Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in an Erasmus+ Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course on AI for Innovative Teaching in Lisbon, Portugal. The course brought together teachers from across Dublin and Europe to explore how to use Artificial Intelligence to enhance teaching, learning, creativity, and student engagement in education.
I travelled to Lisbon with three colleagues from Dublin College Blackrock and throughout the week we worked closely with our Dublin College colleagues from across the wider Dublin College campuses including Dublin College Sallynoggin, Dublin College Dundrum, Dublin College Dún Laoghaire, Dublin College Stillorgan, Dublin College Deansrath and Dublin College Grange. The course also included participants from Turkey, Spain, and Poland, which created a rich intercultural learning environment.
The course focused heavily on practical applications of AI for teaching and learning. One of the most useful areas was exploring the many features and settings available within ChatGPT. We learned about account personalisation, customised instructions, memory settings, and how to tailor AI responses to suit our own personal needs.
We also explored using Projects within Chatgpt to work more effectively. Another focus was connecting ChatGPT with other AI-powered applications such as Gamma for creating presentations, Sonus for audio generation, and Synthesia for producing AI-generated educational videos.
The course also emphasised the importance of ethical AI use, critical thinking, and helping students develop AI literacy skills for the future.
Alongside academic learning, the cultural activities made the experience especially memorable. One highlight was a relaxing boat trip along the beautiful Tagus River, where we enjoyed stunning views of Lisbon’s waterfront.
We also enjoyed exploring Lisbon’s exciting food culture by eating in local restaurants throughout the week. Sharing meals together became a lovely opportunity to connect with colleagues outside the classroom setting.
Another memorable experience was the Seven Hills bicycle tour of Lisbon. Cycling through the city’s steep hills, (thankfully on an ebike!!), historic streets, and colourful neighbourhoods gave us a unique perspective on Lisbon’s culture, architecture, and history.
The course inspired me to think differently about teaching and learning in an increasingly digital world. AI tools are developing rapidly, and the training showed how these technologies can be used thoughtfully to support creativity, inclusion, accessibility, and student-centred learning. They also made me think about the long-term impact of AI on society in general. The vast capabilities of AI will alter how we work and will surely change employment practices across a range of sectors, including education. I’m still on the fence too regarding the ethics relating to generative AI. I’m concerned about the long term implications relating to the use of AI. Will we become dependent on it? Will we be able to think independently? How will it affect cognitive functioning in older ages? Will pTech Bros be able to manipulate our behaviour and thinking to achieve increasing global power and wealth? Not to mention how our original ideas and creativity are being exploited for others’ profit.
Overall, the Erasmus+ AI for Innovative Teaching course was an extremely rewarding professional and personal experience. It provided practical skills, fresh ideas, international collaboration, and opportunities to reflect on the future of education in an AI-driven world.
The experience has encouraged me to continue exploring innovative teaching methods and to try to integrate AI tools responsibly and creatively into my classroom practice.
