With the rise of artificial technology and its infiltration into our daily lives, a large collection of technical terms have become common language. Most of us use these terms without even knowing what exactly they mean, and sometimes we use certain ai terms interchangeably when, in fact, each has its own semantic usage (for example, ai and generative ai).
For example, when we talk about ChatGPT and other popular conversational ai tools, we are mainly referring to a specific branch of artificial intelligence called generative ai. And did you know that GPT is a type of machine learning model that allows ai tools like ChatGPT to perform various tasks, from creating lesson plans to answering complex math problems?
My argument here is that in order for us to develop a nuanced understanding of what ai is and make the most of it in our teaching, we need to understand its technical terminology or at least its basic vocabulary. We need to be able to clearly articulate what a large language model is, how natural language processing works, and what drives machine learning.
No, we don't need to delve into the science behind artificial intelligence, but understanding the fundamental concepts can make a big difference in how we approach and use ai in our classrooms.
I believe that understanding ai terminology will also help us make informed decisions about which ai tools to use with our students in class, how to effectively integrate them into our educational practice, and how to help our students use them to enhance their learning.
To this end, I created this cheat sheet based on my recent book. amazon.com/dp/B0D9SWSQWM”>ChatGPT for Teachers: Master the Skill of Creating Effective Prompts. In it I presented some of the popular ai concepts that I think teachers and educators should know to help them understand what ai is all about. So I invite you to review the list, familiarize yourself with ai terminology and share with us your suggestions and comments.
Related: 8 Practical Ways to Use Google Docs ai in Your Teaching