Why not use Chat GPT to enhance learning?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been revolutionising various industries, and higher education is no exception. I’ve written about it before, but one of the most exciting developments in AI is Chat GPT, a large language model that can generate human-like responses to prompts provided by users.
Chat GPT is quickly becoming a valuable tool for students and teachers alike, providing a range of benefits from personalised feedback to enhancing collaboration in group projects. Below I explore some different applications of Chat GPT in higher education and how it could change the way we learn and teach.
This post was inspired by the list of possible applications outlined here in this quick start guide by UNESCO.
The Possibility Engine
One of the potential applications to use Chat GPT to enhance learning in adult vocational education is The Possibility Engine. With the possibility engine, students can generate alternative ways of expressing an idea by writing queries in Chat GPT and examining alternative responses using the “Regenerate response” function.
Examples
- Prompt your students to write a query in Chat GPT to identify different ways of phrasing a specific job task in their industry. This will allow them to explore multiple perspectives and increase their ability to communicate their ideas effectively.
- In a graphic design class, ask your students to write a short pitch for their design project using key terms related to the client’s brand. They can then use ChatGPT to generate and refine alternative ways of expressing their pitch and select the most appropriate one based on the brand’s tone and style.
- Create a lesson on persuasive writing and provide a prompt, such as “Write a persuasive essay on why continuing education is important for career growth.” Have your students write their essays and then use ChatGPT to explore alternative ways of expressing their arguments. For example, they could input “What are some other ways to say ‘advantages of continuing education’?” and use the Regenerate response function to generate alternative expressions.
The Socratic Opponent
Another potential application for you to use Chat GPT to enhance learning in adult vocational education is The Socratic Opponent. With this feature, Chat GPT acts as an opponent to help students develop their argumentation skills. Educators can prompt students to enter prompts into Chat GPT following the structure of a conversation or debate. This allows students to practice constructing arguments and engaging in critical thinking.
Examples
- In a public speaking class, ask your students to enter a prompt in Chat GPT related to a current event or controversial topic. Have them use Chat GPT’s responses to practice constructing a persuasive argument and anticipating counterarguments.
- In a business communication class, prompt your students to use Chat GPT to prepare for a negotiation simulation. They can enter different scenarios and questions to help them think through potential responses and develop their argumentation skills.
- In a vocational class related to customer service, ask your students to enter a prompt in Chat GPT related to a challenging customer interaction. They can use Chat GPT to generate responses and practice engaging in a dialogue to de-escalate the situation and find a resolution.
Collaboration Coach
Another potential application of Chat GPT in adult vocational education is the Collaboration Coach. With this tool, students can work in groups to research and solve problems together, using Chat GPT to find information and complete tasks and assignments.
Examples
- Assign a group project in which students must research a specific topic related to their vocational field. Have students use Chat GPT to find information and complete tasks and assignments, collaborating with each other to share ideas and discuss findings.
- Divide students into groups and assign each group a specific problem to solve related to their field of study. Using Chat GPT, have the groups research the problem and collaborate on a solution, sharing ideas and discussing potential solutions.
- Ask students to work together in pairs or small groups to complete a task or project related to their vocational field. Have them use Chat GPT to communicate and collaborate, finding information and sharing ideas to complete the task or project more efficiently.
Guide on the Side
Another potential application you could adopt to use Chat GPT to enhance learning in adult vocational education is Guide on the Side. Here, you use Chat GPT to generate content for classes or courses, such as discussion questions, and provide advice on how to support students in learning specific concepts.
Examples
- Ask Chat GPT for ideas on how to explain a difficult concept in your subject area. You could input “How would you explain the concept of sustainable construction to a beginner?” and use the Regenerate response function to generate alternative explanations. Then choose the most appropriate one for your students.
- Create a discussion question prompt for your class, such as “What are some potential drawbacks of using social media in business?” and use Chat GPT to generate additional follow-up questions that will encourage deeper discussion.
- Ask Chat GPT to provide examples of how a particular concept can be applied in the real world. For example, in a culinary arts class, ask “Can you give me examples of how to use braising in cooking?” and use the generated responses to illustrate the concept in action.
- Use Chat GPT to provide feedback to students on their writing. Ask them to submit a short paragraph on a particular topic and then use Chat GPT to provide feedback on their grammar and structure.
Personal Tutor
The Personal Tutor is another potential application how you could use Chat GPT to enhance learning in adult vocational education. With this tool, Chat GPT can provide personalized feedback to students based on information provided by students or teachers, such as test scores.
Examples
- After a test, prompt students to input their test scores and problematic questions or test items into Chat GPT. Chat GPT can then generate personalised feedback based on the scores, suggesting areas for improvement and study strategies that may be helpful.
- As students complete assignments, have them input their work into Chat GPT for review. Chat GPT can provide personalized feedback on areas of strength and weakness in their work, as well as suggestions for improvement.
- Ask students to input a specific question related to their field of study into Chat GPT. Chat GPT can then provide personalised feedback on the question, offering alternative perspectives and suggesting resources for further study.
Co-Designer
In adult vocational education, Chat GPT can also be used as a Co-Designer tool to assist throughout the design process. Teachers can ask Chat GPT for ideas about designing or updating a curriculum, rubrics for assessment, and how to make the curriculum more accessible.
Examples
- Ask Chat GPT for suggestions on how to design a curriculum that meets the needs of adult learners with different learning styles and abilities.
- Use Chat GPT to generate ideas for rubrics to assess student performance in a specific vocational field.
- Collaborate with colleagues to develop a new vocational course or update an existing one. Use Chat GPT to generate ideas and brainstorm ways to make the curriculum more engaging and accessible for all students.
Exploratorium
Another potential application of Chat GPT in adult vocational education is the Exploratorium. With this tool, students can play with, explore, and interpret data, generating queries in Chat GPT to find out more information.
- Ask students to use Chat GPT to analyse data from their field of study, such as sales figures or customer feedback. They can write queries to explore different aspects of the data, such as “What are the common themes in customer feedback about our product?” or “What patterns can we see in sales figures for the last quarter?”.
- Provide students with a dataset related to their vocational field and ask them to use Chat GPT to generate questions and explore the data. For example, they could input “What are the top trends in the data?” or “How can we use this data to improve our processes or products?”.
- Ask students to use Chat GPT to practice language skills by generating queries related to a specific dataset. For example, they could input “What are some other ways to say ‘increase’ in relation to our data?” or “Can you generate some sample sentences using the data we have collected?
Study Buddy
Chat GPT can also serve as a helpful study tool for adult vocational education students. With the Study Buddy feature, students can reflect on their understanding of learning material and receive feedback to help them study.
Examples
- Ask students to explain their current level of understanding of a particular topic related to their vocational field to Chat GPT. Have them ask for ways to help them study the material, and Chat GPT can generate suggestions for review material, practice problems, and additional resources.
- Use Chat GPT to help students prepare for vocational tasks, such as job interviews. Have them input the type of interview questions they may encounter and use the Regenerate response function to generate alternative answers. This can help students better prepare for a variety of interview scenarios and improve their chances of landing the job.
- In a language learning class, ask students to explain a concept or topic they are struggling with to Chat GPT in the language they are learning. Chat GPT can then provide alternative explanations, examples, and practice exercises to help the student better understand the concept.
Motivator
Chat GPT can also act as a motivator for students in adult vocational education. With this tool, teachers or students can ask Chat GPT for ideas on how to extend students’ learning, such as through games and challenges, after providing a summary of the current level of knowledge.
Examples
- After a lesson on workplace safety, ask students to provide a summary of their current knowledge on the topic. Then, have them use Chat GPT to generate ideas for workplace safety games and challenges that will reinforce their learning.
- In a class on computer programming, provide a summary of the current level of knowledge on a particular language or skill. Ask Chat GPT to generate exercises and quizzes to help students master that particular skill or language.
- Provide a summary of a lesson on a particular job skill, and ask Chat GPT to generate challenges that students can complete to further practice and apply the skill in real-world scenarios.
Dynamic Assessor
The Dynamic Assessor is another potential application of Chat GPT in adult vocational education. With this tool, students can interact with Chat GPT in a tutorial-type dialogue to receive immediate feedback on their current knowledge, which can be shared with their teacher for assessment.
Examples
- In a language class, ask students to write a short paragraph in the language they are learning. Have students input the paragraph into Chat GPT, and then use the “Summary” function to generate a summary of their current language proficiency level.
- In a vocational training course, have students interact with Chat GPT in a tutorial-type dialogue, answering questions related to the course material. Students can then ask Chat GPT to produce a summary of their current state of knowledge, which they can share with their teacher for assessment.
- Ask students to input their responses to a quiz or test into Chat GPT. Based on their responses, Chat GPT can provide educators with a profile of each student’s current knowledge level, highlighting areas of strength and weakness. This information can then be used to guide future lesson plans and assessments.
If you found this interesting or useful
Check out my other content on AI in Education here. There’s more on how you can use Chat GPT to enhance learning.