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8. AOD in the Age of GenAI

8.3. Using GenAI to Create & Facilitate AODs

This subchapter provides ideas for using ChatGPT as an educator, to make your work of creating and evaluating AODs easier.

Become Familiar with Ethan Mollick's Work

Ethan Mollick has developed an array of resources to guide educators in incorporating GenAI into their work. These resources come highly (highly!) recommended.

Craft a Case Study

You can use ChatGPT to create a case study, based on a real-world dilemma, that aligns with your learning outcome. You can then use the case study as a basis for the AOD discussion, where students have to propose ways to solve the dilemma.

Here are some of the prompts I used to generate a case idea. I did this using several iteration with ChatGPT, to progressively hone in one what I needed. You can replace the text in brackets [ ] with information from your own context.

First, I brainstormed possible scenarios, using ChatGPT as an assistant, with the following prompt.

I am an instructor teaching [biology] in [first year of university]. I want to use a real-world controversy related to the topic of [mitochondria] to help my students learn more about [cell biology and the interplay of science and society]. I would like you to suggest 5 possible real-world controversies that I could use to achieve these goals. Cite your sources and do not create them.

You can view a sample output.

Once I had identified a scenario, I asked ChatGPT to write an introduction to the case study.

I am an instructor who teaches a [second year nutrition] course to [university] students. I would like to use the controversy over [the benefits and risks of a ketogenic diet on health] to help students [evaluate contradictory information on a health outcome]. I am looking for a short introductory to this controversy that I could give students to introduce this as a case study. Write this introduction. It should be no more than 300 words. The description should explain the premise of the controversy and end with a clear call for students to evaluate the information and make a decision about their position on this controversy.

However, the introduction I obtained was a little generic, so I asked ChatGPT to spice it up with the following prompt.

This is excellent. However, I would like you to use a real-world example as a trigger for the case study. Can you re-write this and this time include allusion to the real-world situation as a reason for exploring [the benefits and drawbacks of a ketogenic diet on health]?

This is when ChatGPT came up with the idea of using a Chris Hemsworth (the Australian actor who plays Thor in Marvel movies) as a pivotal player in the case study. The case is based on several recent news articles where the actor claims to adopt a ketogenic diet to grow muscles for his movie roles. The case is now engaging, as it puts the concept that students are learning in a real-world context.

You can see a sample output from Chat GPT 4.0

Summarize the Week's Discussion

It can be tedious to read through every learners' posts to create a weekly summary of the discussion. ChatGPT can help! Enter the discussion content into ChatGPT and ask the tool to generate a one paragraph summary of the discussion.

Advisory Note: You should remove the full names of students from the discussion or any other identifying information. It may be beneficial to leave first names, as they aren't sufficient to identify a person and ChatGPT could give kudos to certain learners for taking the discussions in different directions.

Analyzing Discussion Trends

By reviewing the content of learner posts, ChatGPT can help instructors identify common themes, misconceptions, or particularly engaging topics. This analysis can inform future teaching strategies and content focus.

Advisory Note: You should remove the full names of students from the discussion or any other identifying information.

Generating Quizzes and Knowledge Checks

Based on the discussion, ChatGPT can be used to create quizzes or short knowledge checks to be added to your final exam (thereby ensuring that learners view the discussion as course material).

Create a Rubric to Assess the AOD

Use ChatGPT to help you create a rubric to assess the quality of learner contributions in an AOD. You could ask ChatGPT to create the whole rubric, though it is perhaps more beneficial to build your rubric step by step, ensuring that it meets your needs every step of the way.

1. Criteria Identification and Definition

  • Initial Setup: Educators can begin by asking ChatGPT to list potential criteria that are important for assessing online discussions. This could include aspects like critical thinking, engagement, relevance, and use of evidence.
  • Criteria Definition: Further, educators can refine these criteria by asking ChatGPT to define each criterion in the context of online discussions, ensuring clarity and understanding for both the assessor and the students.

2. Development of Performance Levels

  • Performance Descriptors: ChatGPT can assist in creating detailed descriptions for various levels of performance (e.g., exemplary, satisfactory, needs improvement) for each criterion. This helps in providing clear expectations and standards.
  • Customization: Tailoring these levels to fit the specific course context or discussion topic can also be facilitated by ChatGPT, ensuring relevance and applicability.

3. Incorporation of Examples

  • Providing Examples: Educators might use ChatGPT to generate examples of discussion contributions that would meet different levels of the rubric. This can serve as a guide for students to understand what is expected at each performance level.
  • Contextualization: Asking ChatGPT to create examples that are closely related to the course content or specific discussion topics can enhance the rubric's effectiveness and relatability.

4. Rubric Testing and Refinement

  • Drafting Test Prompts: ChatGPT can help draft discussion prompts that the rubric will assess, allowing educators to test the rubric's applicability and comprehensiveness.
  • Feedback Incorporation: Educators can refine the rubric based on preliminary feedback from colleagues or trial runs in class discussions, using ChatGPT to adjust criteria or performance levels as needed.

5. Guidance on Ethical and Inclusive Assessment

  • Ethical Considerations: ChatGPT can provide insights on ensuring the rubric promotes fairness, inclusivity, and ethical assessment practices, important for fostering a supportive learning environment.
  • Diversity and Inclusion: Educators can also consult ChatGPT on best practices for incorporating diverse perspectives and ensuring the rubric does not unintentionally bias against any group of students.

6. Rubric Explanation and Communication

  • Explanation for Learners: ChatGPT can assist in crafting clear explanations of the rubric for students, including how it will be used to assess their contributions and how they can meet or exceed the criteria.
  • Q&A Preparation: Educators might prepare for potential questions or concerns from learners about the rubric by using ChatGPT to anticipate and formulate responses.

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