AI in Education Part 2: Builder Series with Dr. Sabba Quidwai
Scott and Dr. Sabba explore how educators can create AI teams to transform classroom experiences, accelerate learning projects, and give students powerful tools that prepare them for the future
We just had the most amazing chat with Dr. Sabba Quidwai about a transformative way to think about AI in your classroom: building AI teams instead of just using AI to do the same old stuff faster!
Remember that Shopify CEO memo everyone freaked out about? (You know, the "if you want more headcount, tell me why AI can't do the job first" one?) Well, when you read the whole thing, it's actually super inspiring! It's all about how we can do 10x more now that we have these AI teammates. Dr. Sabba showed us exactly how this works in schools!
AI Teams: Your New Classroom Superpower 💪
Most people are just using AI to make their current tasks easier. But what if we flip the script and ask: "What amazing new things could we do if AI handles some tasks while we focus on the cool, creative stuff?"
That's what building an AI team is all about! As Scott puts it: "AI is the world's best cover band, but you still need the original song to base it on." You (the teacher) bring the strategy and creativity, while your AI teammates help execute parts of your brilliant plan!
Case Study: Helping 8th Graders Build Amazing Portfolios 📝
Dr. Sabba shared this example that'll make you rethink what's possible in your classroom:
Originally, they planned a two-year rollout for student portfolios starting with teacher training, then slowly introducing it to students.
But with their new AI teammates, they flipped the script:
They created simple, focused chatbots for different parts of the portfolio process
Each bot had ONE job (like helping with the "About Me" section or brainstorming project ideas)
Students jumped right in and LOVED it!
The best part? What was supposed to take TWO YEARS happened in just TWO WEEKS! 🤯
Dr. Sabba calls this her "micromanager" approach to AI - giving each AI assistant a very specific task instead of one do-it-all bot. This made everything super clear for students and reduced confusion.
And here's the important part: students still did all their own thinking and decision-making. The AI just helped scaffold the process and removed friction points, so kids could focus on what matters!
School Office AI Teams: Making Admin Life Easier
AI teams aren't just for classrooms! Scott shared how Ridgewood High School created a super helpful AI assistant for parents that:
Answers common questions about registration, deadlines, and policies
Works in multiple languages (perfect for diverse communities!)
Handles 60-70% of questions automatically (hello, time-saver!)
Still connects parents to real people when needed
The coolest part? It was really easy to build! They just connected Chipp to their school website, and they get an instant parent support system that works 24/7!
Quick Tips to Get Started with Your AI Team
Speed Up Everything: What used to take months can now happen in days or weeks with your AI teammates!
Show, Don't Tell: Instead of long meetings about what AI "could" do, build a quick demo and let people play with it. Nothing beats hands-on experience!
One Job Per Bot: Create focused AI assistants for specific tasks instead of one complicated do-it-all tool.
Be Clear About Roles: Make sure everyone (especially students) knows what the human does and what the AI does - this creates the perfect partnership!
Come Join Our Community! 🎉
We'd love to have you join our friendly community on Disco at www.chipp.disco.co!
We've got tons of free goodies waiting for you:
Easy-to-follow courses
Regular live events
A supportive community of AI builders and enthusiasts
And don't miss our LIVE build session in two weeks! We'll be creating an AI solution based on YOUR requests - so bring your classroom challenges and let's solve them together!
Remember, the future of education isn't about replacing amazing teachers, it's about giving you AI teammates that help you do even more incredible things with your students. As Dr. Sabba says, the educators who will thrive are those who take initiative, try new things, and use these tools to create magical learning experiences.
We can't wait to see what you build! 💪