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Artificial Intelligence in College

This guide will discuss generative artificial intelligence tools (GAIT), such as ChatGPT, and its use in your classes at CAMP..

Artificial neurons of bookshelves

GAITs can help you brainstorm for your assignments. 

Some examples:

  • Topics
  • Keywords
  • Thesis statements

 

ChatGPT Conversation: For a community college English class.  Give me 5 example topics with search keywords on Colonial America Virginia. Certainly, here are five example topics related to Colonial America in Virginia, along with relevant search keywords that can help in conducting research:  1. **Jamestown Settlement and Early Colonial Life**    - Keywords: Jamestown settlement, Virginia Company, colonial Virginia daily life, early American settlers.  2. **Virginia's Role in the American Revolution**    - Keywords: Virginia in the American Revolution, Battle of Yorktown, George Washington, Virginia patriots, Revolutionary War in Virginia.  3. **Slavery and Plantation Economy in Colonial Virginia**    - Keywords: Slavery in Colonial Virginia, Virginia plantations, tobacco cultivation, indentured servants, African American history in Virginia.  4. **Native American Tribes in Colonial Virginia**    - Keywords: Powhatan Confederacy, Virginia Native American tribes, interactions with Native Americans, indigenous peoples in Colonial Virginia.  5. **Religion and Religious Tensions in Colonial Virginia**    - Keywords: Religion in Colonial Virginia, Anglicanism, dissenting religious groups, religious freedom, Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom (1786).  These topics and keywords should provide a good starting point for researching various aspects of Colonial America in Virginia for your community college English class. You can use these keywords to search for books, articles, primary sources, and other relevant materials in your library's collection or online databases.

 

 

Although ChatGPT can generate topics and keywords, you will have to refine your prompts using prompt engineering to get topics that match and are otherwise appropriate for your assignment.

Contact your librarian for help!

Human hand with red and yellow lines forming a brain meeting blue lines forming a brain from an electronic hand.ChatGPT can serve as a debate partner or play devil's advocate. 

This is particularly useful in writing pro/con or position papers.

Although ChatGPT can act as a devil's advocate or debate partner, it may miss details that are apparent to you. Always be prepared to edit or expand on your prompts to get responses that are useful for you.  You know more than generative AI!

[Text: User: I am writing a pro/con paper for a community college English class. I am taking the position that all bathrooms should be fully accessible and gender neutral in public spaces. Play devil's advocate and give me 5 arguments against that position.
ChatGPT: 
Of course, here are five arguments against the position that all bathrooms should be fully accessible and gender-neutral in public spaces:

  1. Privacy and Comfort Concerns: Some individuals may feel uncomfortable or have concerns about their privacy when using gender-neutral bathrooms, especially in situations where they have to share facilities with people of different genders. This discomfort could lead to increased stress and anxiety when using public restrooms.

  2. Safety Issues: Critics argue that gender-neutral bathrooms may pose safety risks, particularly for women and vulnerable populations. They contend that these spaces could become targets for harassment or assault, as they may provide easier access for individuals with malicious intentions.

  3. Cultural and Religious Beliefs: Some people's cultural or religious beliefs dictate that gender segregation is necessary for moral or ethical reasons. Mandating gender-neutral bathrooms could be seen as infringing upon their deeply held values and religious freedoms.

  4. Logistical and Infrastructure Challenges: Converting all public restrooms to be fully accessible and gender-neutral would require significant renovations and financial investments. Critics argue that these resources could be better allocated to addressing other pressing public needs, such as education or healthcare.

  5. Potential for Misuse: Opponents of gender-neutral bathrooms express concerns about the potential for individuals to misuse these facilities for purposes other than using the restroom. They fear that these spaces could be exploited for voyeurism or other inappropriate activities.

It's essential to recognize that these arguments against gender-neutral and fully accessible bathrooms are not universally accepted, and there are counterarguments and solutions to address many of these concerns. When writing your pro/con paper, be sure to present a balanced view of the topic, acknowledging both the advantages and disadvantages of this approach while providing evidence and reasoned analysis to support your position.]

Questioning robot.Explain a topic:

If you have difficulty with a topic, ask a GAIT to explain it as to a 5th grader. For reading assignments that are too complex, they can be entered into GAITs and translated into simpler language.  There are even ones that can assist with explaining answers to math assignments.

Remember - use them ethically!  They are a tool to help you think and understand, they are not to do the thinking for you.

[Text: User:  I don't understand what this means. Can you explain it to me like I'm a 5th grader? "Plagiarism: The wrongful appropriation of another’s work without any indication of the source and the claiming of credit of such work as being the individual’s own. Student’s resubmission of the same work to multiple instructors is not permitted and is considered plagiarism. Any student who fails to give credit for the form or content of material extracted from another individual’s work is guilty of plagiarism."

ChatGPT: Sure, let me explain plagiarism in a simpler way:

Plagiarism is when you use someone else's work, like their words or ideas, without saying where you got it from and pretending that it's your own.

For example, imagine you have to write a school paper, and you copy a whole paragraph from a book or the internet and don't say where you found it. That's plagiarism because you're taking someone else's stuff and saying it's yours.

Also, if you use the same paper for different classes without telling your teachers, that's also not allowed. It's like trying to turn in the same homework for two different subjects.

So, plagiarism is like taking from others and not giving them credit, and it's not allowed in school because it's not fair or honest. Always remember to say where you got your information from when you use someone else's work in your own projects!]

Helping hands....

GAITs can assist those with learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, or executive functioning conditions, such as ADHD.

For example, ADHD often makes starting difficult. Using a GAIT to write a few general introductory sentences or an outline can help you overcome writer's block.

 

Here's what ChatGPT has to say about itself as an accommodation tool:

"ChatGPT can be a valuable tool to accommodate learning and attention disabilities in various educational settings. Here are several ways it can be utilized for this purpose:

1. **Text-to-Speech and Speech-to-Text Conversion:**
   - ChatGPT can be used to convert text-based content into speech for students with reading difficulties or visual impairments.
   - It can also transcribe spoken language into text, making it easier for students who have difficulty writing or typing.

2. **Personalized Learning Support:**
   - ChatGPT can provide personalized tutoring and support by adapting its responses to the specific needs of each student.
   - It can generate explanations, summaries, or examples tailored to a student's learning pace and style.

3. **Language Simplification:**
   - ChatGPT can simplify complex language or content, making it more accessible to students with language processing difficulties.
   - It can break down complex concepts into simpler terms and explanations.

4. **Visual Representation Assistance:**
   - ChatGPT can create visual descriptions or diagrams based on textual input, aiding students who struggle with visual learning or understanding complex visuals.

5. **Prompting and Reminders:**
   - It can serve as a virtual assistant for students, providing reminders, prompts, and schedules to help those with attention difficulties stay organized and on track.

6. **Interactive Practice:**
   - ChatGPT can facilitate interactive practice sessions for subjects like mathematics or language skills, providing immediate feedback and adapting difficulty levels to individual needs.

7. **Reading Comprehension Assistance:**
   - It can generate summaries, answer questions, and provide context for reading materials, supporting students with comprehension challenges.

8. **Emotional Support and Encouragement:**
   - ChatGPT can offer emotional support and encouragement, reducing stress and anxiety for students with learning disabilities.

9. **Accessibility Features:**
   - Incorporate accessibility features such as adjustable text size, color contrast, and keyboard shortcuts to accommodate a wider range of needs.

10. **Collaboration and Communication Support:**
    - ChatGPT can facilitate communication between students and teachers, aiding in clarifications and addressing concerns in a way that suits students with attention and communication difficulties.

11. **Feedback and Progress Tracking:**
    - It can provide continuous feedback on student progress and areas for improvement, helping teachers and students identify and address learning challenges.

12. **Customization and Control:**
    - Tailor ChatGPT's behavior, language complexity, and interaction style to align with individual learning preferences and needs.

However, it's important to note that while ChatGPT can be a valuable tool, it should be used in conjunction with other accommodations and support systems tailored to the specific needs of each student. Additionally, ongoing evaluation and refinement of its use are essential to ensure its effectiveness in accommodating learning and attention disabilities."