Scotch Plains’ Union Catholic Teachers Present AI Lessons in Princeton

According to Union Catholic's announcement.

Three science teachers from Union Catholic Regional High School recently showed fellow educators at a statewide convention how artificial intelligence can help in biology class.

John Gresco, Mary Jo Raite and Kaylynn Rivero presented in October at the New Jersey Science Convention in Princeton. They teach at Union Catholic on Martine Avenue in Scotch Plains. Their session was titled "Enhancing Scientific Inquiry with AI: Supporting All Levels of Biology Learners."

The session focused on practical ways teachers can use AI tools such as ChatGPT and MagicSchool. The three covered how to tailor lessons for different learners, build assignments and tests, adjust lab activities and get students more engaged. Through it all, they kept critical thinking and scientific inquiry at the center.

Raite said they chose the topic because science training for teachers often lacks concrete examples that teachers can use right away. "Our goal was to demonstrate practical ways to integrate AI into the classroom and show educators how accessible and effective these tools can be," she said.

Gresco said the convention gave him a chance to show how the school uses AI in lab work. "It was an opportunity to showcase our successes with AI, specifically MagicSchool, in a lab setting," he said.

Several educators came up to the Union Catholic teachers after the session to ask for more help. Raite helped one teacher revise an Environmental Science assessment using the tools from the presentation. Another educator who had never used AI before was surprised at how it could help update worksheets, labs and tests.

Rivero worked individually with a first year science teacher who was struggling to find time to learn how to write good AI prompts. She guided the teacher through creating a diagram and a matching worksheet.

The school's post does not say how many educators attended the session or whether the presentation materials are shared with the public. Questions can go to Union Catholic at 908-889-1600.

Raite said she wants students to check whether AI answers are accurate and to think for themselves. Rivero agreed that technology should support learning, not replace curiosity, reasoning or problem solving. "Teaching students to question information, evaluate accuracy, and think independently will help prepare them for a world in which technology will continue to evolve," she said.

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Source: Union Catholic

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