At LUDOVIA#BE, held in Spa, Wallonia, from October 22 to 24, 2024, we came across many innovative individuals. Over the coming weeks, we will share a curated selection of articles and short videos that we hope will inspire your current and future projects.
Today, let us introduce you to Aurélie Duriau and Franck Roch, known as « The RochDur, » a teacher-trainer duo passionate about digital education, with AI being a key focus of their work.
“We’re Aurélie Duriau and Franck Roch, or ‘The RochDur,’ a contraction of our last names. We’re a couple of teachers and trainers specializing in technopedagogy,” they explained.
Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, the couple has been exploring generative AI while addressing a growing number of questions from educators during their training sessions.
“At that point, we thought, why not create a ready-to-use tool? That’s how the AI Box Education was born—a resource hub listing free and freemium tools carefully selected for their educational potential,” said Aurélie during our interview.
The AI Box has two components:
- Tools: A categorized collection of AI tools tailored for educational purposes.
- Resources: A comprehensive section offering sites, articles, and concrete examples of applications for educators and students alike.
“It includes examples for classroom use as well as self-training resources,” Aurélie added.
Before diving into AI, Aurélie and Franck emphasize the importance of addressing its implications and challenges. The AI Box is regularly updated, ensuring educators stay informed about the latest developments.
Beyond Curation: A Personal Touch
“The idea isn’t just about content aggregation. We also curate and highlight our favorites, like adding a little heart to show our current top pick” Franck explained.
Over the past two years, they’ve noticed increasing interest from educators, not just in Belgium but also from teachers in France, Canada, and beyond. “The AI Box is currently our most viewed and frequently updated resource” Aurélie noted.
Opportunities and Challenges of Generative AI in Education
“AI offers tremendous time-saving potential for teachers—it’s an assistant, not a replacement for their work” Franck emphasized.
However, there are risks. For example, relying too heavily on AI for grading could lead to teachers losing insight into their students’ strengths and weaknesses. “This could result in missing out on truly understanding their students” Franck cautioned.
The Phases of AI Adoption by Educators
Franck and Aurélie observe that teachers typically go through several phases when adopting generative AI:
- Rejection and Fear: Initial hesitation to engage with AI.
- Excitement: Realizing the possibilities AI offers.
- Critical Reflection: Recognizing AI’s limitations and the value of their pedagogical expertise.
At first, teachers may be skeptical, then enthusiastic, only to later develop a more nuanced, critical perspective based on practical use.
While they are enthusiastic about AI’s pedagogical innovations, Aurélie and Franck are also critical, aware of its limitations and risks in education.
“Let’s not see AI as something that weakens our critical thinking but rather as a tool to help young people develop their critical capacities” they said.
A Hope for Pedagogical Reinvention
“We hope AI can inspire us to reinvent our pedagogy and our relationship with learning for the benefit of students because we simply can’t keep teaching the same way as before” Aurélie concluded.
More Information:
- Website: lesrochdur.com
- Facebook: Les RochDur
- YouTube: @LesRochDur
- LinkedIn: LES ROCHDUR Aurélie Duriau
- LinkedIn: LES ROCHDUR Franck Roch
