Education, and the world at large, has entered a new exciting but uncertain age with AI tools such as ChatGPT about to bring transformation in many areas of society. In this article, I list over fifty ways that teachers can proactively use ChatGPT in the classroom to assist them in coping with the increasing demands of the profession. While the benefits seem obvious, the AI revolution also poses risks, as the AI pioneer Dr Geoffrey Hinton, who was considered the “godfather of AI,” pointed out when he resigned from Google on May 2nd, 2023.
There is a two-fold challenge for educators: One is to ensure that students do not abuse tools such ChatGPT, limiting their ability to think critically and independently. Second, teachers may come under unrealistic pressure to provide every student with “personalized learning experiences to every student based on their learning styles, interests, and abilities.”
Here are fifty-seven ways teachers can use ChatGPT to save time, plus ways to introduce AI effectively and proactively in the classroom.
PS. I see a lot of people write “please give” or “can you write…” There is no need to be polite to the AI, give it instructions. (Unless they are trying to get onto the robot’s good side before the inevitable revolution.)
Table of Contents
Create a draft curriculum
You can create a draft version of a curriculum. It won’t be 100% perfect, but you can use it as a place to start from.
Assist with Unit outlines
When you align its output with the Common Core State Standards, the AI tool is able to craft a unit outline for any grade level, subject, or timeline.
Create Lesson Plans
ChatGPT writes the first draft of a lesson plan and curriculum. Can create PBL (Project-based learning) lesson. ChatGPT AI can help teachers in creating lesson plans that are aligned with the learning objectives and standards. By analyzing the curriculum and providing recommendations, teachers can create effective lesson plans that engage students and improve learning outcomes. While there is no substitute for your own creativity and invention when creating lessons, ChatGPT can save you lots of time by jump-starting those ideas. You can ask the app to create a lesson about nearly anything for any audience, and it will give you a nice bulleted list of options. These plans are usually not fully formed, but they often contain really good ideas that you can build upon. Asking quality follow-up questions can help you use ChatGPT to refine those ideas even further.
Create lesson appropriate vocabulary
Ask ChatGPT for a list of vocabulary that is level appropriate – Then write a story using the vocabulary. Do it in tablet form. Explain vocabulary at a level that is suitable for your learners.
Generate teaching resources
Teachers can ask ChatGPT to generate sentences using a particular word, and then have students guess the meaning of the words based on the context of the sentence. Write reading passages, poems, articles. You can even ask the ai to generate comprehension questions to accompany the story.
Create Quizzes
Ask ChatGPT to create quizzes for reading checks.
Explain Grammar
Ask ChatGPT to explain Grammar.
Create problems with answer examples
Create solved examples of math problems, chemistry equations, etc., with explanations of each step.
Create Assignments for learners
Ask ChatGPT to create assignments pertinent to the lesson material.
Create Cloze tests
ChatGPT can create a Cloze comprehension test, where words are removed from a passage, and the reader is asked to fill in the blanks to test their understanding of the main ideas, vocabulary, and sentence structure of the passage.
Tables and bullet points
Use ChatGPT to create tables for any subject and on any level.
Create Rubrics
Create rubrics aligned to specific standards. ChatGPT will compose a rubric for any type of student performance.
Create checklists
The tool can develop an observation checklist to document students’ academic, social, emotional, and physical progress.
Brainstorm activities
Ask ChatGPT for activities or games you can use for specific topics.
Produce posters
Use ChatGPT to easily create posters for the classroom. For example, class rules; 10 reasons why algebra is important to the students’ future; or the 20 most common writing errors of high school students; with short definitions and examples.
Passage Questions
ChatGPT can create questions for any text and provide an answer key. It can also create homework writing prompts. (10 Past continuous questions on a learner’s past history)
Discussion Prompts
Use Chatgpt to write engaging & open-ended prompts for whole class discussions on a topic.
Create IEP Goals
Create IEP (Individual Education Plans – Learning goals and outcomes) goals for students. Input information about the student’s ability and Chatgpt will generate specific, measurable goals for the student to work towards. You can even make it for learners with learning disabilities.
Create Quizzes
Align all your quiz questions on a topic or reading with the common core state standards.
Create Tests
Ask ChatGPT to create tests on specific topics using any type of question format. Paste a passage into the chatbot or identify the title and chapter of a classic piece of literature, and the AI will produce a test bank and answer key.
Create Templates for reports and correspondence
Use the AI to create templates for annual reports and for common emails. Use ChatGPT to create permission sheets and other correspondence documents like Parent notes; permissions sheets for guardians to sign for field trips and other activities.
Professional correspondence
Using ChatGPT, teachers can streamline communication with parents, colleagues, and administrators via AI-composed welcome-to-class letters, newsletter copy, volunteer and donation requests, supply lists, grant and field trip proposals, assembly programs, and permission sheets.
Generate report card comments
ChatGPT can help to generate suitable comments on report cards.
Provide feedback of grammar errors
When kids make grammar errors, teachers can direct ChatGPT to define, describe, and identify how to improve the error and also provide examples.
Teach students to use it responsibly
Students can submit their writing to ChatGPT and get suggestions for improvement. Rather than see AI as an enemy, we should teach our students to use it responsibly. They can do writing in class, for homework fix it, explain what improvements they made using ChatGPT.
Practice finding mistakes and making corrections
Proactively introduce ChatGPT to students and encourage them to use it. For example, to practice for debate assignments, develop business proposal templates for a “Shark Tank”-like pitching simulation and gather information about historical figures.
Dialogue preparation for tough discussions
Use ChatGPT to prepare and practice difficult dialogues; for example to have a discussion with parents of a bully.
Build information literacy
ChatGPT can be a valuable tool to help teachers build information literacy skills in the classroom. One example lesson builds directly onto the flipped-classroom approach. After students have used ChatGPT to generate a response tailored to their research question, teachers could use this moment to show students how to evaluate the validity, credibility, and veracity of the AI-generated information. The CRAAP test is one helpful evaluation tool to help students assess whether online sources are current, relevant, authoritative, accurate, and purposeful.
Simplified explanations
Grammar explanations or other things. Ask ChatGPT to create a passage, chapter, or book summary for students who need support. The tool can also function as a text compactor that analyzes readings and creates more concise and condensed versions
Create Tables
Create tables for student study guides, which would have previously used up at least an hour of prep time.
Correct common errors and provide examples
When students make grammar or other common errors, teachers can direct ChatGPT to describe the error and provide examples.
Dialogues and roleplays
For example with facilitating ESL Conversations. Students can ask ChatGPT, “Can we have a conversation in a restaurant? You can be the server and ChatGPT will write the dialogue of the server while the student responds.
Provide word problems
For example, using ratios: ChatGPT gives the problem, the formula for solving it, and a full explanation of the procedure.
Slide shows and presentations
ChatGPT can outline a slide show and you supply the visuals
Differentiation
Customize materials for different preferences (simplifying language, adjusting to different reading levels, creating tailored activities for different interests)
Create chapter summaries
Need a choice board for an art activity? Boom, done.. Furthermore, the AI will generate differentiated rubrics for an assignment for customized expectations and levels of challenge.
Pre-reading
Extract keywords from a chapter and define those words. Build a prereading or advance organizer by extracting critical and unfamiliar vocabulary from a chapter and listing keywords with their definitions.
Smarter Search Engine
Search for complex answers. Create math problems.
Make lists
List of 100 commonly used adjectives – then do it again with examples!”
Brainstorm Ideas
If you’re stuck in a rut and looking for new ideas, consider asking ChatGPT for ideas. For instance, you could ask for strategies to facilitate collaboration in a second grade classroom, or you might ask for ways to authentically apply a certain geometry concept. The list of ideas that you get back can get you thinking in new ways and generate fresh approaches in your classroom.
X-factor instruction
When I asked ChatGPT to devise a “challenging and creative approach to teaching metaphors” to students, the tool described an activity that involved integrating student-created metaphors into original stories conveyed through visual genres (e.g., a comic strip, a storyboard).
Simplify difficult topics
Having difficulty articulating an advanced concept? Ask ChatGPT to “explain the topic to a first grader.” Here’s the tool’s simplified explanation of chloroplasts: “Chloroplasts are little green things inside plant leaves that help the plant make its own food. They are like tiny factories that use sunlight, air, and water to make the plant’s food.” Overall, ChatGPT AI can help teachers in several ways, from personalizing learning to providing feedback and assistance to students. By leveraging the power of AI, teachers can improve the effectiveness of their classes and help students achieve better learning outcomes
Develop instructions for cooperative learning roles
Develop instructions for cooperative learning roles and expectations. Generate assignment directions with a detailed overview, grading criteria, a description of the required format, and task details.
Prompt generator
The tool can compose writing prompts for any genre and include a corresponding rubric.
Make flashcards
Let ChatGPT create flashcards on any topic and level with questions and answers.
Flip the classroom
Just as you can learn from ChatGPT, your students can learn from it as well. Give students a homework assignment to learn something about a new topic on ChatGPT and teach it to their classmates. One of the best ways to learn is to teach, so get your students teaching and they’ll also be learning. For example, in a history class, you can have different students learn about major events in different decades from ChatGPT and have them make a PowerPoint or video presentation to teach their classmates about their topic.
Reinforce and expand teacher knowledge
Teachers don’t know everything and are always learning. ChatGPT can also be used as a tool to learn and test your own knowledge. You can ask it questions related to the subject you’re studying, and see how well you understand the material or learn something new. For example, if you are a science teacher and are teaching about the history of atomic structure, you can write to ChatGPT, “Tell me about the history of atomic structure”, and it will pull all of its resources together to give you a concise response.
Identify resources
ChatGPT can also provide links to online resources and educational materials that can help you teach a particular subject. Whether you’re looking for videos, articles, or interactive learning experiences, ChatGPT can help you find what you need to support your teaching. For example, you need resources to teach about trigonometry, so ask ChatGPT to find you websites, videos and activities to help you teach the topic.
Create Study Guides
Designing effective study guides that meet the needs of each student can be a challenge for teachers. At the same time, if students create their own study guides, they may not be well-organized or necessarily accurate. ChatGPT can help address this problem by generating study guides that are customized to students’ needs.
Find information gaps in lectures
ChatGPT can help teachers improve their courses by pointing out gaps in their lectures and consolidating content and information to support curriculum delivery with deep learning.
Personalized Learning
ChatGPT AI can help teachers create personalized learning plans for each student, based on their individual strengths, weaknesses, and learning style. By analyzing student data and providing recommendations, teachers can create customized lessons that cater to the needs of each student.
Feedback and Assessment
ChatGPT AI can assist teachers in grading assignments and providing feedback to students. By using natural language processing algorithms, ChatGPT AI can help teachers evaluate written assignments and provide constructive feedback to students.
Answering student queries
ChatGPT AI can answer students’ questions and provide assistance with homework assignments. Students can interact with the AI in natural language, and it can provide accurate and relevant information.
Generate Directions and Tip Sheets
ChatGPT is good at curating this type of information, and it can save you lots of time. For instance, if you want to give your students tips on staying organized via email or Google Drive, you can ask the app for these tips and share them with your students.
Analyze Learners
AI can also provide just-in-time assessment by leveraging learning analytics and big data to find changes in confidence and motivation levels in individual students. This allows educators to administer timely interventions to struggling students.
Data collection and analytics
AI can assist with extensive data collection and analytics tasks, which helps educators find the most effective pedagogical and classroom management techniques for each individual student.
Summary
AI can also free up educators’ time by automating tasks, analyzing student performance, and closing the educational gap.