AI 101: What Counts as AI?
Module 4 · Classroom Mini‑Audit

4.2 Reflect: How Will You Explain This?

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IN THIS LESSON

Turn expertise into clarity.

Craft one sentence—30 words or fewer—that you could say tomorrow if a student asks, "So how does this tool actually use AI?" Then ask one honest question about a peer's sentence to help them sharpen it even more.

The Challenge

You've just completed a technical audit of an AI tool. You understand the data pipeline, identified the model type, and spotted potential biases. But here's the real test:

Can you explain it to a 12-year-old in one clear sentence?

This isn't about oversimplifying—it's about finding the perfect words to make complex ideas accessible. Your students deserve to understand the tools shaping their learning.

Write it

In 30 words or fewer, explain how your audited tool uses (or doesn't use) AI in language a middle schooler would understand.

Why This Matters

For Your Students:

  • Demystifies technology they use daily

  • Builds critical thinking about AI claims

  • Empowers informed digital citizenship

  • Reduces AI anxiety through understanding

For Your Profession:

  • Elevates discourse about EdTech

  • Shares knowledge across classrooms

  • Creates common vocabulary

  • Influences better tool adoption

Quick Quality Check

Ask yourself:

  • Would a 12-year-old actually understand this?

  • Did I avoid tech jargon?

  • Is there one concrete comparison they'd recognise?

  • Did I hint at benefits OR limitations?

  • Can I say it out loud naturally?

Need Help Starting?

Try beginning with one of these templates:

For tools with real AI:

  • This tool learns from ___ student answers so it can ___.

  • Unlike a fixed quiz, the app changes questions after it sees ___ patterns.

  • It watches how you ___ and gets better at predicting ___.

For tools without AI:

  • This tool follows rules like 'if you get 3 wrong, show a hint'—no learning involved.

  • It's just a fancy calculator that always gives the same answer for the same problem.

  • Think of it like a recipe—same ingredients, same result every time.

For partial AI:

  • It's AI because it retrains when ___, but watch for bias if ___.

  • The AI part learns ___, but humans still decide ___.

  • It gets smarter about ___, but only within limits set by ___.

For Your Teaching:

  • Forces clarity in your own understanding

  • Prepares you for parent questions

  • Models transparent communication

  • Builds trust through honest explanation

Reflection Prompt

After completing this lesson, consider:

  • Which part of your technical audit was hardest to simplify?

  • What analogy finally made it click?

  • How did your peer's question improve your explanation?

Congratulations!

You're about to complete the module. Your journey:

  1. ✅ Learned the AI pipeline

  2. ✅ Spotted fake AI claims

  3. ✅ Conducted professional audits

  4. ✅ Translated expertise for students