Writing Prompts for Students: Using ChatGPT

You can't escape reading about Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements and how they are changing the world every day. From self-driving cars to robotics to digital assistants and language processing tools, technology is quickly infiltrating every aspect of our lives that our minds used to control themselves. How long can you go without utilizing the technology to ease tasks in your day? "Hey Google, ______"

And this means that our children and students are using the technology, too - and are probably better at it! Growing up with the instant gratification of using a search engine to find an answer and asking Alexa to play any song in the world, it's no wonder they're using the tools in their immediate toolbox to "learn" and get things in the quickest and easiest ways. BUT...what does that mean in terms of cultivating critical thinking in the classroom?

If we don't notice it already, AI will soon be involved in almost every moment of our everyday lives. So rather than reject it, let's embrace it alongside our students, to help them think critically about how it could be helpful or hurtful in theirs! Use these reading and writing prompts to get students thinking about using ChatGPT in the classroom.

Reading Prompt: OpenAI reportedly warned Microsoft about Bing’s bizarre AI responses

Writing Prompt: In the article, the author discusses how Microsoft's chatbot has many flaws that could make using the tool more harmful than helpful. Choose one of the flaws, and why it would or would not discourage you from using this tool.

Examples:

• The tool often gets answers wrong. ("How many times does the letter 'e' appear in ketchup?")
• The tool doesn't recognize tone. (It cites an article that is pointing out a flaw with another tool using the flaw as a correct answer.)
• The tool insults, lies, or gaslights users.

Extension: Use the VariQuest® Perfecta® Series Poster Design System to print the We're Tracking Poster, found in our Engage Every Learner® Content, to hang in your classroom. Once students have done their writing, facilitate a class discussion where you add the individual ideas to the poster, to track the common responses the students came up with.

Reading Prompt: A college student created an app that can tell whether AI wrote an essay

Writing Prompt: Why is using ChatGPT considered plagiarism? Why could it not be considered plagiarism? Why do you think it is not a good idea to use ChatGPT to write your own papers?

Example:

• It can be considered plagiarism because it is copying someone else's work and claiming it as your own.
• It might not be considered plagiarism because it is sourced from many different places on the internet, and thus does not belong to any one person.
• It is not a good idea to use ChatGPT to write my papers because I'm using someone else's work that I would be claiming as my own. I can't be proud of something I did not write myself.

Extension: Use your Perfecta Poster Design System to print and hang the Concept Definition Chart poster, found in our Engage Every Learner Content, to facilitate group discussions in the classroom about plagiarism and how ChatGPT does or does not fit the standard definition of it. Have each group present their findings, based on the writing they did.

By getting students to think critically about how artificial intelligence could help or hurt them in their learning, you allow them to not only embrace the tool and its possibilities, but also show them how cultivating their own ideas is ultimately the best tool.

For more information on how the VariQuest Perfecta Poster Design System, paired with our VariQuest Design Software and Engage Every Learner Content, can help you create anchor charts and classroom visuals like these and more, set up a no-obligation demonstration with one of our expert education consultants today!