Summary

Explore how ChatGPT can be used to engage students in higher education, including its potential applications, benefits, and impact on learning experiences.

On 30th November 2022, the world witnessed the birth of one of the smartest AI (Artificial Intelligence) models in history called ChatGPT. Ever since that day, the upsurge in its popularity has been overwhelming. 

Speaking in terms of numbers, ChatGPT has more than 100 million users across the globe. While most people use it to ease their business, other popular implementations of this tool include creative writing, problem-solving, and personal assistance, among many others.

But slowly, the pros of this powerful AI model are also creeping into the educational sector. So, if you have been sleeping on this trend, read this article where we decipher the whys and hows of ChatGPT and its role in facilitating higher education. 

Table of Contents:

ChatGPT: A Treasure Trove of Knowledge

Founded by an AI research organization called OpenAI, ChatGPT is a powerful language model. It generates intelligent, human-like text to answer questions and give solutions to real-life problems, mainly surrounding business, profession, and learning.

Out of its four models (GPT, GPT-2, GPT-3, and GPT-4) so far, GPT-4 is one of the most advanced ones yet. On estimation, it can respond using up to 25,000 words. 

It’s mainly used in people’s day-to-day lives for content generation, text processing, coding, language translation, problem-solving, social media content, and more.

Also Read: AI & Accessibility: Is AI-Generated Content Bad for Accessibility?

Benefits of Using ChatGPT in the Educational Sector

ChatGPT is a robust tool. But the real magic happens when its prowess combines with human understanding and creativity.

And if there’s one arena where this amalgamation can generate incredible outcomes, it’s the academic realm. Here’s how;

1. Exceptional Personalization

Generalized classroom teaching is why most students eventually lose interest in learning. But ChatGPT is not your regular AI tool.

It’s designed to give back unique, hyper-personalized responses to every query. This means an exceptionally personalized learning experience that’s enriching and engaging.

2. Extra Teaching Assistance

As a profession, teaching requires a person to be an all-rounder.

From coaching the students as a subject-matter expert to being a critic and evaluating them on various scales – being a jack of all trades is crucial to succeed in this field.

But thanks to ChatGPT, there are various facets where teachers can use some help to – ease and improve teaching.

3. Skill Enhancement

Statistics reveal that the global unemployment rate in 2023 is 5.8%. While there’s a multitude of reasons behind this, the lack of skills – even in learned candidates – is one of the biggest contributors.

But with ChatGPT, this can be reversed. This tool also helps develop and enhance skills, including coding, critical thinking, language learning, and more.

So, the sooner we deploy it in our learning ecosystem, the better the state of our employability.

4. Limitless Learning

The rise of machine learning has proved – 2023 and the years that follow are going to be extremely advanced, especially in terms of technology.

In order to adapt to the coming future, individuals will have to harmonize themselves with an array of new ideologies, topics, and subjects. This is where classroom learning can get constrictive.

But ChatGPT can rescue. With its sea of knowledge, this AI model can foster the kind of learning that knows no bounds.

5. Increased Engagement

Last but not least, ChatGPT is a very engaging technique for learning new things and fresh subjects. Its framework facilitates teaching in several ways, so if one doesn’t work for the student, you can always use another to familiarize them with the topic.

In fact, there are a gazillion ways through which teachers and institutions can utilize this tool to enhance learning and make it more engaging for learners. 

How Can Institutions Use ChatGPT to Foster Learning Excellence

Now you know – the use of ChatGPT in higher education can be astounding on so many levels. But the question is – how can one do so?

Well, here are a few practical ways through which you can include this tool in your teaching regime;

1. Virtual Teaching

Per research, about 50% of institutional students have used an online learning platform at some point. With distance learning on the rise, teachers have never been this compelled to be available around the clock.

But thanks to ChatGPT, having a virtual teaching assistant at zero cost is now possible. This tool can answer questions, give feedback, support research, and even communicate on your behalf.

So, it can be used as an efficient teaching assistant.

2. Gamification Features

In education, gamification is proven to increase student performance by 34.75%. This is so because gamified elements like quizzes, puzzles, etc., foster student engagement in the classroom.

With ChatGPT, you can easily do that. You can gamify your lessons, add quizzes and challenges, progress tracking, customizable avatars, and more to make your lessons more interactive for all students. 

3. Skill Development Tasks

Here’s another fantastic use of ChatGPT in learning!

As mentioned previously, skill development is highly crucial for employment, irrespective of the number of degrees one holds. ChatGPT helps foster that by explaining concepts, curating tasks, generating Q/As, and whatnot.

So, suppose schools and colleges install this system in their teaching regimen. In that case, it will enormously come in handy in exposing students to a number of money-making aptitudes and fine-tuning their skills. 

4. Grammar Support

With the rise of AI, one of the most prevalent problems that has found a permanent solution is lingual and grammatical inaccuracies.

You can easily integrate this powerful AI cum language processing system with your computer, enter the input prompt, and follow it up with a basic context explanation.

This will enable the tool to synthesize text and eliminate grammatical errors quickly.

5. Generating Study Materials

ChatGPT training can also help you generate study materials for your course curriculum. No matter the subject – literature, science, sociology, mathematics, or history – you can easily produce in-depth study materials.

In fact, you can also give it the command to be standard-specific, and it will retrieve age-appropriate data for your students.

Also Read: Chat GPT: Pros and Cons of Using ChatGPT in Higher Education

Wrapping Up

ChatGPT and higher education – this might sound like two very distant topics being brought together. But in reality, the future of education is on its way to becoming mainstream – and for all the right reasons!

If you are an educator or an institution, understand the pros of implementing this technological giant in your teaching. After all, you have been assigned the critical task of nurturing and producing future leaders. 

If you are searching for top-notch higher education solutions for your institution, let Hurix Digital be your ally. With our instructional design services, enhanced learning experience, and integrations with top technology and platforms – we assure you nothing but the best. 

So, what are you waiting for? Add the power of tech to your teaching. 

Reach out to us today!