How to Use AI Tools like ChatGPT To Help with School Assignments

When ChatGPT first hit the scene in the spring of 2023, teachers everywhere had a panic attack, decrying that there was no reason for students to ever do homework again if the “AI” can do it for them! With time to experiment and better understand the strengths and weaknesses of these tools, however, it’s become clear that having them do 100% of the work is a recipe for failure (I’ll explain why momentarily) but having them assist is a great opportunity to take academics to the next level.

Until we master direct-to-neuron learning (as so gloriously teased in The Matrix, among other science fiction films) education has always been a matter of using resources to add to our knowledge and expand our perspectives on things. Books, lectures, guest speakers, educational videos, that’s how we learn something new. In the Information Age, we add the Internet to the mix with its astonishing range of information, far more than anyone could absorb in a lifetime.

Last generation’s teachers had to remind their students that copying from Wikipedia – or even citing it as a scholarly or definitive resource – was inappropriate, even as they were encouraged to use the Web for research. This generation it’s about generative AI, and I invite my students to use it as a learning and research assistant, but warn them that it’s unacceptable to utilize as author.

Why? Because students still have to do the work of synthesizing information and crafting the words and ideas that comprise the actual prose of the assignment. Should they use spellcheck to improve their spelling and tools like Grammarly to improve their writing? Most certainly. But ChatGPT to write the assignment? Then it’s the aggregate generative perspective of the AI, not of the student at all.

Problem is, all of this is well and good, but how do you then use an AI tool as what I like to think of as a research assistant? Let’s have a look…

BASIC RESEARCH WITH AI

One of the great capabilities of generative AI is that it can explain things you don’t understand, whether you’re mired in an O-chem research paper or an essay on the American Revolution. For example, a reasonable question might be who were the main figures in the American Revolution?

This might be a question a student doesn’t want to ask their teacher for fear of looking like they’re not paying attention in class. But Microsoft Copilot? It’s ready to go:

Q: Who were the key figures in the American Revolution?

A: The American Revolution involved several key figures who played pivotal roles in shaping the course of history. Here are some of the most influential individuals:

1. George Washington:
– An American military commander, politician, and Founding Father.
– Served as the country’s first president from 1789 to 1797.

2. Benjamin Franklin:
– A Philadelphia printer, inventor, and patriot.
– Contributed to the drafting of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

3. Thomas Jefferson:
– Another Founding Father who played a crucial role in drafting the Declaration of Independence.
– Later served as the third president of the United States.

4. Samuel Adams:
– A political activist and delegate to both Continental Congresses in 1774 and 1775.
– Organized the first Committee of Correspondence in Boston.

5. King George III:
– Ruled Britain during the American Revolution.
– His neglect and misuse of the American colonies were cited as justifications for their revolution.

These figures, along with many others, shaped the course of events leading to American independence.

One reason I really like Microsoft Copilot is that it also lists reference pages with links so if you see something that piques your interest or surprises you, a click will take you to the relevant page to learn more.

Or, of course, you can ask…

Q: What was the Committee of Correspondence?

A: The Committees of Correspondence were emergency provisional governments established in the 13 American colonies in response to British policies leading up to the Revolutionary War (also known as the American Revolution) …

There’s a lot more to the answer, but you get the idea! It’s basically a tool that’s most akin to a teaching assistant who has endless patience for questions, even daft and obvious questions. This frees up students to be curious in their own ways and pursue knowledge, sometimes for its own sake.

HELP IDENTIFYING KEY TRENDS AND THEMES

But you can use these AI tools for much more than just basic explanations, you can challenge it to identify key ideas, themes, causes, or even myths associated with a subject. This time, instead of Microsoft Copilot, I’ll ask ChatGPT directly…

Q: What are common myths about the committees of correspondence from the revolutionary war?

A: The Committees of Correspondence played a crucial role in the lead-up to the American Revolution, serving as a means of communication and coordination among the colonies. However, there are some common myths or misconceptions about them:

1. Myth: The Committees of Correspondence were solely responsible for sparking the Revolution: While the Committees played a significant role in spreading information and organizing resistance against British policies, they were part of a larger movement of colonial discontent. Many other factors, such as British taxation policies, restrictions on colonial rights, and ideological differences, also contributed to the outbreak of the Revolution.

2. Myth: The Committees of Correspondence were secret organizations: While some aspects of their activities were clandestine, the Committees of Correspondence were not entirely secretive. They operated openly in many colonies, and their purpose was to facilitate communication and coordination among the colonies in response to British actions.

3. Myth: The Committees of Correspondence were uniform in structure and function: In reality, the Committees varied in structure and function from colony to colony. Some were more formalized and organized than others, depending on local circumstances and leadership. Additionally, their activities evolved over time in response to changing events and priorities.

4. Myth: The Committees of Correspondence were exclusively focused on revolutionary activities: While resistance to British rule was a primary concern, the Committees of Correspondence also addressed other issues, such as economic matters, local governance, and community organization. They served as important forums for political discussion and debate within the colonies.

5. Myth: The Committees of Correspondence disappeared after the Revolution: While their role diminished after the Revolutionary War, the Committees of Correspondence continued to exist in some form in many states. In some cases, they evolved into other political organizations or were incorporated into state governments. They played a role in shaping early American political institutions and processes.

If a student assignment included picking one aspect of the Revolutionary War and explaining common related myths, this is a wonderful starting point.

CROSS-CHECK WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE

The key to having this all be a boon, however, is that the student has to utilize their own knowledge of the subject too. If the American History class lectures were on the Revolutionary War and related myths and misconceptions were discussed, that information would need to be factored into the final paper in addition to what the AI has offered up.

This is the hard part, but in many ways this is the exact point of friction where education takes place in the 21st Century: One reason for that is AI gets things wrong. If someone published an inaccurate paper, the AI has no way of identifying and discarding that data so it will becomes part of its corpus of knowledge. A human can, of course, and the onus is on the student to do just that based on their own knowledge of the subject.

In other words, it’s just the next generation of a concept I refer to as interpretation of data. It’s why science is based on replication of research and findings by multiple scientists; one might have interpreted their results incorrectly, but two?Ten? Thirty?

Books get information wrong. Teachers can be wrong, or just make mistakes during a lecture. Papers, even peer-reviewed research papers, can be wrong, and it can be something not caught for years. This doesn’t mean it’s all bunk, but instead that instead of caveat emptor (buyer beware) we must operate in a word characterized by…

Q: Translate “researcher beware” into Latin

Certainly! In Latin, “researcher beware” can be expressed as “Caveat Indagator”. This phrase captures the idea of caution and vigilance for those engaged in research.

… characterized by caveat indagator.

See what I did there? I don’t speak Latin, but my AI assistant does! Now, how are you going to use these tools for your own research and education?

Pro Tip: I’ve been writing about AI for a while now. Please check out my AI and ChatGPT Help Area for more tutorials and help articles while you’re visiting!