In a previous post, “Maximizing Efficiency in Online Research,” we explored what Perplexity AI is and how its conversational search engine provides direct, cited answers to streamline the research process. Today, we want to tell you about Perplexity’s new feature called Spaces. Now, Perplexity offers new and exciting ways for teachers to collaborate, research, and enhance their teaching practices, especially in ESL classrooms.

This post explores how Perplexity Spaces can revolutionize the way teachers plan lessons, differentiate instruction, and engage students in meaningful learning experiences.

What Are Perplexity Spaces?

Perplexity Spaces are personalized hubs that combine AI-driven search with the ability to upload and organize personal files. Teachers can upload up to 50 files, including PDFs, Word documents, and text files (with a 25MB limit per file), creating an integrated, AI-powered knowledge base for both personal and collaborative use. This feature offers the opportunity to search across both the web and personal resources, providing more contextualized, relevant results.

Key Features of Perplexity Spaces

• File Integration: Upload and search across personal files and the web simultaneously.
• Custom Instructions: Set specific instructions for the AI’s responses, customizing tone, style, and search parameters.
• Multiple AI Models: Choose from AI models like GPT-4, Claude 3.5, and Sonar for different strengths in language generation, summarization, and search capabilities.
• Collaboration: Share your Space with up to 10 collaborators for joint research or lesson planning.
• Publishing: Create and publish structured blog posts using Perplexity Pages to share findings or teaching strategies.

Possible Uses in the ESL Classroom

Resource Gathering

Teachers can curate Spaces around specific topics, language proficiency levels, or subjects. For example, a Space for dual-language science instruction could include lesson plans, research articles, and visual aids that support students at varying levels of language proficiency.

Differentiated Instruction

Perplexity Spaces allow teachers to store and organize materials for students at different English proficiency levels. A third-grade teacher could create one Space with beginner vocabulary lists, while another Space could focus on advanced grammar practice, making differentiation seamless.

Culturally Responsive Teaching

Using Perplexity’s search capabilities, teachers can find and organize resources that reflect the diverse cultural backgrounds of their students. By integrating culturally relevant materials into lesson plans, teachers create inclusive environments that celebrate diversity and help students feel represented in their learning.

Collaborative Learning for Students

Perplexity Spaces are not just for teachers. They can also be shared with students, enabling collaborative learning. Students can contribute to projects, gather research, and build their own Spaces to support their learning.

Developing Research Skills

Perplexity Spaces are an excellent tool for teaching students how to conduct research. They can upload their sources, organize information, and use the AI’s features to synthesize data, helping them develop critical thinking and research skills.

Collaborating with Perplexity Spaces in Lesson Planning

Teachers working at the same grade level can significantly benefit from collaborating on Spaces to enhance lesson planning and teaching strategies. By using Perplexity’s collaboration tools, educators can streamline their work.

Here’s how to use Spaces for collaboration:

• Upload and Share Lesson Plans: Each teacher on the team can upload their existing plans into a shared Space, creating a central repository.
• Brainstorm New Ideas: The collaborative nature of Perplexity Spaces enables teachers to brainstorm fresh approaches and develop new lesson ideas together.
• Share Resources and Materials: Teachers can pool together teaching materials such as research articles, videos, or exercises, ensuring everyone has access to the best resources.
• Discuss Teaching Strategies: Spaces facilitate ongoing discussion of best practices, allowing teachers to continuously refine their instructional strategies.

Focusing on Academic Language in Science

Perplexity Spaces are particularly useful for honing in on academic vocabulary, which is essential in subjects like math, science, and social studies. For a science unit focused on classifying matter based on measurable and observable physical properties, Perplexity Spaces can help teachers develop targeted vocabulary resources.

• Create Vocabulary Lists: Teachers can collaboratively create vocabulary lists tailored to the unit. In a science lesson on classifying matter, key terms like “mass,” “magnetism,” “solid,” “liquid,“ and “gas“ would be highlighted for students to learn and understand.
• Source Authentic Examples: Perplexity’s search capabilities allow teachers to find authentic examples of these scientific terms in real-world contexts. For instance, searching for real-life examples of materials in different states of matter or objects that display magnetism helps students see how these terms apply to everyday life.
• Develop Targeted Activities: Collaborators can design interactive activities that emphasize these key academic terms. For example, teachers could create vocabulary-focused science games, digital flashcards, or word searches where students match objects to their physical properties like mass or state of matter, reinforcing their understanding in an engaging way.

Benefits of Collaborative Planning in Perplexity Spaces

• Consistency and Alignment: Teachers within a grade level can ensure their lesson plans are aligned in terms of content, vocabulary focus, and teaching strategies.
• Efficiency: Pooling resources and sharing the workload can significantly reduce the time spent on individual lesson planning.
• Creativity and Innovation: Collaborative spaces foster creativity, as teachers bring diverse ideas and experiences to the table.
• Professional Growth: Collaborative lesson planning through Spaces serves as an informal form of professional development, enabling teachers to learn from each other’s expertise.

Example: Step-by-Step Guide for Using Perplexity Spaces in the Science Classroom

Step 1: Access Perplexity AI and Create a Space

1. Login to Perplexity AI:
   • Visit the Perplexity AI website and log in to your account. If you don’t have an account yet, take a moment to create one.
2. Create a New Space:
   • Once logged in, click on the “Spaces“ tab to begin your new project.
   • Select Create a Space, then name it something relevant like “Classifying Matter in Science“ and include a brief description, such as “Collaborating on lesson plans and resources to classify matter based on physical properties like mass, magnetism, and states of matter.“ This will help others understand the focus of your Space.

Step 2: Upload Files to Your Space

1. Add Files:
   • Click the Upload Files button to start adding resources to your Space.
   • You can upload up to 50 files, including lesson plans, scientific articles, diagrams, or worksheets related to classifying matter. Each file can be up to 25 MB.
   • For instance, upload diagrams of matter states, worksheets for measuring mass, or lesson plans that explain how to classify objects by their physical properties (mass, magnetism, and physical state). These files will be integrated into the AI’s search, helping you combine both personal materials and web resources for enhanced teaching.

Step 3: Customize Your Space with AI Models

1. Choose an AI Model:
   • If you have a paid subscription, select the AI model that best supports your lesson planning:
     • GPT-4: Ideal for creating detailed content, activities, or in-depth scientific explanations.
     • Claude 3.5: Great for summarizing key science concepts and offering precise, scientific insights.
     • Sonar: Excellent for performing in-depth searches, combining uploaded files with web resources.
2. Free users can still access a default AI model, which is effective for general classroom tasks.
3. Add Custom Instructions (Optional):
   • Personalize how the AI responds by adding custom instructions. For instance, you can ask for simple, student-friendly explanations of scientific properties or request detailed content for advanced students to explain how to measure mass, test magnetism, or identify the physical state of matter (solid, liquid, gas).

Step 4: Perform AI-Powered Searches

1. Search Across Files and the Web:
   • Once your files are uploaded, you can start searching through both the web and your uploaded documents simultaneously.
   • For example, type a query like “how to classify matter by magnetism and mass,“ and the AI will pull relevant content from your documents (e.g., worksheets or diagrams) and external web sources. This is perfect for building a science lesson that includes hands-on activities where students classify objects by mass or test for magnetism.
2. Refine Search Results:
   • After reviewing the results, you can see which sources were used. If you prefer to search only through your uploaded files (e.g., focusing on lesson plans and resources you’ve created), you can toggle the search to look at internal content only.

Step 5: Collaborate with Others

1. Share the Space:
   • Click the Share button to invite colleagues to collaborate. You can invite up to 10 other educators, such as fellow science teachers, to join your Space.
   • Once invited, your collaborators can access the uploaded files, perform their own searches, and use the custom instructions you’ve set. This is especially helpful when coordinating lesson planning across multiple classrooms or grade levels.
2. Collaborative Features:
   • Teachers can upload additional files, perform searches for further resources, and collaboratively develop activities. For example, one teacher might upload a worksheet on measuring mass, while another adds a lab activity for testing magnetism in different materials.
   • This collaborative approach ensures that all teachers are aligned and can share the best resources and activities with their students.

Step 6: Publish Your Work with Perplexity Pages

1. Convert to a Blog Post:
   • Once your lesson plan or resource collection is finalized, click Convert to Pages to turn your work into a formatted blog post. This is perfect for compiling the resources into one easy-to-share format for students or colleagues.
2. Edit and Add Media:
   • You can further refine your blog post by adding additional sections or media, such as images, videos, or interactive content.
   • For example, you could add images of the three states of matter or embed a video demonstrating how to test magnetism.
3. Publish and Share:
   • Once you’ve edited and finalized the post, click Publish to share it with students or fellow teachers. You can share the link directly or copy the content into your school’s learning management system (LMS).

Step 7: Explore Practical Use Cases

1. Science Lesson Example:
   • Teachers working on a unit about classifying matter can use Perplexity Spaces to upload lesson plans, definitions, and diagrams. For instance, they could add resources that help students classify matter by measurable physical properties such as mass, magnetism, or physical state (solid, liquid, gas).
   • Use the AI to find additional real-world examples or experiments for classifying objects, and create hands-on activities where students apply these concepts to various materials.
2. Summarizing Research or Lectures:
   • Another practical use is uploading lecture notes or research papers. You can then ask the AI to summarize key points, helping students better understand how to observe and classify matter based on its physical properties.

Final Tips

• Free Version vs. Paid Version: While free users can take advantage of basic web searches and collaboration features, uploading files and using advanced AI models requires a paid subscription.
• Experiment with Prompts: Encourage creativity by trying different prompts. For example, ask the AI to suggest a hands-on experiment for testing the magnetism of everyday objects or to generate a list of common materials in each state of matter (solid, liquid, gas).

Perplexity Spaces is an invaluable tool for science teachers working with emergent bilingual students. By seamlessly integrating personal files with AI-driven web searches, it allows teachers to collaborate effectively, create aligned lesson plans, and engage students with hands-on learning experiences. Whether planning units on classifying matter or developing activities around scientific properties, Perplexity Spaces can help you elevate your classroom teaching with the power of AI.

Start today by creating your own Space and discover how this tool can transform your lessons!