My Robot Did My Homework: Let STEAM, AI and Inquiry-Based Learning Take Over Your Classroom

STEAM, INQUIRY, AI!? … OH MY! With inquiry-based learning, AI, and VR advancing rapidly, it’s time to embrace these cutting-edge technologies! This workshop dives into how you can leverage STEAM, AI, and inquiry-based learning to create a 21st-century toolbelt. We will discuss practical strategies for integrating these technologies into your classrooms and literacy programs. Using AI in the classroom can shift the narrative from concerns about misuse to highlighting its positive impact on education. AI and VR can enhance students’ literacy skills, personalize learning, provide real-time feedback, and support diverse student needs while creating overall engagement. In this session, we will explore different programs, software, and websites that provide adaptive learning, instant feedback, and writing assistance, helping tailor education to individual needs. AI and VR allow students to bring their identities into their learning with immersive storytelling, interactive environments, and gamified learning, all of which will increase motivation and engagement. By the end of this session, you will ensure all students are heard, visible, and valued while you build your capacity for inquiry-based instruction and learn to integrate STEAM, AI, and VR across the curriculum. You will walk away with ideas on how to use AI and VR to promote curiosity and create a learning space where students take the reins and have authentic agency and ownership of their learning.