A Dawn of Change for the Written Word

Embracing new Technology - Should Chat GPT-3 be banned in schools and learning institutions? A better question would be, why isn't it being?taught?in schools?

Chat GPT-3 article - Matthew Parker Tue 10/01/2023 18:30

The teaching tradition has been for students to 'learn' by memorising the textbooks and parroting their teacher's opinions. Since the start of the school system, the goal was to learn enough to pass a test.??

For this reason, a homework assignment would often involve using the textbook and class notes to answer a question with slightly different wording. A student was being tested on how well they could recall an answer and then reword it.?

One of the first disruptions to this tedium came in the form of published summaries (think CliffsNotes) and a larger ruckus was when students became connected to the internet. With these tools, a learner could copy an answer word for word without the labour of having to reword every other line. Of course, technology caught up and helped educators identify these rogues.?

The 'horror' of Chat GPT-3 is it can write an essay from a simple prompt. "Please write me an academic essay on what the Pilgrimage of Grace was and why it was significant." In a matter of seconds, you're reading the finished result.?

Unlike copying and pasting an answer from the internet, the output will vary greatly depending on what you used as a prompt. You can tell Chat GPT-3 the purpose, audience, format, tone of voice and so much more. A student could even paste in the teacher's five favourite classroom phrases and ask for them to be included in the essay.?

Educators are now at a loss because they can't grade based on the game of 'who did the best job at repackaging the information that was dished out'. Chat GPT-3 is just too effective.?

However, it's my assertion that Chat GPT-3 could be one of the most helpful tools for learning that we have seen so far. If educators embraced the new technology (because let's face it, it's not going away) instead of retreating from it, their students would be much better for it.?

The lazy use for Chat GPT-3 is to type in a prompt and get it to do all the work. The smart use is to utilise the technology to augment a student's learning.?

Chat GPT-3 gives a student instant feedback, which allows for an unprecedented level of growth and increased understanding. With the right know-how, it can be comparable to every student having a private tutor at home to help them.?

A student can write an essay, enter it into Chat GPT-3 and ask it to write a brand new essay with the opposite point of view. The student will immediately see where their own arguments fall apart, where they need to tighten their wording and use of facts, and where they might want to rethink their view of the world. Rinse and repeat this exercise and a student will stop hiding behind some memorised wording, and start learning to fight for their point of view while seeking truth beyond the classroom.?

What if a student is fantastic at answering verbally but struggles with writing? They can record themselves answering an essay question verbally, upload it to YouTube, download the transcript, and then ask Chat GPT-3 to tidy it up. The student can then see what their opinions and arguments can look like on paper. Essay writing is a skill, why wouldn't we want to equip students with the best tools to improve?

Learning to code? Paste in what you're working on, and Chat GPT-3 will help you fix or improve it. You can even tell it what you want your code to do, and it will rewrite it with you. I know, I wouldn't have believed it either...

Another use for Chat GPT-3 is as an engaging 'creativity machine' to help students memorise otherwise mundane facts.

A student can paste in a dry article and ask for it to be rewritten so it's funny and engaging. Thus creating content for different personas or situations. (See below)

They can hand over their revision cards and ask Chat GPT-3 to create a choose-your-own-adventure game based in a fantasy world to help them test their knowledge of the concepts. I showed Chat GPT-3's capabilities with word-based games to a friend who works with AI, and he was "blown away...".

And as you might have seen, Chat GPT-3 can write poems and songs (I asked it to write a poem to help memorise the leg muscles). However, it can also devise acronyms (it created one called CHUFF to help me memorise the origami pattern for a simple bird base) and other learning aids.?

But does Chat GPT-3 have limits, or will it dethrone Google and all other tools used for information gathering? Chat GPT-3 will not replace Google (at least not yet), in fact, it even acknowledges from the start that it can output false and incorrect information. However, what sets Chat GPT-3 apart from a search engine is the ability to have a dialogue with it (after all it is a chatbot).?

During an exchange, I asked Chat GPT-3 for feedback and asked what information I could give it in the future to obtain better results. It immediately showed me my past queries and gave examples of how and why to improve my wording for future questions. In a world where we rely on data from systems, imagine how much easier it will be when more systems can provide immediate user feedback.?

Chat GPT-3 is as disruptive as technology can get, and so it's only natural that institutions are trying to ban or contain it. That said, I hope that I have tempted you to try leaning into this impressive technology. With a smart mindset and approach to this new way of learning, all learners can benefit.?

Embracing the new technology - Examples

Targeted Marketing Aimed at 'tribes'; CEOs and friends.

Qlik Messaging for CEOs - Interesting and Engaging

Chat GPT3 was asked to rewrite Qlik's?Qlik Cloud Data Integration page ? so that a CEO would find it interesting and engaging. It came up with this:

"Are you tired of manually updating your data for business insights and wasting valuable time scripting and scheduling jobs? Introducing Qlik Cloud Data Integration, a game-changer for enterprise data delivery and transformation.

With real-time data movement, easily replicate and update data from various sources including on-premises and cloud systems. No more manual intervention necessary - drive insights and action in important business moments with real-time data.

Transform your raw transaction records into consumable data with our no-code interface and intelligently conform data to dimensional models or custom formats. Plus, use our visual editor to automate workflows and streamline data and analytics processes, leaving more time for analysis.

Our catalogue and lineage capabilities provide a full understanding of data's lifecycle and actively monitor it, giving you the confidence to expand data access and accelerate modernizing and migrating analytics to the cloud.

Enjoy several scalability, security, and maintenance advantages with our superior data architecture. With Qlik Cloud Data Integration, easily deliver, transform and unify enterprise data in real-time for any analytics, ML, or digital transformation initiative."

Qlik Messaging for Friends - Make it Funny

Chat GPT3 was then asked it to do it again, but this time make it funny:

"Are you tired of manually moving data around like a medieval peasant? Say goodbye to the drudgery with Qlik Cloud Data Integration!

We'll help you deliver your data faster than a Pizza delivery on a Friday night, and transform it like a chameleon on a colour wheel. With real-time data movement, you can replicate data from any source and unify it like the Avengers uniting to fight Thanos. No job scheduling or scripting required, we'll do it all automatically so you can sit back and enjoy a cold beer.

We also have a no-code interface that turns raw transaction records into consumption-ready data faster than a chef can cook a 5-star meal. And with our visual editor, you can easily automate workflows like a boss - making you look like a superhero in front of your colleagues.

Our catalogue and lineage capabilities are like having a GPS for your data, you'll always know where it's coming from, where it's going, and what it's meaning.

Our cloud integration platform is like a fancy sports car, it's faster, more secure, and requires less maintenance than traditional solutions. So stop wasting time and start enjoying data integration like never before with Qlik Cloud Data Integration."