Magic School AI is touted as an educator’s best friend, a tool that helps with every teaching task. It has extensive features that cover almost every aspect of teaching, right from lessons to assignments and tests.
However, many wonder how Magic School AI stacks up against the general go-to tool, ChaGPT. Therefore, in this article, we will explore Magic School AI’s features and use cases, and stack it against the abilities of ChatGPT.
Magic School AI
Magic School AI is a dedicated tool for creating lesson plans and general teaching. It helps educators save time, supports student learning, and incorporates AI into the classroom in a more responsible way. Magic School is also integrated with many Learning Management Systems (LMS) for easy incorporation into the learning process.
Features
Magic School AI provides an exhaustive list of features for both teachers (80+) and students. Here are some of them;
- Text Translator/Rewriter/Leveler: The Leveler is especially helpful for rewriting text into a different reading level and also translating it into multiple languages.
- AI-resistant Assignments:
- Rubric Generator: To build custom grading rubrics for assignments.
- Report Card Comments Generator: Generate personalized report-card comments that touch on student strengths & growth areas.
- YouTube Video Questions/Video Summarizer: Input a YouTube link and get comprehension questions or summaries.
- Chatbot Creation/Custom Chatbot Tools: Build chatbots for students (e.g., study bots, role-play bots) or use pre-built ones for tutoring/feedback.
- Support for differentiated instruction & special populations: Tools to scaffold text, create leveled versions for ELL/MLL, SPED, etc.
- Idea generator/Study tools/Content-creation tools: It assists with planning, assessment, idea generation, presentation slide generation, and project-based learning (PBL) plans.
- Export & integration features: 1-click export to Google Docs/Slides, Microsoft Word/PowerPoint; LMS integrations like Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology.
- Infinite generations/Output history: Ability for unlimited uses and full history of outputs.
Use Cases
The onboarding process is very streamlined. Magic School AI will ask about the user’s role, location, and teaching subjects.
After the initial onboarding process, it opens up to a feature-rich dashboard. I noted that the search box had an interesting feature: a short list of all trending use cases/most searched Magic School AI tools.
1. Lesson Planning
I decided to explore the lesson plan generator. I realized that I didn’t need to come up with a detailed, extensive prompt to get the desired action from Magic School. The tool had an ensuite prompt editor that just needed to be filled in.
The generated lesson plan for Grade 6 consisted of a learning objective, assessments, key points, lesson structure, assignment, lesson extension activities, and guided and independent practice. One thing I found particularly helpful was that the lesson plan ended with notes of the standards adhered to.
Magic School AI includes follow-up prompts at the end of each response:
The outputs can also be tweaked further.
I further prompted Magic School to make the lesson plan as engaging as it could be, given that Middle-schoolers (Grade 6) have shorter attention spans. It generated a lesson plan that involved a fun project in a science fair format for better interaction and assimilation.
2. Text Generation
I filled in Magic School AI’s prompt editor, asking for lecture material on “Medieval Medical Practices that are Irrelevant Today.” It produced a 421-word essay on the topic, which I found to be rather skimpy.
Pros
- Due to the sheer amount of streamlined, precise features, educators do not need to write sophisticated prompts to generate specific results.
- Magic School AI can help with tasks educators were unaware of. The features act as prompts for tasks to explore.
- It has an interactive process for refining outputs.
- Magic School AI is a free tool.
ChatGPT
This is a general-purpose chatbot tool created by OpenAI. It is an advanced large language model trained on very large data from books, articles, websites, and other sources. And because of this training, ChatGPT can provide intelligent responses to a wide range of topics, including complex academic niches.
The most recent versions are significantly more capable than earlier models. They can reason more accurately, follow complex instructions, and even handle images, documents, or data analysis. The biggest benefit is flexibility and the chance to branch out its responses and follow the path for clarification.
Features
- ChatGPT generates human-like text responses
- It understands context and can maintain the natural flow of a conversation.
- ChatGPT can provide factual, creative, and analytical answers that can be as concise or as extensive as the user wants.
- The tone, style, and language are tweaked based on the input.
- ChatGPT functions as an assistant and educator; it explains, summarizes, and clarifies answers and concepts.
- It can also generate lesson plans, quizzes, one-on-one tutoring, flashcards, study materials, and feedback on writing or assignments.
Also read: All The ChatGPT Updates & Timeline
Use Case
1. Lesson Plan generation
I used the same prompt details I had used in Magic School AI in ChatGPT. ChaGPT generated a similar structured lesson plan with details on the duration, lesson sequence, and class outline.
When I prompted it to further modify the lesson plan to make a more engaging lesson plan, ChatGPT returned a plan that involved gamified learning, storytelling, and a scavenger hunt without losing the essence of learning.
2. Text Generation
I entered a basic prompt into ChatGPT, and the chatbot returned an essay that provided more details in comparison to Magic School AI.
Pros
- ChatGPT is a dynamic, flexible tool. Therefore, it can produce deeper, more layered results due to its ability to branch off in multiple directions.
- The freedom to write complex, unique prompts translates to even more unique and custom answers.
- ChaGPT has a vast database of information and can be very useful for research.
- ChatGPT is primarily free.
The Bottom Line
Although the better option comes down to the specific use case, ChatGPT appears to be a better option, given its multi-directional abilities. Magic School AI is streamlined and tailored to education, but the strength of ChaGPT lies in its ability to branch out in any direction and follow completely unique paths.
Educators new to AI tools can start out with Magic School AI due to its intuitiveness and precision. With time and mastery, ChaGPT can be brought on board.
FAQs
1. Which AI Is Better Than ChatGPT?
There’s no single AI that’s “better” than ChatGPT overall. The specific use case decides that.. For general use, ChatGPT is one of the most advanced and versatile AIs. However, tools like Claude, Gemini, or Perplexity AI may perform better in specific areas like research, document summarization, or factual accuracy.
2. Is Magic School AI Good?
Yes, Magic School AI is a good tool for teachers. It helps educators save time by generating lesson plans, quizzes, and parent emails. It’s especially useful for K-12 teachers who want pre-made templates and education-specific support.
3. How Much Does Magic School AI Cost?
Magic School AI offers both free and paid plans. The free plan gives access to basic tools, while the paid version costs $12.99/month. There are also custom pricing options for enterprise use.
4. What Is the Difference Between School AI and Magic School AI?
School AI is a broad term that for AI used in schools pr education. It includes grading assistants or tutoring bots. Magic School AI, on the other hand, is a specific platform built for teachers. It focuses on lesson planning, material generation, student engagement, and classroom management tools.
