In this guide I'll show you 5 practical applications I've seen actually work in Italian classrooms, with concrete examples and free or low-cost tools.

1. Generate Differentiated Exercises in Seconds

One of the most time-consuming tasks for a teacher is creating variants of the same exercise for students at different levels. AI can do this in 30 seconds.

How to do it with ChatGPT or Claude:

  1. Write the base exercise
  2. Add the prompt: "Create 3 variants of this exercise: one simplified for special-needs students, one standard, one advanced for gifted students"
  3. Review and adapt

Result: 3 variants in 30 seconds instead of 30 minutes.

2. Immersive Environments with AR and VR

Google Expeditions has been discontinued, but the alternatives are better. With an entry-level headset or even just a smartphone, students can visit the Colosseum, explore the solar system or see how a cell works from the inside.

Tools I use:

  • CoSpaces Edu: creates interactive 3D environments (has a free plan)
  • Merge Cube: 3D objects with a cardboard cube and a smartphone
  • Google Arts & Culture: free VR museum tours
In an hour of Roman history, 10 minutes of VR at the Colosseum increase content recall by 30-40% compared to a frontal explanation alone.

3. Personalized Feedback on Essays

Correcting 25 essays takes hours. AI doesn't replace your assessment, but it can give you a useful pre-screening and help students improve before final submission.

Workflow I use:

  1. Students upload their draft to a shared Google Doc
  2. An n8n workflow sends the text to the Claude API with the prompt: "Analyze this text from a middle school student. Point out 3 strengths and 3 areas for improvement, in simple language."
  3. Feedback reaches the student within 5 minutes
  4. The student revises, the teacher assesses the improved version

Estimated time saved: 40% of correction time.

4. Automatic Quiz and Test Creation

Google Forms + AI is an underrated combination. You can generate a complete quiz on any topic in 2 minutes.

How to do it:

  1. Use Claude or ChatGPT with the prompt: "Create a 10-question multiple-choice quiz on [TOPIC], for [GRADE LEVEL]. Include 4 options for each question and indicate the correct answer."
  2. Copy the questions into Google Forms
  3. Turn on automatic grading

Bonus: for retake quizzes, ask the AI to generate different variants of the same questions for each student.

5. An Assistant for Lesson Preparation

Before every lesson, I spend 10 minutes with Claude refining the structure. It doesn't replace me — it helps me see angles I hadn't considered.

A prompt that works well:

I'm preparing a 50-minute lesson on [TOPIC] for a [LEVEL] class. Students already know [PREREQUISITES] but struggle with [DIFFICULTY]. Suggest a structure with hands-on activities, including at least one moment of collaboration and one of individual reflection.

The AI proposes, I decide. The final lesson is always mine — but it's better.

Conclusion

AI in the classroom isn't a shortcut. It's a tool that amplifies what you already do well.

The biggest risk isn't using it too much — it's ignoring it while your students already use it outside school, often with no guidance.

If you want to go deeper, I'm available for tailored training for teachers and institutions. You can contact me directly.