AI produced scoring rubrics, group projects, and discussion questions

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

In previous blogs I explored the use of AI for planning lessons, outlining a unit, and creating a multiple-choice quiz. This blog reports the results of my exploration of using AI to create a scoring rubric, generating group projects, and producing discussion questions.  

I also asked the bot to create a marking rubric for essays addressing the question "was the French Revolution a success?"  Here’s what it produced.  

Marking Rubric for "Was the French Revolution a Success?" Essays  

I. Introduction

·         Clearly states the topic and thesis statement (0-2 marks)

·         Provides background information on the French Revolution (0-2 marks)

 II. Historical Context

·         Describes the political, economic, and social conditions leading up to the Revolution (0-2 marks)

·         Outlines the key events of the Revolution (0-2 marks)

 III. Analysis of Success

·         Defines what constitutes success in the context of the French Revolution (0-2 marks)

·         Supports thesis with well-researched and relevant historical evidence (0-5 marks)

·         Considers both positive and negative outcomes of the Revolution (0-5 marks)

·         Integrates outside sources to support arguments (0-3 marks)

 IV. Conclusion

·         Restates thesis and summarizes key arguments (0-2 marks)

·         Offers a clear, concise evaluation of the success of the French Revolution (0-2 marks)

·         Provides implications for the future or lessons learned from the Revolution (0-2 marks)

 V. Writing Quality

·         Properly cites sources using MLA or Chicago style (0-2 marks)

·         Demonstrates clarity, coherence, and organization in writing (0-2 marks)

·         Avoids errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling (0-2 marks)

 VI. Total (out of 25 marks)

I would employ the rubric as is. I particularly liked that the bot identified that it is important that students define success in context, support their argument with evidence, consider both positive and negative outcomes of the Revolution, and integrate outside sources to support their arguments (though the latter point might seem to double count the evidentiary requirement).  

Knowing that group work is common and popular technique among teachers, I asked the bot to provide a list of group projects for students studying the French Revolution. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of suggestions:  

• Role-Play Simulation: Divide the class into groups and assign each group a specific role, such as a member of the Third Estate, a member of the Royal Court, or a revolutionary leader. Each group must then conduct a simulated meeting or debate to address a specific issue related to the French Revolution.  

• Newspaper Project: Have students create a newspaper from the perspective of the French Revolution. Each group must research and write articles about key events, figures, and issues during the Revolution, including opinions and editorials.  

• Museum Exhibition: Have students create a museum exhibit on the French Revolution. Each group must research and create displays and interactive exhibits such as maps, paintings, artifacts, and timelines, to illustrate the causes, events, and impacts of the Revolution.  

• Historical Fiction: Have students write a fictional story set during the French Revolution. Each group must research the time period, create characters, and write a story that captures the essence of the Revolution while incorporating accurate historical information.  

• Debating Society: Have students form a debating society to discuss and debate key issues related to the French Revolution. Each group must research and prepare arguments, both for and against, on topics such as the role of the monarchy, the impact of the Enlightenment, and the legacy of the Revolution.  

• Political Cartoon Project: Have students create political cartoons to comment on key events and issues during the French Revolution. Each group must research and create illustrations that convey a message or opinion about the Revolution.  

• Re-enactment: Have students re-enact a key event from the French Revolution, such as the fall of the Bastille, the Reign of Terror, or the rise of Napoleon. Each group must research and prepare a script, costumes, and props to bring the event to life.  

• Historical Documentary: Have students create a historical documentary on the French Revolution. Each group must research and create a film that covers the causes, events, and impacts of the Revolution, using primary sources, interviews, and visual aids.  

• Research Paper: Have students write a research paper on a specific aspect of the French Revolution. Each group must choose a topic, such as the role of women, the influence of the Enlightenment, or the impact of the Revolution on Europe, and research and write a well-supported paper that addresses their chosen topic.  

• Museum Scavenger Hunt: Have students create a scavenger hunt for a museum exhibit on the French Revolution. Each group must research and create questions, clues, and puzzles to guide visitors through the exhibit and help them learn about the causes, events, and impacts of the Revolution.

I’d consider most of the suggestions, but I would not include the suggestion about re-enacting the Reign of Terror for reasons that I assume are obvious.  

I find group projects relatively time consuming. I prefer encouraging group discussions as a means of assessing how well students have grasped the central concepts and ideas associated with a topic. So, I asked the bot to create a list of discussion topics that a group of students might have about the French Revolution. Here is the bot’s output:  

·         What were the main causes of the French Revolution?

·         How did Enlightenment ideas influence the Revolution?

·         What was the significance of the fall of the Bastille?

·         How did the Revolution impact the French monarchy and the role of the king?

·         What were the key events and turning points of the Revolution, such as the Reign of Terror and the rise of Napoleon?

·         What was the role of women in the Revolution, and how did they contribute to the cause of liberty and equality?

·         How did the Revolution affect the French economy, society, and culture?

·         How did the Revolution influence other European countries and the wider world?

·         What were the long-term effects and legacies of the Revolution, both positive and negative?

·         Was the French Revolution ultimately a success, and if so, what made it successful? If not, what factors contributed to its failure?

These are worthy topics that, if given time for preparation, would challenge students to invest mental effort in demonstrating their learning and build upon the contributions of their peers.

I suggest you evaluate the bot’s production of rubrics, group projects, and discussions on other topics and in other fields.

AI generated unit plans and assessment

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

Last week I reported the results of using AI as a foundation for planning lessons. In general, I thought the bot I used produced a workable framework and, if thoroughly reviewed, some useful content and examples for a first draft plan. That experience prompted me to want to explore the bot’s contribution to unit planning and classroom assessments of various types.  

I asked the bot to prepare an outline for a teaching unit about the French Revolution. Here’s the output:  

I. Introduction

A. Definition and overview of the French Revolution

B. Historical context of the Revolution

C. Significance of the Revolution for France and the world

 II. Causes of the Revolution

A. Economic crisis and poverty

B. Political corruption and abuse of power

C. Enlightenment ideas and the influence of philosophers

D. International events and wars

 III. Major events of the Revolution

A. The fall of the Bastille

B. The Reign of Terror

C. The rise of Napoleon Bonaparte

D. The abolition of the monarchy and the establishment of the First Republic

 IV. Impact of the Revolution

A. Political and social changes in France

B. The spread of revolutionary ideals to other countries

C. The influence on later political and social movements

D. Legacy of the Revolution in France and the world

 V. Conclusion

A. Summary of key points

B. Reflection on the significance of the French Revolution

C. Final thoughts and open discussion.

 VI. Assessment

A. Written tests or essays

B. Group projects or presentations

C. Class discussions or debates

D. Quizzes or exams.

Like the lesson plans, the unit outline is a useful starting point upon which a teacher might build a detailed unit plan. In developing my plan, I would want to place greater emphasis on the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen and the contradiction between advocacy of those rights and slavery and religious intolerance. Nonetheless, the outline is a starting point. It, as is the case with everything produced by the bot or even one’s colleagues, needs to be carefully reviewed.  

My next experiment was to ask the bot to produce a ten-item multiple choice test on the French Revolution. I stipulated that each successive item should be more difficult than the preceding item. I asked the bot to mark the correct answer with an asterisk. Here’s the output:  

What was the main cause of the French Revolution?

a. The Enlightenment

b. The American Revolution

c. The Industrial Revolution

d. Economic crisis and poverty *

Who was the first ruler of France during the Revolution?

a. King Louis XVI *

b. Napoleon Bonaparte

c. Maximilien Robespierre

d. Charles De Gaulle

What was the fall of the Bastille symbolize for the French people?

a. The end of the Revolution

b. The end of the monarchy

c. The start of the Reign of Terror

d. The start of their freedom *

 

What was the Reign of Terror?

a. A period of intense violence during the Revolution *

b. A period of peace and prosperity

c. The name of Napoleon's army

d. A period of intellectual enlightenment

 

Who was Maximilien Robespierre?

a. A philosopher of the Enlightenment

b. A military leader during the Revolution

c. The leader of the Reign of Terror *

d. A supporter of the monarchy

 

What did the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen do?

a. Established the First Republic

b. Granted citizenship to all men *

c. Abolished the monarchy

d. Established a dictatorship

 

Who was Napoleon Bonaparte?

a. A philosopher of the Enlightenment

b. A military leader during the Revolution

c. The leader of the Reign of Terror

d. The first ruler of the First Republic *

 

What was the impact of the French Revolution on other countries?

a. It led to the spread of revolutionary ideals *

b. It had no impact on other countries

c. It led to the decline of revolutionary ideals

d. It led to increased political corruption

 

What was the long-term legacy of the French Revolution?

a. The decline of revolutionary ideals

b. The end of the monarchy

c. The establishment of the First Republic *

d. The rise of dictatorship

 

What was the significance of the French Revolution?

a. It changed the course of European history *

b. It had no significant impact

c. It led to the decline of revolutionary ideals

d. It led to increased political corruption.

Over my career I’ve read many multiple-choice items. I’d put the items produced by the bot somewhere near the 80th percentile among all the items I’ve read. Without a prompt, the bot avoided items that asked “NOT-type” items, ones in which the respondent is to pick out the one item that is NOT an instance of the phenomenon addressed by the question. The bot also avoided tipping off the answer by keeping all plausible answers the same length.  

I am not happy with all items. The item about Louis XVI is confusing at best (Louis XVI was the last king before the revolution). I wouldn’t use it as written by the bot. The item that asks what was the fall of the Bastille symbolize for the French people?  is worded awkwardly. It should read what did the fall of the Bastille symbolize for the French people?  I wouldn’t use the one asking, “who was Maximilien Robespierre?” because it places greater emphasis on his part in the reign of terror than it does on his advocacy of universal male suffrage. Nor is it evident to me that the questions become progressively difficult. Notwithstanding those shortcomings,, the output is a useful, time-saving starting point for the construction of a quiz.  

To my previous caution about scrutinizing the bot’s output for accuracy I would add nuance is not a feature of the bot’s output. Yet, when judged against the output produced by novice item-writers – and I would put most teachers in that category – the bot scored about 80% in my mental calculus.  

In a future blog, I will report on the bot’s production of marking rubrics, group project ideas, and discussion questions. In the meantime, you might want to evaluate the bot’s production of multiple-choice items on other topics and in other fields.

Artificial Intelligence can help initiate the lesson planning process

Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]  

Lesson planning is the foundation of good instruction. The process establishes the objective(s) of each lesson, the sequence of activities to enable students to reach the objective, the materials that they and the teacher will need while carrying out the activities, and how the teacher will assess the students’ attainment of the objective. Lesson planning is time consuming, especially for novice teachers for whom the process is not well established.  

There is a suite of lesson planning resources, including experienced colleagues, members of subject or grade level specialist associations within teachers’ associations, commercially available lesson plans, and more. The development of chatbots like ChatGPT that I have written about in earlier blogs will proliferate and provide another source that teachers can call upon to initiate the lesson planning process.  

I used ChatGPT to generate lessons for a variety of subjects. The output provided a credible starting point for lesson development. The bot generates plans in a useful format. It provides a title for the lesson, specifies the objective, suggests an introduction, outlines instructional procedures and materials required, details the students’ guided practice, makes provision for independent practice and lesson closure, and identifies an assessment strategy.  

The lesson introductions are functional if a bit pedestrian. They often entail asking students what they know about the concept or topic. An attentive teacher would note what the students know and do not know about the topic or concept, paying special attention to the misconceptions and misunderstandings that the students reveal that must be corrected if the students are to achieve the lesson objective.  

The instructional suggestions will include examples if the bot is asked to provide them. This is especially useful because it is very hard for teachers to generate multiple examples during a lesson.  

I asked the bot to produce several plans. 

• a plan [level unspecified] detailing the theme, character development, and plot of the novel Charlotte's Web with examples.
• a plan for grade 9 general science on the difference between respiration and evaporation, including at least three examples of each.
• a plan [grade level not specified] comparing the American, French, and Russian revolutions with three examples of each similarity or difference.
• a grade 11 plan about F.R. Scott's poem “W.L.M.K” showing the allusions to King’s tenure as Prime Minister with specific examples.
• a plan for grade 10 on the similarities and the differences between a revolution and a coup d’état incorporating at least five specific examples of both.

Like the plans colleagues provide or the ones that are commercially available, the plans from the bot are imperfect.  It is a good idea to check the accuracy of the examples, and, for that matter, the other information contained in the lesson. “Garbage in, garbage out” may be too strong an indictment of my requests but, in fairness to the bot, the accuracy of the bot’s replies might have been better if I had been more precise about my requests.  

Notwithstanding its limitations and mine, the output produced by the bot provided a useful starting point for developing a lesson plan. Evaluate it yourself. You might want to submit a few variations on the same request to see what the bot produces.

Artificial intelligence will change education but the sky is not falling

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]

School officials in New York City have banned or blocked ChatGPT, the chatbot I wrote about last week. They are worried about students using it to do their homework and write essays. A spokesperson for the New York school system, Jenna Lyle, said, “While the tool may be able to provide quick and easy answers to questions, it does not build critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, which are essential for academic and lifelong success.”

It has always been my view that teachers are primarily responsible for building critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Teachers do that by instructing students in the application of standards of judgment, logic, and canons of evidence.  However, if one were to apply the standard to which Lyle refers, New York would be banning almost every educational support in use today: textbooks, worksheets, manipulatives, microscopes, encyclopaedias, the periodic table, etc. I do not want to block access to those conventional educational support materials. Nor do I want to block access to or use of ChatGPT.

Kids with resources have been getting help writing essays and doing homework since before I was born. Essay mills flourished long before the advent of the internet. If you were privileged, you could pay to have someone – sometimes underpaid teachers – write an essay for you. Or you could obtain an essay from a friend’s older sibling or an older relative.

Parents – at least those who have the luxury of time – frequently help their kids with homework. The affluent can afford tutors or “academic coaches” – often retired teachers or teachers who are moonlighting.

I am not a fan of homework. Its impact is small and the stress it causes kids and parents is not worth what few, small benefits it produces. For students who work to support themselves or their families, homework is more than a minor irritant. So, let’s stop giving homework.

I do not think the ban or block that the officials in New York have instituted will have an appreciable impact on the use of the chatbot, nor should it.  I think students should be using the chatbot to write essays and do research.  In fact, school officials should be encouraging its use for essay writing and for investigating issues. Yes, you read that right. I said that teachers should be encouraging students to use artificial intelligence to help them learn to verify the accuracy and test the logic of the bot.

Students should be required to use the chatbot to write the first draft of their essay. Then, and this is crucial, they should be required to verify the accuracy of the information contained in the essays by citing at least two credible, independent sources for each claim. They should also be required to name any of the logical gaps in the bot’s argument, explaining what the gap is and addressing the gap.

In last week’s blog, the chatbot wrote:

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the way we teach and learn, particularly in elementary and secondary schools. In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards incorporating AI into education, with a range of applications that can support teachers and enhance the learning experience for students.

If this were the first draft of the essay prepared by the chatbot, I would expect students to supply evidence of the growing trend and the range of applications. I would want evidence that the use of AI would produce a radical change (revolutionize) teaching and learning because the changes mentioned in the essay seem to be enhancements of current practice. They do not seem to be significant departures from what teachers and students currently do.

I would also expect students to provide references for the claims made in the essay. For example, the chatbot claims, “these programs use data and machine learning algorithms to tailor learning experiences to the individual needs and abilities of each student.” I would expect some reference to adaptive testing and to “the use of virtual assistants or chatbots . . . to answer students' questions, provide feedback on assignments, and offer support and guidance as needed.”

Artificial Intelligence is not the threat perceived by the New York City education system. It does, however, hold promise for supporting teaching and learning in the manner described in the bot’s essay, if employed thoughtfully.  

Artificial Intelligence will change education

 Charles Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus, The University of British Columbia

[permission to reproduce granted if authorship is acknowledged]

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the way we teach and learn, particularly in elementary and secondary schools. In recent years, there has been a growing trend towards incorporating AI into education, with a range of applications that can support teachers and enhance the learning experience for students.  

One way AI can be used in education is through the development of personalized learning programs. These programs use data and machine learning algorithms to tailor learning experiences to the individual needs and abilities of each student. For example, an AI-powered system might track a student's progress and adjust the content and difficulty level of lessons accordingly. This can be particularly helpful for students who may be struggling with certain concepts, as the AI can provide additional support and resources to help them catch up.  

Another application of AI in education is through the use of virtual assistants or chatbots. These can be used to answer students' questions, provide feedback on assignments, and offer support and guidance as needed. This can help to free up teachers' time and allow them to focus on more high-level tasks, such as planning lessons and providing one-on-one support to students who need it.  

AI can also be used to analyze data and provide insights that can help teachers better understand how their students are learning. For example, an AI system might analyze students' test scores and performance data to identify trends and patterns that can inform teaching strategies. This can help teachers to identify areas where students may be struggling and provide targeted support to help them succeed.  

In addition to these applications, AI can also be used to support teachers in other ways. For example, AI-powered tools can help to automate grading and provide feedback on assignments, freeing up teachers' time and allowing them to focus on more high-level tasks. AI can also be used to create interactive and engaging learning materials, such as simulations and games, which can help to make learning more enjoyable and effective for students.  

While there are many potential benefits to using AI in education, it's important to note that these technologies are still in their early stages and there are limitations to what they can do. For example, AI systems may not be able to fully replicate the nuance and creativity of human teachers, and they may not be able to adapt to the unique needs and learning styles of every student.  

Overall, the use of AI in education has the potential to revolutionize the way we teach and learn. By personalizing learning experiences, providing support and guidance, and analyzing data to inform teaching strategies, AI can help to enhance the learning experience for students and support teachers in their work. However, it's important to carefully consider the limitations and potential challenges of these technologies, and to ensure that they are used in a way that complements and enhances, rather than replaces, the role of human teachers.  

The preceding 500 words were written by ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) by the San Francisco-based artificial intelligence company OpenAI. Like many, I am curious about how technologies can be harnessed to assist teachers and facilitate learning. I signed up for an account to test ChatGPT. The italicized article was ChatGPT’s response to my request that it “write a 500-word blog about the use of AI to support teaching in elementary and secondary schools.”  

The essay ChatGPT produced is well-crafted and sensible, meriting about a C+ or B-. It advises the reader to carefully consider the limitations and challenges of such technologies. I tested that assertion and, it proved to be good advice. It incorrectly identified me as having attended the University of Toronto and the University of California at Berkeley. It mis-stated when I began my career at UBC and the dates of my tenure as Associate Dean.  

I was also encouraged by the injunction to see such technologies as complementary to the contribution of teachers. But I also wondered how ChatGPT might respond if I replaced the word support with the word replace in my request, “write a 500-word blog about the use of AI to replace teaching in elementary and secondary schools.” Here’s the response from ChatGPT.  

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has been a topic of much debate in recent years, with some arguing that it has the potential to revolutionize the way we teach and learn, while others express concerns about the potential risks and limitations of these technologies. One area of particular concern is the potential for AI to replace human teachers in elementary and secondary schools.  

There are certainly some benefits to using AI in education, such as the ability to personalize learning experiences and provide support and guidance to students. However, there are also significant limitations to what AI can do. For example, AI systems may not be able to fully replicate the nuance and creativity of human teachers, and they may not be able to adapt to the unique needs and learning styles of every student.  

Furthermore, the use of AI to replace teachers could have negative consequences for both students and teachers. For students, the loss of human interaction and guidance could have a negative impact on their learning and overall development. Research has shown that personal connections and relationships with teachers can be a crucial factor in students' academic and social-emotional development, and the absence of these relationships could have lasting effects.  

For teachers, the replacement of human teachers with AI could lead to job loss and a decline in the profession as a whole. Teaching is a complex and nuanced job that requires a range of skills and abilities, including the ability to connect with and engage students, as well as adapt to different learning styles and needs. It's difficult to imagine that an AI system could fully replicate these skills and abilities, and the loss of these valuable professionals could have significant negative consequences for the education system as a whole.  

In addition to the potential negative impacts on students and teachers, the use of AI to replace human teachers could also have wider social and economic implications. Teaching is a profession that is vital to the fabric of our society, and the loss of these jobs could have significant economic and social consequences.  

Overall, while there are certainly some potential benefits to using AI in education, it's important to carefully consider the limitations and potential risks of these technologies. Rather than replacing human teachers, it may be more effective to use AI to support and enhance the work of teachers, rather than replacing them entirely. By carefully considering the potential risks and limitations of AI in education, we can ensure that these technologies are used in a way that benefits both students and teachers.  

I wonder whether I should be reassured by this even-handed appraisal of the contribution of AI knowing that ChatGPT remembers all prior input from each user. Perhaps it was telling me exactly what it thought I wanted to hear. You might want to see for yourself how ChatGPT responds to the requests that I posed and to other questions about the impact of technology on teaching and learning. If you do, try it at https://chat.openai.com/chat and send me an email about what you learned.

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Next week I will respond to the blocks and bans that some have place on the use of ChatGPT in education.