Tuesday, September 26, 2023

New AIdeas: How Teachers Are Using ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a disruptive force that's reshaping the way we teach and learn. Remember when the iPhone was introduced in 2007? It revolutionized the way we communicate, access information, and entertain ourselves. Similarly, streaming services like Netflix and Spotify disrupted the way we consume media. ChatGPT is doing the same for education. In this week's post, we will explore how teachers are leveraging this disruptive tool in creative ways.


How Teachers are Using ChatGPT
  1. Role Playing Challenging Conversations: Dr. Helen Crompton, a Professor of Instructional Technology, encourages her students to use ChatGPT as a persona stand-in for various scenarios. Whether it's a debate partner, job interviewer, or a tough boss, ChatGPT helps students explore information in a conversational setting, promoting nuanced understanding.
  2. Crafting Educational Materials: Professor Fran Bellas from Universidade da Coruña in Spain recommends ChatGPT as an assistant for crafting quizzes, exams, and lesson plans. By sharing the curriculum with ChatGPT, teachers can generate fresh and culturally relevant ideas, ensuring inclusive questions.
  3. Assisting Non-English Speakers: Dr. Anthony Kaziboni, Head of Research at the University of Johannesburg, employs ChatGPT to aid students who primarily don't speak English. This support helps students overcome language barriers, enhancing their English writing skills and facilitating better communication.
  4. Teaching Critical Thinking: Geetha Venugopal, a high school computer science teacher, draws parallels between teaching AI tools and responsible internet use. She advises students to think critically about ChatGPT's answers, promoting original critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.
Example Prompts to Get Started

Ethan and Lilach Mollick, from Wharton Interactive, have developed some engaging prompts for AI-enhanced teaching. These prompts offer a structured approach to utilizing AI in the classroom:

A. Come Up with Lesson Plans: Guide teachers in creating customized lesson plans. Start by identifying the topic, grade level, and learning goals. Then, ChatGPT can assist in designing lesson plans with various teaching techniques and modalities, ensuring effective instruction.

B. Create Effective Explanations, Examples, Analogies: As an instructional designer, ChatGPT helps teachers develop straightforward explanations, examples, and analogies tailored to students' learning levels and prior knowledge.

C. Help Students Learn by Teaching: ChatGPT can play the role of a knowledgeable student. Teachers can ask it to explain a topic and apply it creatively, like writing a scene from a TV show or a poem. Students can evaluate ChatGPT's explanations and receive feedback for improvement.

D. Create an AI Tutor: In this role, ChatGPT serves as an upbeat tutor, helping students understand concepts by asking questions and providing guidance. It encourages student participation and critical thinking.

Remember, these prompts are just starting points. You, as the educator, have the final say and can adapt them to your specific needs and the needs of your students. It's essential to maintain a critical role in overseeing the material and ensuring its accuracy and relevance to your classroom. By harnessing the power of AI, teachers can promote critical thinking, create engaging lesson plans, and bridge language barriers, ultimately preparing students for the challenges of the future.