Generative AI and Active Learning : Background Info and Topic Selection

Potential Topic Assignments - Here are some research topics to explore using AI

Group 1 - Social Studies: Labor Migration and Economic Impacts

Group 2 - History: Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Society

Group 3 - Science: Black Holes and Astrophysics 

Group 4 - Technology: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Modern Healthcare

Group 5 - Real Chat Topics: Japanese Cars, Social Media on Mental Health, Universal Basic Income, The Role of Women in [Specific Time Period]: Challenging Traditional Narratives, or Taylor Swift and the Economy

Group 6 - Brainstorming: Ask AI to help you brainstorm topics. Give the AI as little or as much information as you want. Ex: my interest include.... or I do not want a topic about etc....

Collecting Background Information 

• Begin by collecting background information on your topic. Ask the AI for information at various levels of understanding - from basic overviews to in-depth analyses.
  •  ex: Explain it to me like I'm 5 or 12.
  • I do not understand this topic. What might be some things I need to research before or after?
  • Ask for the information in another language. 

Reflection Questions:

• How did the depth of background information collected influence your understanding of the topic?
• What new insights or perspectives did you gain from exploring the topic comprehensively?
• In what ways did the diverse range of information gathered shape your research approach and potential areas of focus?
• How might the acquired background knowledge guide your future research questions and methodologies?

Source Evaluation and Discussion: Begin your task by asking the AI to provide sources related to your assigned topic.

• Request a diverse range of sources, including scholarly articles, reputable websites, and expert opinions. Pay attention to the AI's suggestions and evaluate their reliability and credibility.

• You can always ask for sources without a range and see what the AI comes up with

  Source Evaluation 

• Evaluate the reliability and credibility of each assigned source. Use Lateral Reading to verify and check sources. 
• Consider factors such as author expertise, publication date, and potential biases

Reflection Questions

• How did the process of evaluating the reliability and credibility of sources enhance your understanding of discerning trustworthy information in a digital landscape?
• What challenges did you encounter while assessing potential biases in the sources provided by the AI, and how did you overcome these challenges?
• In what ways might the criteria you used for evaluating sources influence your future research endeavors and information-seeking practices?

In this activity, you'll have the opportunity to explore various AI models, including ChatGPT, for your research purposes. However, ChatGPT is not connected to the internet and was last updated in DEC 2023, so keep that in mind when selecting any of the following options. Let's begin!

• Copilot
• YOU Ai
• Perplexity
• Claude ( login with email required ) 
• Chat GPT 4o

Feel free to explore these options further to determine which aligns best with your research or project requirements.

Group Discussion

• Low-Level (Remembering):
  • What are some common ways students can use AI in the initial stages of literature review?
• Mid-Level (Understanding):
  •  Explain the primary differences between supervised and unsupervised AI learning research techniques.
• High-Level (Applying):
  • Can you propose a research scenario in which AI-driven natural language processing tools could significantly enhance the process and describe the steps involved in applying these tools to achieve research objectives?