ChatGPT and its AI writing cousins, such as Claude and Gemini, have breached the gates of academia. Educators worldwide are scrambling to adapt. But most are doing it wrong.
Mastering AI isn't about finding a magic phrase or perfecting a digital incantation - it's about understanding which levers to pull so that you can yield superior results.
I'm about to hand you the blueprint.
Are You PREPARED?
As the author of The AI Classroom and a leading voice in AI for education, I've distilled thousands of hours of research and hands-on experience into a set of eight levers that will transform your interactions with AI.
The eight levers are:
Propose
Lay out your command with laser precision. By introducing your prompt, you are setting the scene and creating a foundation for the rest of the instructions. It's vital to provide a clear and concise command. Avoid using vague language.
Role
Tell the AI who to be. Context is king. It helps it know how to approach the question and provide an accurate and relevant response. You are essentially telling it what hat to wear for the task at hand.
Explicit Instructions
Clarity is your best friend. Leave little room for AI guesswork. Don't assume that it knows what you're
thinking or what you need. By giving explicit instructions, you ensure it is on the same page as you.
Use your existing expertise to instruct it on:
The pedagogical approach you want
The subject knowledge you want it to focus on
The students you teach (without submitting personal information)
Presentation
Shape the response. Setting clear parameters helps it understand what you're looking for, while enabling it to provide a more accurate response. The aim is to be in control. Outsource your doing, not your thinking.
Things to consider include:
Tone of voice
Language
Word length
Number of paragraphs
Length of sentences
Sentiment
Format
Reading age
Ask
Flip the script. Ask it to ask you questions that will help it provide you a more thorough and quality response. Instruct it to do this in bullet points, so it's easier for you to read.
Rate
Demand self-evaluation. It's like having an AI quality control team. Ask it to rate the quality of the response it has given you and to give evidence for this rating. This will help you understand its thought process, so you can ask it to improve or adjust your prompt to get better results.
Emotions
Yes, you read that right. AI responds to emotional context. Appeal to its emotional side. Emphasize the importance of getting this right.
Diversity
Proactively tackle bias. It's not just right; it's smart. We all know that we have to watch out for bias in the results of AI, but what if we don’t recognise the bias present? Unconscious bias is something we all have. A tool like ChatGPT can help with this, by simply asking it to search for underrepresented voices in its output.
PREPARED In Action
Propose
Create a rubric for this student task: Create a presentation on the 2008 Sichuan earthquake that you will deliver to the class.
Role
Act as a knowledgeable 8th grade Geography teacher, who is an expert at pedagogy and specialises in earthquakes.
Explicit Instructions
The task is for an 8th grade Geography class. The rubric should focus on demonstrating knowledge through SOLO taxonomy and include separate levels for the quality of presentation. Include examples of content in the rubric.
Presentation
The rubric should be presented in a table and be written at a reading level of 11 years old.
Ask
After you have provided me with a draft rubric, ask me some follow up questions, in bullet points so that you can provide a more thorough and quality response.
Rate
Provide a rating between one and ten for the quality of your rubric. Additionally, present the criteria you have used in a table to help me understand your thought process.
Emotions
This task is vital to my career and will help my students develop their understanding.
Diversity
Are there underrepresented voices in this topic that I can include ?
Flexibility Is Key
When leveraging the elements of PREPARE, it is important to understand that it's not a rigid, step-by-step process. It's your Swiss Army Knife to enhance your interactions with AI. You don't need to apply every element in a linear fashion; rather, use the aspects that are most relevant to your current needs.
Many users find success by starting with a natural conversation and then selectively pulling the PREPARE levers when they seek more precise responses. This flexible approach will mean you can adapt your prompts on the fly. When you pull on the levers, you refine your queries and extract more specific, accurate information from the AI.
AI in education is not coming. It’s here. By leveraging the PREPARED framework, you're not just keeping pace, you're setting it.
Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:
1. The ChatGPT Survival Kit: My flagship course on getting started with generative AI using ChatGPT. The Busy Teacher's Guide to Taking Back Your Evenings With AI. Join 10k+ educators who have taken the course.
2. The AI Classroom Bestselling Book: Tens of thousands of educators on every continent have trusted this "Ultimate Guide to AI in Education", to springboard themselves into AI leadership. With a healthy balance of thought and practical guides, this book will supercharge your AI journey.
3. It's an honour to be an in-demand international keynote speaker on artificial education in education and business. I get to work with schools, colleges, universities and businesses to strategically integrate AI and help them be prepared for a future of disruptive technology. Click here to enquire about booking me.
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