Lesson 7.1: Guided Practice Tasks

Objective:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to practice using AI tools and automation techniques through structured exercises, reinforcing their understanding of key concepts learned in previous lessons.

1. Introduction

Guided practice helps you move from theory to hands-on experience. It allows you to make mistakes, learn, and gradually build confidence in using AI and automation tools. This lesson provides step-by-step exercises to apply your knowledge in real-world scenarios.

2. Guided Practice Tasks

Task 1: Simple Automation

• Goal: Automate a repetitive text task.

• Instructions:

  1. Open a text editor or AI tool.

  2. Create a list of 10 common email replies you often send.

  3. Use an AI tool or macro to automatically generate these responses.

• Expected Outcome: You should be able to quickly generate standard replies without typing each one manually.

Task 2: Data Organization

• Goal: Use AI to organize simple data.

• Instructions:

  1. Prepare a small dataset (e.g., 10 names and phone numbers).

  2. Use AI to sort the list alphabetically or categorize by criteria like location.

• Expected Outcome: You should have a neatly organized dataset ready for practical use.

Task 3: Prompt Practice

• Goal: Improve your prompt-writing skills for AI tasks.

• Instructions:

  1. Write 3 short prompts to ask an AI for summaries of articles.

  2. Test the prompts and note which one gives the clearest output.

  3. Modify prompts to improve clarity and accuracy.

• Expected Outcome: Learn how small changes in wording affect AI output quality.

Task 4: Mini Automation Project

• Goal: Combine multiple skills learned.

• Instructions:

  1. Choose a small repetitive task you do daily (e.g., preparing a short report or creating reminders).

  2. Plan a step-by-step workflow.

  3. Use AI or automation tools to perform the task automatically.

• Expected Outcome: Experience creating a simple automation workflow from start to finish.

3. Tips for Guided Practice

• Start small: Focus on simple tasks before moving to complex automation.

• Observe results: Compare manual vs automated outcomes.

• Adjust and retry: Modify your approach if the result is not as expected.

• Keep notes: Document steps and observations to improve future automation.

4. Summary

Guided practice bridges learning and real-world application. By completing these tasks, you gain confidence in creating basic AI automations, writing effective prompts, and organizing data efficiently.