Using ChatGPT and Other AI Tools Effectively in a Continuous Learning Environment

ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) tools have numerous applications for learners and instructors in a continuous learning environment. Below we explore the benefits of these tools for both groups as well as how they can be used effectively in a continuous learning environment.

Created by OpenAI, ChatGPT is often referred to as a “natural language processing tool driven by AI technology,” allowing people to have human-like conversations and more with the chatbot. When the user types a query into ChatGPT, the language model answers questions and assists with tasks like those mentioned above. There is currently a free version and a paid subscription version called ChatGPT Plus that launched earlier this year.

The Chang School recently spoke with Allyson Miller, Academic Integrity Specialist at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Janie Goldstein, Family Business Instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University, on the ways in which ChatGPT and other AI tools can be used responsibly in a continuous learning environment. Their expert opinion? While ChatGPT presents numerous benefits for continuous learning, it has certain limitations, as we will discuss below.

“It’s an exciting time to be in education since there are so many opportunities to profoundly improve what we can do,” says Janie. “The same way as the pandemic made educators think about how to revise pedagogies, this new era of ChatGPT is requiring us to do the same.”

AI tools are not meant to replace analog learning but have significant benefits for learners and instructors as highlighted below. These tools are here to stay and are becoming increasingly used by people across all industries. While there are drawbacks with any technology, there are some ways that it can help learners and instructors alike work more effectively.

Benefits of AI Tools for Learners

Currently, learners can use AI tools like ChatGPT to:

• Enter course notes and ask the AI tool to quiz them on the material (making sure to verify the AI tool’s “correct” answers)
• Enter course outline and ask the AI tool to generate a study schedule
• Paste complex text into the AI tools and ask it to explain in plain language what it means
• Promote critical thinking and generate new ideas

Benefits of AI Tools for Instructors

Promoting critical thinking and generating new ideas is a benefit of AI tools for instructors as well. Allyson says that any time an instructor brings AI tools into the classroom (be it virtual or in-person) they are – intentionally or not – teaching AI literacy, critical thinking, and research skills. “One great way to teach that is to work backwards by generating an essay with AI and then having learners evaluate the essay and find legitimate sources that support the claims and/or indicate when claims made in the essay are patently false.”

Instructors can also use AI tools to:

• Build a test bank of questions and answers (both questions and answers need to be independently verified)
• Provide ideas for a lesson plan given the targeted learning outcomes and course subject matter
• Test the quality of assignments (i.e. if the AI tool can do the work well, then the assignment likely needs to be more robust)

Overall, Allyson advises instructors to, first and foremost, get to know the technology.

“Push it to see what it can and can’t do, and think creatively about how it might be used,” she says. “Consider revising your assignments and exams to ensure that learners need to directly reference course material and/or specifical sources in order to receive a passing evaluation.”

Instead of seeing AI tools like ChatGPT as a threat to learning, Janie sees it as something that can help learners and instructors alike.

“I think the way calculators changed the way we teach math, we can use ChatGPT to change the way we teach,” she says. “The reality is that learners will use ChatGPT when they graduate and so how can we prepare them for their real world experiences? We can start in the classroom by helping them to understand the limitations of ChatGPT and the benefits too. I also think that there are interesting and fun ways to use ChatGPT in the classroom to help students better understand the concepts we teach and also to assess their understanding of the concepts.”

Using ChatGPT Responsibly

TMU is currently creating guidelines and customizable templates for instructors so that each instructor can think about whether ChatGPT should and should not be used in the particular course. While the use of AI writing and design tools isn’t specifically addressed in TMU’s Policy 60: Academic Integrity, there’s an FAQ on the website that learners might find helpful, and Policy 60 is currently under review

Allyson says it’s important for instructors and students to clearly discuss what’s appropriate and what’s not.

“For example, in a course where one of the things being assessed is the student’s ability to articulate their ideas, using AI tools that improve the clarity of the student’s writing is problematic,” she says. “Similarly, if one of the things being assessed is the student’s understanding of the sources they're using in their work, and if the way that's assessed is by evaluating the material the student paraphrased (and cited), using a paraphrasing machine would be unacceptable.”

Current Limitations

In general, there are many positives for learners and instructors when it comes to using AI tools in a continuous learning environment. However, both parties need to understand the potential pitfalls. For example, depending on the platform and version of the AI, recent events aren’t recognized.

“So if there is a topic that involves a recent event, ChatGPT might not ‘know’ about it,” says Janie. “Learners need to do their own research.”

ChatGPT is also known to make-up information and write about it in a very compelling way – this is often referred to as “hallucinating.” For example, let’s say you ask ChatGPT to comment on a specific aspect of a document from a specific company but the answer can’t be found in that document or any others from that company. In that situation, ChatGPT might make up information and mislead you rather than declining the request.

It is important to note that while AI tools like ChatGPT offer immense potential in the university setting, human expertise and guidance remain crucial. Ethical considerations, privacy protection, and responsible use of AI should be carefully addressed to ensure the technology benefits all stakeholders involved.

Janie says that it’s unrealistic to assume that learners won’t be using AI tools. “They’re going to use them anyway while at university and once they start working after graduation. Let's focus, as educators, to encourage them to use AI responsibly.”