Tips to Get You Started
Are you interested in learning how generative AI works? A good introduction is provided by the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society’s “What are LLMs and generative AI? A beginners’s guide to the technology turning heads”. You could also consider:
- For those considering implementing AI in their classroom, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Interactive Crash Course: Practical AI for Instructors provides some starter videos
- 7 Things You Should Know About Generative AI from Educause
- Harvard’s metaLAB’s AI Pedagogy
The responses you receive from a generative AI tool depend on the prompts you enter, and the further refining of these prompts, which takes practice. As Ethan Mollick said, “The lesson is that just using AI will teach you how to use AI.” (Working with AI: Two Paths to Prompting) To get started, we recommend you consider the following.
Include detailed information in your prompt, including the desired format. “Write a paragraph about…” “Create an image containing…” Suggest a particular style (e.g., an academic essay or lab report) and include specific information you want to include (e.g., provide an outline or ordered steps for the prompt).
- If you’re not sure how to describe the style you want to emulate, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania suggests pasting in a text example you like and asking the tool to describe the style Use that description in your own prompt for style.
- Does the tool output meet your needs? What additional information is required? Generative AI is an interactive tool. Try different options and prompts to gauge the results, clear the prompt screen and try again. You will learn to refine your prompts and better discern what is most effective with practice.
- Generative AI tools can provide quick results that may appear correct, but looks can be deceiving. Tools such as ChatGPT can produce hallucinations or misleading and factually incorrect text. As with any text or visual analysis, we need to examine the results with a critical eye.
U of T instructors and staff can explore generative AI and practice using prompts with Microsoft Copilot.