Tips and Tricks

ChatGPT, one of the most popular AI chat bots, responds to prompts given by users to generate human-like text. For teachers, creating effective prompts involves being clear and specific about the desired outcome. For instance, instead of typing, "Tell me about history," a more focused prompt like, "Explain the causes and effects of the Industrial Revolution in England" yields better results. ChatGPT excels when given context in the prompts, so including background information helps it produce more relevant and accurate responses.

Additionally, posing open-ended questions encourages comprehensive answers. Guiding the AI to address particular aspects of a topic ensures the information provided aligns with the teacher's educational objectives. For example, asking, "How did the Industrial Revolution impact urbanization and labor conditions in England?" narrows the focus, helping ChatGPT to generate detailed and pertinent content.

Setting the role for ChatGPT can further enhance its effectiveness. By specifying the AI’s role, such as saying, "You are a history teacher," you provide it with a persona that guides its responses to be more tailored and relevant. This role-setting technique ensures that the AI's answers are aligned with the perspective and depth expected from a knowledgeable educator, thus enriching the learning experience for students.

The creator of ChatGPT, OpenAI, has a prompt engineering guide with more information. For Google Gemini users, Google also has prompt engineering guide available. To get the most out of the conversational AI, knowing how to talk to them will help you get better results. Remember to always validate any AI generated output for accuracy.

We also recommend checking out our AI in Education video series that details ways AI can change education. Check out our series on YouTube to learn more!