Daniel Scott-Purdy: My first experience of using ChatGPT

I decided to capture my fresh first and brief experience of using ChatGPT, a generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. It allows you to ask questions via specific prompts to create dialogue that produces hopefully meaningful textual responses. I'm just at the start of my exploration with this type of tool, so more reflection to come in the future.

Why

I decided to use ChatGPT for an upcoming pre-planned one hour teaching session, on the topic of digital literacies for nurses. And to simultaneously respond to a task in a course I am currently doing 'Innovative Teaching in Higher Education'. Where I was invited to share an outline plan using one of the teaching methods I have been introduced to - more on that in Week 4 of the associated blog post. I indicated my use of AI in my forum post to this task and shared this blog post. I already had a rough session outline in note form in a Microsoft Word document that I had been chipping away at, and I was inspired through the course to convert it into a flipped approach. I decided to use the AI tool at this time because I'm currently mentally stretched/overloaded, lacking creativity as a result, internal pressure of 'time is running out' to prepare properly (not just a plan but to test through a new nursing-specific digital capability self-assessment tool), and I generally overthink to the point of adding too much - where it then becomes a struggle to refine it. I also have preference to build on something and refine and edit rather than a blank start. Usually the blank start takes a few goes to get going and then I refine over a few days.

So I thought I'd give it a try and use my expertise to refine the outcome.

The prompt

Me -"You are a learning technologist. Design a one hour session plan and Microsoft PowerPoint slides on introducing the importance of digital literacies in the nursing profession. That includes three learning objectives, using the flipped learning approach and time to conduct a digital capability self-assessment that takes thirty minutes."

I've lots to learn about the skill of 'prompt engineering', but this is a good start. It definitely helped me.

Result

AI:

"Session Title:

Developing Digital Literacies for Nurses

Session Overview:

The session will introduce the importance of digital literacies in the nursing profession. Participants will engage in a self-assessment to identify their current digital capabilities and explore strategies for developing digital literacies.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Understand the importance of digital literacies in the nursing profession.
Assess their current level of digital capability.
Develop strategies for improving their digital literacies.

Pre-Session Activity (Flipped Learning Approach):

Participants will be provided with a pre-recorded video or article to watch or read before the session. The resource will introduce the concept of digital literacies in nursing and provide examples of why it is essential for nurses to develop these skills.

Session Plan:

Introduction (5 mins)

Welcome and introductions
Explain the importance of digital literacies in the nursing profession
Provide an overview of the session

Part 1: Digital Capability Self-Assessment (30 mins)

Distribute the digital capability self-assessment tool to participants
Participants will be given 30 minutes to complete the self-assessment
Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their skills, knowledge, and confidence in using technology to support their work

Part 2: Developing Digital Literacies (20 mins)

Provide an overview of the key digital literacies required for nurses, such as digital communication, data management, and online collaboration
Facilitate a discussion on the strategies nurses can use to develop these skills
Participants will be encouraged to share their own experiences and ideas

Part 3: Case Study Analysis (5 mins)

Provide a case study that demonstrates the importance of digital literacies in nursing
Participants will work in groups to discuss and analyze the case study
Each group will present their findings to the larger group

Conclusion (10 mins)

Summarize the key points covered in the session
Encourage participants to reflect on what they have learned
Provide resources for participants to continue their learning on developing digital literacies in nursing

PowerPoint Slides:

The PowerPoint slides will include the following:

Introduction slide with session title, presenter's name, and learning objectives
Slides on the importance of digital literacies in nursing
Slide on the digital capability self-assessment tool
Slides on developing digital literacies, including key skills and strategies for development
Slide on the case study analysis
Conclusion slide with key takeaways and resources for further learning

Assessment:

At the end of the session, participants will complete a brief evaluation form to provide feedback on the session's effectiveness in meeting the learning objectives."

Feelings

My freshest thinking:

Initially impressed with how it presented the information to me and instantly, but I was very specific. It gave me a structure I was looking for. However it comes with some moral thinking.
Saved me a lot of time and stress, and refining time was pretty minimal too - efficient for me.
As per my rationale in the 'Why' section above, it definitely streamlined and sped up my thinking.
A highly useful tool in an age of information overload - a thought, I can type in teaching and learning theories to churn out practical plans/techniques. Yes I can summarise articles and speak to colleagues which I will continue to do, but in this situation and being a current solo learning technologist, it was very helpful and instant.
However, I am fully conscious of the thought that would I be comfortable and happy with the reality that I have not produced or parts of the outcome? Not really, I would need to have had significant input to feel I have contributed and to feel a sense of conviction. Therefore, using generative AI for creating structures and outlines to begin to input my own human efforts.
The result:

For me to use the response fully, Part 2 above would need to come before Part 3, and the case study would be for students to discuss as a group about their experience of what they learned from the digital capability self-assessment tool and notable surprises. Therefore I removed the case study.
The session comes out at 1 hour 10 minutes, not an hour as I asked, but may have confused it with how I said the digital capability self-assessment takes 30 minutes.
Replaced the verb understand to recognise, as it's harder to check this as this will vary between students.
Replaced their to your to make more personal.
The word participant to be replaced with student.
Later decided on title to be digital capabilities.

Below is the adapted I used that appears in the blog post above.

Session Title:

Developing Digital Capabilities for Nurses

Session Overview:

The session will introduce the importance of digital capabilities in the nursing profession. Students will engage in a self-assessment to identify their current digital capabilities and explore strategies for developing them further.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, students will be able to:

Recognise the importance of digital capabilities in the nursing profession.
Assess your current level of digital capability.
Develop strategies for improving your digital capabilities.

Pre-session activity (flipped learning approach): Students will be provided with a pre-recorded video or article/mini case study to watch or read before the session. The resource will introduce the concept of digital literacies in nursing and provide examples of why it is essential for nurses to develop these skills. Students to come prepared with reflections, examples and ideas on how digital literacies relate to their role.

The link will be communicated to students via their Virtual Learning Environment course space.

Session plan:

Introduction and importance of digital literacies(20 mins):

Welcome and introductions.
Provide an overview of the session.
Explain the importance of digital capabilities in the nursing profession - link to the pre-session activity.
Students will be encouraged to share their own experiences and ideas.

Part 2: Digital Capability Self-Assessment (30 mins):

Distribute the digital capability self-assessment tool to students.
Students will be given 30 minutes to complete the self-assessment.
Participants will be encouraged to reflect on their skills, knowledge, and confidence in using digital technology to support their roles.
Open discussion on the key digital capabilities required for nurses, such as digital communication, data management, and online collaboration.

Conclusion (10 mins):

Summarise the key points covered in the session.
Encourage students to reflect on what they have learned.
Provide resources for students to continue their learning on developing digital capabilities in nursing.
If time, facilitate a discussion on the strategies nurses can use to develop these skills.

In January 2023, I took to my socials to express the following. I captured the conversations and other post-chat reflections and put into an older and relevant/timely blog post that I named below; 'Evolutionary not revolutionary?'.

"Two current uppermost thoughts on the #ChatGPT conversation. 1) Where is the human sense of achievement of the thinking, agonising and doing of our own efforts in what it can do for us? 2) I still stand strong in my thoughts below from 2013: https://danielscott86.blogspot.com/2013/09/evolutionary-not-revolutionary.html

Has my view changed? Largely I still stand by what I said below, but having the flexibility to use this in situations like this one. But where would we draw the line and are we capable of realising where that line is and stopping ourselves? And where do we draw the line of not doing too much AI? Is this like Technology Enhanced Learning, not using it for the sake of it?

Other thoughts on this topic:

Time and mental energy affect my decision to use AI.
AI-produced communications often read and feel soulless and inauthentic.
I've seen comments saying if you don't keep up with or integrate AI in your work/lives, you will be replaced. Similar to the previous comments on digital with teachers, but we're still here...
My wider role in this is to educate academics to utilise such technology effectively and positively in their roles. Just like I have been with digital.
Does using such AI tool lack higher cognition quality compared to the process of creating something yourself? Cognition only required in refining the output, and if that takes more effort in refining that output, what was the point in the use of AI?
Recruitment process - candidates can say they can do reports for example, but have no experience. If the interview panel question this, what would they expect as a response and how does it matter to them and the role? The outcome is that they can use AI to do the report and it's structure, tick, does it matter in the role it's not actually by them? And should employers question this or shouldn't they be bothered? But ethics and personal ethics might say they should.
Relies on personal ethics - can someone be confident speaking about work and creative arts that wasn't done by them. But that might be viewed acceptable and how we want to use AI, for structures like I did here. Perhaps it can be used to re-write an accreditation, they are not often academic-based, but I can input that in afterwards.
Will eventually affect jobs like graphic design, copy typing, ghost writing, even accounting maybe.
Can create learning content for us.
Early adopters can get away with it for now - until law and guidance is sorted out.
Prompt engineering a skill I'm now developing in my role. I could use for developing a digital strategy and then I can refine it.
Next general election will be horrendous in the use of AI generated content - always verify everything you see.
There is no copyright (currently) attached to AI produced multimedia, we do not own it as we did not create it. And the AI may reuse it.
Regarding assessment, if educators are now looking to re-design/reimagine their assessments that AI cannot do or is harder for it to do, but the technology industry is looking for AI to do those things, it becomes a vicious circle.
If assessment processes change for students to use generative AI, should this change for adults using it to complete professional accreditations?
I am still challenged on my own morals and ethics in using generative AI, and if my workplace and colleagues will accept something that I co-produced/fully produced through AI.
Do people want to consume AI material and communication all the time, over people's authentic words and experience?
I wonder if the consumption of web pages might dwindle as AI rises and increases.
Whilst AI does assist, I still stand strong in that to truly develop and apply emotional intelligence as a human, you have to fulfill cognitive processes. Not just rote questions/prompts and parroting a response.
On AI at NTU. There's lots of new and exciting external/third-party tools being promoted. But what is NTU's position on staff using them? As like other external/third-party tools, should we be encouraged (where appropriate/relevant) to only use the tools supported and/or endorsed by NTU? And what are the GDPR considerations of the 'free' tools and how individual data is being used? Is NTU pursuing a paid-for generative AI licenced tool or awaiting forthcoming Microsoft option(s)?
I wonder if asking AI will become the norm rather than asking peers. Through the fear of feeling inadequate.
Overuse can result in lack of independent thinking and presence of your own voice.
I saw a post on LinkedIn where an AI application made you appear like you are looking at the screen camera when you are not. Meaning you could be reading a script and not be looking at it. Whilst this has lots of benefits, of which I would personally benefit from. However, when it comes to in-person presenting, how will it help you build the skills there? Again, developing real human abilities is of upmost importance. I really think the long-term effects of AI will have lots of knock-on interpersonal issues on people. We need real humanness where and when it is appropriate.
A downside is that the internet and social media is quickly filling up with AI rubbish. But that is a result of releasing AI into the wild too soon without much consideration on this sort of impact. I'm quickly tiring of AI abstract imagery and inauthentic material. I need to see something real not something that goggles your mind or is completely out of context of the article/post.

Mark Beetlestone shared similar thoughts recently on LinkedIn - "I see loads of posts on LinkedIn which just reek of crap soulless AI. I've started copying and pasting the ones I suspect into an AI detector and I'm right almost 100% of the time. I think I might start commenting on these posts and calling it out. I don't want to engage with someone using AI and passing it off as their own. I just want transparency. If you're using AI then that's fine, but readers should be able to know where the info came from."

AI will get boring very quickly, especially with reference to art and design. It seems to be all about transitions and explosions of sorts, which some do look impressively creative. However, to me the real question is what's the actual application and that benefits the purpose? It's like wow this is impressive, then after seeing 10 more it is like ok, but what next and how will I use and continue to consume it?

Some thought-provoking posts:

Stephen Downes - "Our work *only* builds on the thoughts of others, and people with enough privilege were able to claim it as their own. It is only now with the possibility that anybody can do this that we are recognizing the basis of copyright and IP in a certain kind of theft. As I've argued: https://www.downes.ca/post/65"

Reid Southen - "Rarely have I seen AI described so succinctly."

Church of Jeff (@jeffowski) - "The underlying purpose of AI is to allow wealth to access skill while removing from the skilled the ability to access wealth. # ai #generativeAI"

Stephen Downes - "That's not the purpose of AI... that's the purpose of capitalism. AI itself is just a tool that is (in part) being used by capitalists. But it's a tool that could serve other purposes equally well - if we let it."

Lori Niles-Hofmann -

"Is anyone else mildly obsessed with the Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience fiasco? 🍭🍫

A company used #AI to generate posters and social media to sell tickets to a promised immersive experience based on the beloved Roald Dahl children's books. At £35 per entry

They even went further and gave AI-generated scripts for actors to follow, ratcheting up the adventure authenticity

Except the scripts didn't make sense and included a hallucinated new character called "The Unknown" that scared the ever-living bejeebers out of the under-7-year-old crowd. The decor barely suggested a chocolate factory and the treats included half a cup of lemonade and a few jelly beans 🍬

Oh, and the police were called

Now, I have never snubbed new technology and believe in the potential and possibilities. I simply find this a hilarious tale of the expectations and reality of what shortcuts AI can really afford us

And spare a thought for this poor Oompah-Loompah who didn't know what she was getting into when she answered the job advert, "creative environment, wear multiple hats, become part of a dynamic team, be a self-starter"🧐🍫

Some related articles to my context:

David Hopkins - "I agree with your sentiment, but have a slightly (only slightly, mind you) more positive outlook. I don’t think the ID or LD role is going away, but this is pivitol moment in how the role is defined and used within an institution. What IDs and LDs do now is finally being articulated and understood outside of the people who are directly involved in and with IDs/LDs. The advent of generative AI will mean their work is different, it can be done (maybe) in less time, and (may) get better results from the use of AI. AS I’ve said before, and we’ve talked about before Dan, the ID/LD needs to form a relationship with the author/SME, and it is this that informs what and how the courses get built. This will not change, despite the access to AI by an author or SME … the ID/LD will be the Knowledge expert who knows the intricacy of how to build the prompt that gets the AI to build the course."

EDIT: A related conversation that occurred in January 2023:

Two current uppermost thoughts on the #ChatGPT conversation. 1) Where is the human sense of achievement of the thinking, agonising and doing of our own efforts in what it can do for us? 2) I still stand strong in my thoughts below from 2013: https://danielscott86.blogspot.com/2013/09/evolutionary-not-revolutionary.html

#AI #OpenAI

I'm glad to be focusing on my somatic work. Because we need it more than ever. Inner work that enhances the outer work.

Conversation via post on LinkedIn:

Mark Beetlestone - "It's an incredible tool, no doubt, but the social implications are huge I feel. Tech evolution is more rapid than the ability for humans to understand the true impact it can have on us."

Me - "Well put Mark! I'm not against it, I can just see the enthusiasm biting some people back once senior employers catch on that their employees/roles can be replaced by such technology. Or will their roles adapt to work alongside it?"

Mark Beetlestone - "I think people in senior roles who progressed through the ranks will be reluctant to change the status quo - and probably rightfully so!

I always try to put myself in the shoes of someone who was working during the time that spreadsheet software became a thing - the people who embraced them became presumably more productive, those people didn't just not have jobs any more they just needed to learn how to integrate the tech into their working lives."

Me - "I know and see what you mean. Time will tell, still early days. There's always the risk of such things getting in the wrong rich hands with dark minds. As always, there should be an appropriate balance of humanness and technology. I'm coming from the angle that some people enjoy the planning and true graft. But that could potentially be a thing of the past for some tasks. Even if it is optional, those that don't embrace such rapidly generated outputs may be penalised. Well see, it's exciting but also concerning. We'll not be far from such news titles as the 'first movie screenplay to have been written by AI'."

Mark Beetlestone - "agree with what you are thinking - it's a huge ethical issue for sure. Think the truth is that these AI applications have been around for ages, but behind closed doors. The recent ones we are seeing which are cheap/free to use/accessible to the public is just giving us a peek behind the magicians curtain."

Me - "Oh yeh, they've been there a long while iterating with various algorithms. Like you say it's now public - genie out of the bottle in some cases."

Post shared by Clare Chambers - "Second all that, Daniel Scott-Purdy 👏 💻📱".

Post reflection, off chat. All technology companies, and especially those that create Artificial Intelligence, need to make people award of not only what it can do, but making aware of how the outputs can influence people inaccurately. Take the recent Lady Gaga Harley Quinn AI 'photo shoot', journalists and media believed and was quick to report it was real. It later tuned out it wasn't genuine, and closer inspection you can tell it was warped on some areas. To me though, it wasn't reported widely it was AI generated. Imagine the political landscape on this technology and the propaganda to come. Just because we can do 'all these things with technology' doesn't mean we should...

Does AI technologies like ChatGPT actually think, or is it just repurposing input from humans? I.e. just repeating the same things inputted but churned out in different ways? If it is all based an algorithms, does it know when to stop?

Daniel Scott-Purdy

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Thursday, 6 April 2023

My first experience of using ChatGPT