Get ready for the most amazing educational tool that I have ever seen. A bold statement I know, especially when you consider Kiwi Kids News, but something that I firmly believe, following a week of playing with ChatGPT.

About a week ago I read this article in the Guardian.

From that I have spent last week trialling this amazing tool in a myriad of different settings. I have asked it to write a Christmas card entry for a work colleague, draft letters to some students – some getting good news about 2023 leadership positions and some getting not so good news. I have used it to write a poem, a class lesson on types of triangles, and it helped me create a couple of learning resources. The results are astounding and technology like this could seriously change education and the way we access information. Google watch out!

Firstly, What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a type of computer program that can understand and respond to prompts in a conversation-like manner. It uses natural language processing (NLP) techniques to generate human-like text and can engage in a back-and-forth dialogue with users. ChatGPT can be used for a variety of purposes, such as answering questions, providing explanations, and helping with research projects.

So let see how this type of technology could be used in Education. Lets say you are a beginning teacher and you need to do a lesson on Triangles….just ask ChatGPT.

Pretty cool, but what about getting it to create something based on the New Zealand Curriculum.

Okay, this looks good. However, I would like to have more than one criteria. So lets add a merit and excellence level….

Much better. Now lets see how it will mark of piece of writing using this matrix. So I found a short Level 4 example from the TKI website and put that into the system.

Now lets try it with a Year 5 piece of writing. And lets also see if it can provide some next steps.

All this took me, and the computer, around 15 minutes to complete. Would have been quicker if I had the text with me and all ready to go. Rather impressive if you ask me.

So the real question is what is the effect that this level of AI have on education? While I don’t know the answer to this I do know something that might be able to answer to for me – ChatGPT.

It is difficult to predict the exact effect that ChatGPT will have on education, as it is a new technology that has not yet been widely adopted or studied. However, ChatGPT is a large language model that has been trained to generate human-like text, so it has the potential to be used in a variety of educational contexts.

One possible use of ChatGPT in education is as a tool for generating personalized learning materials or assessments. For example, ChatGPT could be used to generate customized quizzes or exercises based on a student’s individual needs and learning style. This could allow for more targeted and effective learning experiences, as the materials would be tailored to the student’s specific strengths and weaknesses.

Another potential use of ChatGPT in education is as a tool for generating automated responses to student inquiries. For example, ChatGPT could be used to answer student questions or provide feedback on assignments, allowing educators to manage larger class sizes or provide more personalized support to students.

Overall, the effect of ChatGPT on education will likely depend on how it is implemented and used by educators and students. It has the potential to be a useful tool for improving learning experiences and outcomes, but it is important to carefully consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of using this technology in education.

I encourage you to have a play with this amazing tool. But before you do here a couple of interesting ChatGPT discussions that have taken place this week. The last one is my favourite!