Creating a student induction with ChatGPT: what it does and misses

ChatGPT seems to be all the rage at the moment, and has been so since at least November/December of 2022. Students and educators are simultaneously worried, excited and fearful of the possibilities that a tool like ChatGPT might create. The inspiration for this post comes from a lot of thinking since at least February and March of this year, coupled with a couple of insightful blog posts from a colleague Dr Emily Nordmann.

What is ChatGPT?

I won't labor the point as this has already been talked about in many places, many times over the last few months. In my own words, ChatGPT a tool that draws upon a large set of information that is out there on the web while constantly being trained by its users to finesse what it produces for its users. Depending on whether you use the free or paid version, this information goes back to either 2021 at the time of this writing, or up to now when using the paid version.

The knowledge that ChatGPT draws on is shaped by a mixture of key factors that you should understand:

those who created the ChatGPT AI model - i.e. the programmers
the openly available information that ChatGPT is drawing from
the users whose queries and questions are training ChatGPT, in essence, to become better at what it is doing

Specific knowledge frames outputs

Understanding both what knowledge and whose knowledge informs ChatGPT, and any other tool, is important. When we lift the lid on such tools, we deepen our own understanding of how they work on multiple levels. This then allows us to understand how tools like ChatGPT might (and probably will) create potential omissions, erasures and bias in the knowledge that such tools produce.

With this in mind, I encourage you to try and test out such tools while also asking yourself:

Who has created this tool?
Where are they from?
What are their motivations?
What knowledge is this tool drawing on?
Whose knowledge is this tool drawing on?
What knowledge is missing? And why is it missing?

An example in practice: creating a student induction

I chose the image above to represent the first prompt and example. What you ask of a large language model like ChatGPT will directly influence the example answer you receive. So, the more vague your question is, the more encompassing the response you will receive.

For a practical example, I decided to get ChatGPT to create a student induction. I choose this example for a few reasons:

to understand what the tool will create using my question prompts
to share with educators an example of a student induction created by ChatGPT
to determine what could be missing from the example that ChatGPT creates

Initial prompt and first output

Below is what ChatGPT created from the initial prompt.

Me: Can you help me to create an induction program for first year students at a university?
ChatGPT: Absolutely, I'd be happy to help you design an induction program for first year university students. Here's a basic outline you could consider:

1. Welcome and Introduction (Day 1)

Welcome Speech: The head of the university or a senior faculty member can begin by welcoming the new students.
Introduction to University: Give an overview of the university's history, ethos, academic structures, key personnel, campus culture, and student life.

2. University Overview (Day 1 - Day 2)

Academic Session: Detail about the course curriculum, academic calendar, grading system, internships, research opportunities, and expectations.
Campus Tour: This could be conducted by senior students. Show important locations like lecture halls, library, labs, student support services, sports facilities, canteens, etc.
Introduction to Faculty: Introduce the teaching and administrative staff. This could be done departmentally.
Workshop on the University's Digital Infrastructure: Train students on how to use the university's website, student portal, learning management system, library resources, etc.

3. Student Services and Support (Day 3)

Presentation from Student Services: Discuss available services like counselling, career guidance, health, accommodation, international student services, etc.
Safety Briefing: Include information about campus safety, emergency services, important contact numbers, and any apps or systems used to enhance student safety.
Presentation from Financial Aid: Discuss scholarships, grants, loans, work-study opportunities, and other financial assistance available.
Presentation from Student Clubs: Representatives from various clubs and societies can introduce their activities.

4. Skills Workshops (Day 4 - Day 5)

Study Skills: Sessions on time management, effective study techniques, research skills, and academic writing.
Soft Skills: Workshops on communication skills, presentation skills, leadership, teamwork, etc.
Personal Development: Sessions on mental health awareness, stress management, maintaining a balanced lifestyle, etc.

5. Social Activities (Throughout the Week)

Ice Breakers and Team Building Activities: To help students get to know each other.
Welcome Party: A casual social event.
Quiz Night: A fun trivia night with questions about the university and general knowledge.
City Tour: For universities in or near cities, a tour of important city landmarks could be helpful.
Meet and Greet with Seniors: Casual interaction sessions with second-year students or student mentors.

6. Reflection and Feedback (End of the Week)

Reflection Session: Allow students to share their experiences and feelings about the first week.
Feedback Collection: Collect feedback about the induction program to improve future iterations.

Please note that this is a general schedule and might need adjustments according to the specific needs of your university and student population. The key is to provide essential information, introduce students to support services, foster community-building, and address any initial worries or concerns students may have.
ChatGPT will often end examples with a little statement like this

Some reflections

As we can see, this is a very detailed student induction for a week-long induction. My question was not specific and therefore the example it produced was broad and encompassing. The example likely draws on a range of university inductions for Year 1 students entering university from across the Internet. However, as we can see, the example is based upon a university that probably has stable electricity, Internet access and good facilities. It is a department within a university that is probably concerned with its reputation and so it takes strides to ensure the students get the best experience (services) possible.

Getting (more) specific

I wanted to understand how ChatGPT might compress or summarize the previous request. The aim was to understand what might change as a result.

This is only an example and I do not recommend a single day student induction!

Me: Thank you, can you regenerate this but for a 1 day program?ChatGPT
ChatGPT: Certainly, condensing the induction program into one day will require some adjustment, but it's still achievable. Here's a simplified structure:

1. Morning Session: Welcome and University Overview (9:00am - 12:00pm)

Welcome Address: The head of the university or a senior faculty member can begin by welcoming the new students (9:00am - 9:30am).
University Overview: A brief overview of the university's history, ethos, academic structure, key personnel, and student life (9:30am - 10:00am).
Academic Session: Detail about the course curriculum, academic calendar, grading system, and expectations (10:00am - 10:30am).
Short Break (10:30am - 10:45am)
Quick Campus Tour: Highlight the most important locations such as lecture halls, libraries, and student support services. This could be a virtual tour, if needed (10:45am - 11:30am).
Introduction to Faculty: A quick introduction to key faculty members and administrative staff (11:30am - 12:00pm).

2. Afternoon Session: Student Services and Workshops (1:00pm - 4:00pm)

Lunch Break (12:00pm - 1:00pm)
Presentation from Student Services: Highlight the main services like counseling, health, accommodation, etc. (1:00pm - 1:30pm).
Workshop on University's Digital Infrastructure: Train students on how to use the university's website, student portal, learning management system, etc. (1:30pm - 2:00pm).
Short Break (2:00pm - 2:15pm)
Essential Skills Workshop: A condensed workshop on essential academic skills like time management, effective study techniques, and academic writing (2:15pm - 3:00pm).
Safety Briefing: Share information about campus safety, emergency services, and important contact numbers (3:00pm - 3:30pm).
Q&A Session: Allow students to ask any remaining questions they might have (3:30pm - 4:00pm).

3. Evening Session: Social Activity and Close (4:00pm - 6:00pm)

Social Mixer: A casual event where students can interact with each other and faculty members. This could include light refreshments, ice breakers, or team building activities (4:00pm - 5:30pm).
Closing Address: A brief closing note from a senior member of the university staff, encouraging students to make the most of their time at the university (5:30pm - 6:00pm).

Remember, the aim is to provide essential information, help students feel comfortable in their new environment, and foster a sense of community. Be sure to let students know where they can find more detailed information or support if needed.
ChatGPT's disclaimer

Reflections on the details

When I saw this example, I was surprised and left wondering. What surprised me was the time that ChatGPT allocated to such sessions. This would be a highly regimented and time poor induction!

While the overall plan isn't bad, we know from practice that inductions can take a lot longer and might have unexpected events that just happen. Students and staff can get lost along the way, people might cancel and rooms might suddenly be unavailable due to unforeseen circumstances.

Testing ChatGPT for basic biases

I went one step further by asking ChatGPT what might be some good dedicated social media platforms for fostering community among the students. The idea is that these could be spaces where students connect pre-arrival. However, there were some problems in the examples that ChatGPT produced.

Here are some of the examples it suggested:

Facebook
WhatsApp
Discord
Slack
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter
Microsoft Teams or Google Workspace
Reddit
Clubhouse
SnapChat
TikTok

Perhaps the biggest problem with these examples is that they are all very popular and widely used in the West and perhaps particularly in the Anglophone and European West. However, to what extent is this inclusive of those from other regions of the world?

I had to prompt ChatGPT to get it to consider using Telegram and WeChat. For context, Telegram is popular in eastern Europe and the Middle East while WeChat is particularly popular in China and other parts of Asia. The graphic below provides one picture of how some suggestions that ChatGPT are perhaps good ones while others are missing.

Statistic: Most popular social networks worldwide as of January 2023, ranked by number of monthly active users (in millions) | Statista

Find more statistics at Statista

Closing thoughts

What does this all mean for students and educators? I think it means that we need to do what we can and should be doing: when we use a tool, we should question critically who made it, what its purpose is and what it can and can't do. We should practice it, get to know it and see how well it works. Finally, we should question the information it is generating and be mindful of what is omitted and why it is missing.

For further information...

There are a lot of voices out there who are discussing ChatGPT and all of its potential. The two I have found most useful are those who have been consistent and have provided regular examples, while also creating space for dialogue.

One of the most consistent voices on the uses of ChatGPT on Twitter has been Mushtaq Bilaland one of the most regular organizers of voices has been Phil Anthony from the University of Kent who organizes regular Digitally Enhanced EducationWebinars.