ExploraVision and ChatGPT
Brainstorming process and ChatGPT
The Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Head Judge and Co-Creator, Dr. Arthur Eisenkraft on the use of ChatGPT in the brainstorming process. How can support your student innovations with the use of ChatGPT ?
ADVICE TO TEACHERS FROM TEACHERS:
- ChatGPT as a Tool, not a Source of Answers: Teachers emphasized that ChatGPT should be used as a tool to generate ideas and stimulate discussions, but not as a definitive source for answers. It should be used to enhance and clarify students’ original ideas rather than replace them.
- Initial Brainstorming without ChatGPT: A common suggestion is to start the brainstorming process without ChatGPT to allow students’ original ideas to come forth without external influence.
- ChatGPT as a Discussion Partner: After students have generated their own ideas, ChatGPT can be introduced as a discussion partner. Students can compare and contrast their ideas with ChatGPT’s responses, identifying the originality of their ideas and potentially expanding upon them.
- Critical Evaluation and Research: Students should critically evaluate the information provided by ChatGPT, fact-checking and verifying its suggestions through reputable sources.
- Educating Students about AI Limitations: Teachers emphasized the importance of informing students about the limitations of AI, including potential errors made by ChatGPT.
- Promoting Creative Thinking: Teachers suggested fostering an environment where creativity and original thinking are valued. They recommended questioning the capabilities of technology compared to humans to ensure students’ personal touch in their work.
- One strategy proposed involves Brainstorming (students discussing the problem), Chatting (posing the problem to ChatGPT), and Discussing (comparing and contrasting their ideas with ChatGPT’s).
- ChatGPT as a Planning Tool: ChatGPT can also be used to help with planning and pacing meetings.
- Exploring Complex Problems: ChatGPT can help students explore complex, transformational issues like climate change, pollution, and conflict.
- Building Initial Connections: Teachers suggested that ChatGPT should be seen as a tool for understanding the breadth of a topic rather than its depth. It can provide initial connections and avenues to explore, but should not be relied upon for deeper insights.
- Avoiding Shortcut Temptations: Teachers warned against using AI to simply complete tasks quickly at the expense of creativity and learning. Students should engage with problems first, before using ChatGPT for assistance.
- In general, the teachers advised viewing ChatGPT as an assistant to learning, rather than a shortcut to answers. Students should be encouraged to think creatively, critically, and independently, using the technology to facilitate their learning process rather than bypass it.
NOTES: We use ChatGPT as a shorthand for any “large language models” such as ChatGPT from Open AI, Bard from Google, Cohere, PaLM, etc.
* More in-depth video about ChatGPT use for brainstorming, please contact exploravision@nsta.org.