Researching

It’s important to understand the differences in research across disciplines. Research for the humanities is drastically different from social sciences, which is different from computer science, etc. The way you use AI for research help will vary with disciplines too. 

*Make sure to verify the accuracy and value of the research that GenAI helps you find*

Ways to use GenAI in research:

• Direct you to relevant information

• Identify important sources for further reading

• Direct you to pertinent conversations about a topic

• Summarize key points of research

• Automate the processes for gathering and cataloging citation information

Cautions for using AI for research:

• The AI is limited to the data within its Large Language Model or LLM, meaning that its output is not necessarily comprehensive

• The LLMs take time to update and may only have dated info

• GenAI can be limited by inherent biases

• It can return hallucinations, which are representations of incorrect info that looks like it should be right

• GenAI does not understand context, so it may return info that is not relevant to your specific context

• DPA (Data Privacy Agreement), permission, and direct communication between students, parents, and school district

• AI tools should support the writing process, not replicate

SchoolAI

• Specific potential for brainstorming

• Program walks users through the prompt engineering process (as opposed to ChatGPT)

• Great for teachers who are less experienced with AI

• Keeps record of all student interactions with the bot for teacher to use

• Can provide constructive feedback without overdirecting student’s thinking

• Helps supports research and critical thinking

Perplexity AI

• AI powered search engine

• Aids in research; can respond as a thought partner, giving students ideas about possibilities about topics, gives specific sources they can look up, and verify potential research materials

Brisk Teaching

• Feedback for first draft writing

• Upload students’ first draft writing and prompt for specific feedback based on uploaded rubric

• Students can read AI commentary and highlight points where they can improve 

• Use this while teachers are working across classroom to have discussions with students; meanwhile, bot can be giving improvement suggestions. Then, the teacher can review those with students and provide them with deeper feedback

• Doesn’t give concrete examples for fixing

• Lays the groundwork

ChatGPT

• Use occasionally 

• Unlike something like Brisk, it provides extensive specifics for improvement

• Can give nuanced help

"AI-Proof" Writing Activities

Show-and-Tell Multimedia Bibliography

• How it Works: Students create an annotated bibliography in the format of a slideshow. They incorporate all of the common elements of a slideshow, engaging visuals, titles, etc. and then they present their bibliography to their peers.

• Takeaways: Practice using AI to help students narrow their research and find sources. Consider talking with students about ways to check that the sources that AI provides are reliable.

Community Survey

• How it Works: Students will go out into their community, conducting research via creating a survey. Students will collect data with their survey, using it to support their research questions.

• Takeaways: You could use AI to help students generate survey questions. This activity is great because it gets students out into the community!

Email an Expert

• How it Works: Students will email an expert in their field of research. They will ask the expert questions to support their research project. This gets students interacting authentically with sources. It will require at least 2 weeks to account for response time.

• Takeaways: Students could use AI to help them find research experts. Or, if time is an issue, AI could act as the "expert" that students email.