The best AI for teachers? Pros and cons of 4 different AI tools
Thomas Courtley
Education Specialist
Your colleagues are talking about it, and school leaders are looking into it: AI tools, and more specifically AI for teachers. As it is, all of a sudden new AI tools are emerging, and most teachers are not sure which way to look, and what to prioritise. Allow us to support you in making informed decisions as you consider integrating AI into your teaching practices.
The differences between the following four AI tools are immense, but we are going to narrow down the pros and cons of each one, to help you select the ultimate AI for teachers:
- ChatGPT
- LessonUp’s AI-assistant Maia
- TeacherMatic
- Microsoft PowerPoint and Copilot
ChatGPT
What does it do?
ChatGPT is a well-known generative large language model, designed to understand and generate human-like text that can be copy-pasted anywhere, for any purpose. It has the potential to revolutionise many aspects of life, and is used globally.
Pros
- It can be used for any language-related purpose. It is the most versatile AI tool.
- Interactions based on prompts/answers are automatically saved.
- The generated language can be copied and pasted into any format.
Cons
- Coming up with effective prompts can be quite a hassle. It requires a bit of experimentation and trial-and-error to get the output you want.
- The derived content is text-only, leaving the rest to you.
Price
- Free: The basic version is for free.
- Plus: From around £16.00 a month to use custom GPTs.
LessonUp's AI-assistant Maia
What does it do?
LessonUp is an all-in-one tool to create and teach interactive lessons. The platform offers an in-built AI assistant, Maia, that can save you hours of lesson-planning time in creating complete and interactive lessons.
Pros
- It creates lesson structures based on a proven pedagogical framework, from activating prior knowledge to assessing student understanding.
- It can generate interactive mind maps, open questions, quizzes and polls that you can edit.
- It assists you in creating effective prompts.
- You can create, edit and teach interactive lessons in one tool.
Cons
- Primarily focused on creating and teaching interactive lessons, as well as creating and distributing interactive homework & tests.
- Currently it does not include the creation of imagery.
Price
- Free: Maia is included in LessonUp's free subscription and can be used without limitations.
- Pro: For £6.99 a month unlimited access to all features.
TeacherMatic
What does it do?
TeacherMatic offers a broad set of tools that includes a range of 20+ AI generators tailored for specific applications. Its main purpose is to help create different materials that you regularly use in your daily life such as lesson plans, rubrics, worksheets, emails or analogy makers.
Pros
- It includes 20+ different generators for different purposes.
- It allows content to be exported to PDF, Word, and more.
- It assists you in creating effective prompts.
Cons
- It requires additional tools for editing, formatting and customisation.
- It lacks built-in interactive features for teacher-student engagement.
- Currently it does not include the creation of imagery.
Price
- Free: Daily generation limit of 5 generations per day.
- Standard: From £8.25 a month access to all features.
Microsoft Powerpoint and Copilot
What does it do?
Microsoft PowerPoint and Copilot offer a solution for creating presentations, simplifying the creation and editing process. The integration of AI technology enhances the looks and effectiveness of the resulting PowerPoint presentations.
Pros
- It's for anybody who wants to give a presentation.
- Many people know how to use PowerPoint, making it easy to adopt.
- It offers content, layout, and image suggestions.
Cons
- It doesn't offer tailored features for teachers.
- It lacks built-in interactive features for teacher-student engagement.
Price
- Free: There is no free version available.
- Pro: For £19.00 a month unlimited access to all features.
Interested in lesson creation and interactivity? Here are more benefits of teaching with LessonUp:
Save time on lesson planning
Start a new online lesson by uploading a PowerPoint presentation and upgrade it with any of our interactive assessment features, or try out our AI assistant.
Increase student engagement
LessonUp supports you by offering a wealth of interactive features to engage and motivate students: quizzes, mind maps, drag & drops, spinners, and more.
Track pupil progress
See student results after each interactive slide and in the student reports. Benefit from giving immediate feedback, and spotting misconceptions right away.
