]
Text Translator Translate text into a different language. Translate the following text from English into [TARGET LANGUAGE]: [PASTE ENGLISH TEXT]
Unit Planner Produce a unit plan. Create a unit plan for teaching [TOPIC] to [GRADE/SUBJECT]. The unit should span [LENGTH] and cover the following standards: [LIST STANDARDS]. Include objectives, key activities and assessments.
Video Guide Creator Create questions to go with a YouTube video. I’m assigning my students to watch this YouTube video: [VIDEO LINK]. Generate a list of 5-7 questions for them to answer while watching that will guide their viewing and check their understanding.
Video Summarizer Summarize the key points of a YouTube video. Summarize the key points covered in this YouTube video: [LINK] Aim for a 200-250 word summary that captures the main ideas, skipping over minor details.
Vocabulary Definer Generate a list of vocabulary words. Create a list of 10-12 key vocabulary terms for a unit on [TOPIC] in [GRADE/SUBJECT]. Provide a simple definition and example sentence for each term.
Vocabulary Storyteller Write a story using vocabulary words. Here is a list of vocabulary words my [GRADE] students are learning: [LIST 8-10 WORDS] Write a 200-300 word story for kids that incorporates each of these words in context. Bold each vocabulary word and aim for a 3rd-4th grade reading level.
Worksheet Maker Make a worksheet for any topic. Generate a worksheet for my students on [TOPIC]. Include a variety of question types and an answer key.
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ChatGPT Feature Added - Connect to Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive

Cool, ChatGPT now enables you to connect to Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive to load files and information in. For example, if you wanted to add a Google Sheet, you wouldn’t have to first export the sheet as XLSx or CSV, then import into ChatGPT. Now, you can simply connect your Google Drive and point to the data in the Google file.

That will certainly save a few clicks!

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Five Fun Science Projects with Paper Clips #tcea #tceajmg #science

As National Paper Clip Day approaches, learn a little history and explore ideas for using paper clips to teach science!

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Prompt Engineering #TCEA #tceajmg #CAPE #RETO

Ready to get started with prompt engineering? Use the handy TCEA Prompt guide. Or, use any of the other assorted prompt engineering acronyms. It’s amazing what AI chatbots can generate when you ask nicely. Learn more about prompt engineering with the Read more link or sign up for TCEA’s ChatGPT for Educator online course.

All were generated using Perplexity ai Pro and/or Claude.ai Pro.

TCEA Prompt Engineering

Examples

RETO Prompt Engineering

CAPE Prompt Engineering Acronym

Learn more AND sign up for TCEA’s ChatGPT for Educator online course.

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LinkShare: Six STEM Tweets #tceajmg #STEM

🚀 Stay updated with the latest in engineering, tech, and science! Subscribe to Six STEM Tweets for top insights delivered to your inbox. Curated by Harshal Chhaya.

👉 sixstemtweets.beehiiv.com