My “Intro to ChatGPT” SMUSD Tech Academy Presentation

As Described by Carver Valentine (A Fictional Tech Academy News Reporter)

SAN MARINO, CA — On Thursday, October 19, less than sixty seconds after school had officially ended, San Marino High School social studies teacher Peter Paccone’s Room 404 classroom was buzzing with excitement. But not from students; they had all left.

Instead, the excitement came from a handful of SMUSD educators who had gathered to attend Paccone’s presentation on a tool that might redefine classroom teaching — ChatGPT.

Sponsored by the San Marino Unified School District’s Tech Academy, Paccone’s after-school ninety-minute presentation was entitled “Intro to ChatGPT,” with the session beginning with Paccone introducing himself followed by “a pulse check” that revealed a surprising revelation: Not one session attendee had previously used ChatGPT for any purpose whatsoever.

So with that lesson learned, Paccone turned to the very basics, describing ChatGPT as akin to an “ever-ready, digital librarian, equipped with a vast array of knowledge and always eager to assist.”

He then led the educators through various activities designed to familiarize them with the platform. Some of the exercises introduced were:

1. The Effective Explanation, Analogy, and Example Prompt: Focused on aiding teachers in designing concise yet effective explanations and analogies tailored to students’ needs.
2. The Lesson-Plan Prompt: Aimed at lesson planning, this activity harnessed ChatGPT to help draft a dynamic lesson plan considering students’ existing knowledge and potential misconceptions.
3. The Help Keep Kids Enrolled in School Prompt: Highlighting the human touch, this prompt directed educators to craft genuine emails to parents, emphasizing the positive actions of their children.

Paccone then presented the ethical and safety concerns surrounding the adoption of ChatGPT. Among them were the issues of inherent bias in AI models, the risk of over-reliance and its effect on critical thinking, and the age-old debate surrounding authenticity and transparency.

Then, he emphasized the irreplaceable role of educators, stating that ChatGPT should be viewed as a complement, not a substitute. The session also addressed accessibility and equity concerns, underscoring the importance of ensuring that technological advancements benefit all students, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds.

The presentation wrapped up with a quote from Southern California educator Holly Clark, stressing the invaluable assistance AI can offer to students with learning challenges.

Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with all attendees leaving the session with a palpable sense of excitement, likely concluding that the horizon of K-12 education is poised for a transformative shift.

Sidenote #1

After the session, Paccone highlighted several standout moments

1. An educator, after using “The Help Keep Kids Enrolled in School Prompt,” crafted a heartfelt email draft to a student’s parents. In the email, the educator described how they had witnessed the student comforting a distressed special education student with a hug, praising this compassionate act.
2. Another educator, upon utilizing “The Lesson-Plan Prompt,” found ChatGPT’s capabilities particularly beneficial for lesson planning for her special ed students.
3. A third educator, after trying out “The Effective Explanation, Analogy, and Example Prompt,” marveled at ChatGPT’s ability to draw relatable comparisons. “It’s so cool,” she exclaimed, “how it brings abstract concepts to life.” To underscore her point, she mentioned a specific instance where ChatGPT, within seconds of submitting the prompt, crafted a perfect analogy comparing the workings of a cell to a bustling city. This made the concept instantly graspable for her classroom. “ChatGPT just might transform the way I present complex ideas,” she opined.
4. A fourth educator, after experiencing the capabilities of ChatGPT, turned to the platform in the middle of the session to draft a letter of recommendation, a task that had been causing him significant stress due to its looming deadline. With the tool’s aid and after “at least five iterations,” he crafted a letter, he said, that perfectly mirrored his own writing style and “sounded just like me.” He then, anticipating concerns about the ethics of such use, also eloquently defended the adoption of technology in the crafting of letters of recommendation. If only his defense had been filmed! So well worded.

A particularly pivotal moment in Paccone’s session was when he introduced the attendees, even if just briefly, to the platform “Class Companion” — a platform which at its core provides students with instantaneous feedback on their written work. Though Class Companion is not even a year old, it has already garnered significant attention, even being recently featured in Forbes Magazine. The introduction of such a platform into Paccone’s session generated considerable excitement among the educators present, with its potential to elevate the teaching and learning experience suggesting a promising advancement in the realm of education.

Paccone’s future sessions, scheduled over the next couple of weeks, promise deeper dives into the practical applications of ChatGPT in terms of “learning” and “student writing assessment.”

Sidenote #1:

Click here to view Paccone’s Intro to ChatGPT slideshow in its entirety

Sidenote #2

The SMUSD Tech Academy offers after-school technology professional learning opportunities for all SMUSD faculty and staff. Our learning series and sessions are designed to be small-group, hands-on, and FUN!

This fall, the Academy is offering 6 learning series and more than 20 individual sessions to help teachers harness the power of technology responsibly. Participants are paid up to 2 hours per session at the SMUSD Special Projects rate and receive a Tech Academy commemorative after completing a full series. Click here to view the Fall 2023 Schedule

The Academy is the brainchild of SMUSD Superintendent, Dr. Linda De la Torre, and Chief Technology Officer Dr. Stephen Choi. Under Dr. De la Torre’s strategic vision and Dr. Choi’s dedicated oversight, the Academy’s initiatives have flourished. Particularly at the start of this academic year, they’ve showcased their foresight by championing the integration of AI in education. Unlike many district leaders across the country, they didn’t just advocate for its adoption but also ensured that teachers and staff are equipped with the necessary training and resources. Their joint efforts underscore the district’s commitment to embracing the future of education.

Sidenote #3:

Carver Valentine is a fictional name, with this article actually having been written by Paccone in collaboration with ChatGP and requiring at least a dozen iterations.