This week inside Ripple Effect Educators, we’re focusing on practical application — not theory. If you’ve ever thought:“I know AI can help… but how do I actually use it in my daily work?”This is your week. Inside the group, we’re working through: - Real examples for faculty and staff - Prompt refinement strategies - Time-saving AI workflows you can implement immediately - Clear, ethical classroom use cases Our goal is simple: Move from experimenting with AI to using it confidently and intentionally. No overwhelm. No hype. Just structured tools you can use in higher education right now. If you haven’t engaged yet this week, start with the newest module and drop one win or one question in the comments. Momentum builds clarity. Let’s keep building practical confidence together. What do you need AI to help with today?

Most people think AI works best when you give it freedom. It does not. AI performs better when you give it boundaries. If your output feels generic, vague, or repetitive — the issue is usually not the AI. It is the prompt. Example 1 — Weak Prompt “Write a lesson plan about ecosystems.” Result: Broad. Surface level. No structure. No differentiation. Example 2 — Constrained Prompt “Create a 45-minute 8th grade science lesson plan on ecosystems. Include: Learning objective 5-minute bell ringer Guided practice activity Exit ticket One differentiation strategy Keep reading level at grade 8.” Now the AI knows: - Who the audience is - How long the lesson is - What components are required - The reading level - The structure The output becomes clearer, tighter, and usable. Share with us one prompt that you are trying this week and see if someone can help you improve it.

Quick update, everyone — the Teacher-Ready AI Policy Pack (Starter) is now posted and ready for you to grab. It’s designed to be simple, copy/paste-friendly, and to save you time when AI questions pop up in class. If you’re new here: you can always request a specific topic you’d like me to create next (policies, templates, workflows, lesson supports — just tell me what you’re dealing with). Especially K-12 please give me ideas of what would make your day (or nights) run smoother. Quick reminder on the resource title-card colors so you can find what fits you fast: - Dark teal = for everyone - Rose = K–12 - Bright teal = Higher Education

Tip: Treat ChatGPT like a collaborator, not a search bar. Instead of short prompts, give a bit of context (your goal, audience, constraints) and ask it to iterate with you—draft, critique, refine, and simplify. You’ll get far better results by saying “Help me think through this and improve it step by step” than by asking for a single perfect answer.

My apologies for the break in posting. In case you are in the one or two states that did not get hit by weather last week there was a snowpocolips or icemegedon depending on where you live. For her safety I chose to get snowed in with my mom. Unfortunately, her internet hates my computer. By the time I got done with the school virtual day I was done. So how did everyone survive their NTI days or snow days?