AI-assisted Technology in Education

ChatGPT has numerous applications for students and teachers. It can make education more personalised and efficient. For students, ChatGPT can be used to provide customised learning experiences that are tailored to their individual needs and abilities, leading to improved engagement, motivation, and academic success. It can assist with language learning through personalised recommendations for grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. ChatGPT can help students with test preparation by analysing their performance in previous tests and making recommendations to improve performance.

For teachers, ChatGPT can be used to create various educational resources, such as interactive tutorials, study guides, and online learning quizzes, which students can access from anywhere and at any time. It can also help automate repetitive tasks such as grading and providing feedback, saving time and allowing teachers to focus on providing individual support and instruction. ChatGPT can also create adaptive learning systems that adjust to a student's performance and provided targeted support, making it easier for teachers to monitor student progress and provide necessary interventions.

Before you start:

• Identify the learning objectives you want to achieve though the use of the AI model. Determine the specific questions or topics you want to explore with your students.
• Familiarise yourself with the model. ChatGPT is a large language model trained on vast amounts of text data. Before using it with your students, it's important to understand the model's capabilities and limitations. You can find more information about ChatGPT's architecture and training on OpenAI's website and research articles on ChatGPT.
• ChatGPT can be accessed through various platforms, including OpenAI's website, third-party apps like Hugging Face, or API integrations with other tools. Choose the platform that works best for you and your students.
• Show your students how to use ChatGPT by typing a question or topic and asking for a response. Highlight the importance of phrasing questions clearly and evaluating the quality of the answers.
• As your students use ChatGPT, monitor their interactions and guide them as needed. Help them evaluate the quality of the responses and encourage them to ask follow-up questions or rephrase their original questions if necessary.
• Once you've evaluated the responses and determined that they are helpful for your lessons, incorporate them into your teaching. Use ChatGPT's responses to supplement your existing curriculum and provide real-time answers to students' questions.
• While ChatGPT can be a valuable tool for educators, it's vital to encourage critical thinking in your students. Help them understand the limitations of AI and the importance of evaluating information from multiple sources.
• As with any technology, it's important to consider the ethical implications of using ChatGPT in your classroom. Discuss issues like data privacy, bias and transparency with your students.

ChatGPT can assist in curriculum development by providing personalised learning experiences and generating course materials such as lesson plans, syllabi, and assessments. Educators can use it to create custom course content based on their specific learning objectives and the needs for their students.

One way to use ChatGPT in curriculum development is to provide a set of learning objectives and a list of relevant resources, such as textbooks, research papers, and online materials. ChatGPT can then generate a course syllabus that aligns with the learning objectives and incorporates the selected resources. This can save time and effort in designing a course from scratch while ensuring the course is comprehensive and aligned with current knowledge in the field.

Prompt example

I am a teacher planning a unit on Food Systems Circularity for varsity first-year students. I want to create a curriculum that is engaging and educational and that meets the needs of all my students. Can you help me by generating a list of learning objectives, activities, and assessments for this unit?

ChatGPT response

Another way to use ChatGPT in curriculum development is to generate assessments and assignments that align with the learning objectives. For example, educators can input a set of questions related to a specific topic, and ChatGPT can generate a set of related questions for students to answer.

Assignment example

This assignment, Design a project proposal for a sustainable development initiative, was generated with ChatGPT.

Background: As a student in this course, you have been tasked with designing a project proposal for a sustainable development initiative in your local community or region. Your proposal should focus on addressing a specific environmental or social issue and should aim to create a positive impact in the community.

Instructions: 

1. Choose a specific environmental or social issue that you would like to address in your community or region. Conduct research on the issue to better understand its root causes and potential solutions.
2. Develop a project proposal that outlines your strategy for addressing the issue. Your proposal should include the following components:
   • Project overview: Provide a brief introduction to your project, including the issue you will address and the goals you hope to achieve.
   • Project goals and objectives: Clearly define the goals and objectives of your project. What impact do you hope to create in the community?
   • Project strategy: Describe the specific strategies you will use to achieve your goals and objectives. What activities will you undertake? What resources will you need? Who will be involved in the project?
   • Project timeline: Develop a timeline for your project, including key milestones and deadlines.
   • Budget: Develop a detailed budget for your project, including all necessary expenses and potential sources of funding.
   • Evaluation plan: Describe how you will evaluate the success of your project. What metrics will you use to measure progress? How will you assess the impact of your project on the community?
3. Write a 3-5 page project proposal that includes all the components outlined above. Your proposal should be well-organised, clearly written, and supported by evidence from your research.

Assessment and evaluation example

Your project proposal will be assessed according to the following criteria:

1. Content and organisation (40 points): Does your proposal clearly address the issue you have chosen? Is your proposal well-organised and easy to follow? Does your proposal include all the necessary components (project overview, goals and objectives, project strategy, project timeline, budget, evaluation plan)?
2. Research and evidence (30 points): Have you conducted thorough research on the issue you have chosen? Have you used evidence to support your proposed strategies and activities?
3. Writing and presentation (20 points): Is your proposal clearly and effectively written? Have you used proper grammar and spelling? Have you included appropriate headings and subheading to organise your proposal?
4. Creativity and originality (10 points): Does your proposal demonstrate creativity and originality in your proposed strategies and activities? Does your proposal present a unique and innovative approach to addressing the issue you have chosen?

Total points: 100

Assessment table example

ChatGPT can be used in various professional environments to improve productivity and efficiency, as well as the quality of work. In education ChatGPT could assist teachers in proofreading written work and checking for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors, saving a significant amount of time. In a business setting, it can assist with creating presentations, drafting professional emails, creating guidelines for effective project management, and summarising and theming information. This can help anyone communicate more effectively and efficiently and improve the overall quality of their work. ChatGPT can also be used to translate written work into different languages, allowing individuals to communicate with colleagues, clients, or customers who may speak a different language. It is important to note, however, that machine translation may not always be perfect, so as always, double check!