^{Themes: Assessment, Engagement, How I’ve been using AI, Lesson planning, Specific AI Tool(s)
Audience & Subject: General (All Grades); General, Kindergarten, The Arts, Faith-Based Studies, Health & Physical Education, Literacy, Numeracy, Science & Technology, Social Studies, History & Geography}

Introduction

Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPT) models, which use deep learning algorithms to understand and generate human-like text, have wide-ranging educational applications. These models apply to various tasks, such as automated essay scoring, personalized learning assistants, interactive learning modules, language translation, and real-time question answering.

What is a GPT Model?

A GPT model is an AI model that uses Generative Pre-trained Transformers. These models are trained on vast amounts of data and can generate text that is remarkably similar to human-written text. They are designed to understand and produce language, making them powerful tools for a wide range of applications.

Building Your Own GPT Model

While creating your own GPT model might sound daunting, it’s actually quite manageable. The process involves gathering a diverse and relevant dataset, cleaning and organizing it, and then configuring the GPT model.

1. Collecting Data: The first step is to gather a diverse and relevant dataset. This dataset should closely align with the type of content you want your model to generate. For instance, if you’re looking to create a GPT that can grade student essays, your dataset should consist of various essay samples for the model to learn from.
2. Preparing Data: Once you have collected your data, clean it and format it consistently. The process will help ensure that your model learns from the right material.
3. Configuring Your GPT Model: Now, it’s time to configure your GPT. This process can be done using the Create or Configure application. You can choose from various settings, including Conversation Starters, Knowledge (or Training Set), Capabilities, and Actions and API Integration.
4. Monitoring and Adjusting: Monitor your model’s training progress. You may need to adjust its parameters to improve its performance. Regular checks are necessary to ensure your model adheres to its initial instructions and purpose.

Custom GPT Models for Education

Educators can fine-tune GPT models for specific educational tasks. For example, a teacher can train GPT to evaluate student essays and provide instant feedback on grammar, style, content accuracy, and cohesion. Another application is personalized learning assistants. These AI assistants can adapt to each student’s learning pace and style, offering personalized explanations, supplementary materials, and practice questions. They can also identify areas where students struggle the most and adjust the curriculum accordingly.

GPT can also power interactive learning modules. These modules can provide a dynamic and engaging way to learn, with the GPT providing real-time feedback and explanations while simulating conversations with historical figures, book characters, or scientists. In addition, GPTs are helpful for language translation and support. For example, in a classroom with non-native speakers, GPTs can assist in translating materials and instructions. They can also correct language usage and provide practice dialogues for language learning.

Evaluating GPT Models

After training your GPT, it’s important to evaluate its performance, which you can do by using a separate test dataset and looking for accuracy, creativity, and relevance in the GPT’s responses. If the GPT’s performance is not up to par, you may need to revise your training data or adjust the model’s parameters. Repeat the process a few times until you’re satisfied with the model’s performance.

Sharing Your GPT Model

Once you’re happy with your GPT model, you can share it with the world. You can publish it on AI model repositories like Hugging Face or create a public API for developers. However, it’s crucial to consider the ethical implications of using AI in education. For instance, there may be concerns about data privacy and handling users’ sensitive input data.

In conclusion, the applications of GPT models in education are vast and diverse, offering a personalized and adaptive approach to learning. By understanding how to create and customize a GPT model, you can enhance your AI tools and contribute to the evolution of education.

ACTIVITIES

Activity 1: GPT-Powered Lesson Plan Enhancement

Overview

This activity aims to empower educators to enhance their lesson-planning process using GPT-powered tools. By leveraging the capabilities of GPT, teachers can efficiently generate engaging and tailored lesson plans that cater to the diverse needs of their students.

Description

Teachers will use a GPT-powered lesson planner to create a detailed lesson plan for a specific topic or subject area. They will input key information such as learning objectives, instructional strategies, assessment methods, and relevant resources. The GPT model will then generate a comprehensive lesson plan based on the input provided, offering suggestions for activities, discussion prompts, and differentiation strategies.

Key Benefits

• Streamlines the lesson planning process: GPT-powered tools can quickly generate detailed lesson plans, saving teachers valuable time and energy.
• Personalization: Teachers can tailor lesson plans to meet their students’ unique needs and preferences, fostering a more engaging and effective learning experience.
• Encourages creativity: By leveraging AI-generated suggestions, educators can discover new and innovative teaching approaches to enhance their instructional practices.

Possible Challenges

• Ethical considerations: While GPT-powered tools can greatly assist in lesson planning, educators must ensure that the generated content aligns with educational standards and promotes ethical practices. It’s essential to critically evaluate the suggestions provided by the AI model and make informed decisions about their suitability for the classroom.
• Over-reliance on technology: There’s a risk that teachers may become overly reliant on GPT-powered tools, potentially diminishing their own creativity and critical thinking skills. It’s important to strike a balance between leveraging technology and maintaining pedagogical autonomy.

Support Materials

• GPT-powered lesson planner tool (e.g., OpenAI’s GPT-3 API)
• Sample lesson plan templates and guidelines for effective lesson planning
• Ethical guidelines for using AI in education

Activity 2: Rubric Refinement with GPT

Overview

This activity aims to assist educators in refining and enhancing their assessment practices by leveraging GPT-powered tools to create or improve rubrics. Rubrics are crucial in providing clear expectations and feedback to students, and GPT can offer valuable insights and suggestions for refining them.

Description

Teachers will utilize a GPT-powered rubric generator to create a new rubric or refine an existing one for a specific assessment task or project. They will input criteria, descriptors, and performance levels, and the GPT model will provide suggestions for improving clarity, specificity, and alignment with learning objectives. Educators can then review and revise the generated rubric to ensure it effectively communicates expectations and facilitates fair and consistent assessment.

Key Benefits

• Enhances assessment validity and reliability: By leveraging AI-generated suggestions, educators can create rubrics that accurately assess student performance and align with learning objectives.
• Promotes clarity and transparency: GPT-powered tools can help educators articulate clear and specific criteria, making student expectations explicit and facilitating more meaningful feedback.
• Saves time and effort: Generating or refining rubrics can be time-consuming, but GPT-powered tools can streamline the process, allowing teachers to focus on other aspects of assessment and instruction.

Possible Challenges

• Bias and fairness: While GPT can offer valuable suggestions for rubric refinement, educators must remain vigilant to avoid embedding bias or inequity into their assessment practices. It’s essential to critically evaluate the language and criteria proposed by the AI model and ensure they are inclusive and equitable.
• Technical proficiency: Some educators may feel intimidated by using AI-powered tools and may require additional support and training to leverage them in their assessment practices effectively.

Support Materials

• GPT-powered rubric generator tool (e.g., OpenAI’s GPT-3 API)
• Rubric design guidelines and best practices
• Resources on addressing bias and promoting fairness in assessment

About the author

name: John Workman

John Workman is a dedicated educator and facilitator passionate about leveraging technology to enhance learning. As a previous Additional Qualification Instructor for ETFO, he has played a significant role in the professional development of teachers, emphasizing the importance of integrating innovative teaching methods and technology in the classroom. John’s commitment to educational excellence is evident in his work as a Durham District School Board professional development facilitator. His recent completion of the Artificial Intelligence for Teaching and Learning Certificate program at Ontario Tech University equips him with the latest knowledge and skills in applying AI in education. John’s blend of practical teaching experience and expertise in generative AI technologies positions him as an insightful instructor for those interested in the transformative potential of AI in educational settings.