Advanced Multimedia Tools

Have you used AI applications before? If you have, what have you used them for? What apps have you come across that are not in the Explore section that you’ve found useful?

I have used AI applications before, and the one I used the most often is ChatGPT. I also found Grammarly useful for checking grammar. I used ChatGPT for generating ideas and polishing my sentences and sometimes I will ask some questions like “How to cite a textbook in APA 7th?” For questions like this, I prefer using ChatGPT rather than using Google because it directly and clearly tells me how to do and I don’t need to compare and contrast different search results and find what I need. Also, because English is my second language, I will use Grammarly to check my grammar after finishing writing an essay or a paper. It tells you where I made a mistake and how to fix the mistake. I personally found them useful but I still need to check the output because sometimes they make mistakes. For example, Grammarly sometimes changes what you don’t need to change such as they will mark the word “behavior” wrong and tell you to change it to “behaviour”.

How accurate or successful were the learning objects you created using the AI tools?

For most of the time, AI tools can generate accurate answers. I use ChatGPT the most often, so I will share some of my experiences of using ChatGPT. One of my personal experiences is that it will make mistakes in calculating mathematical questions. ChatGPT gave you all the steps but the wrong answer. Another common mistake that ChatGPT will make is when you ask it to find some academic resources for you. It is able to generate a reference list but when you try to review those resources, you will find that those resources are made up by ChatGPT.

How might the use of these tools create a more inclusive learning experience? Who might be excluded?

I try to ask the first part of this question to ChatGPT and it gives me the following answers:

1. Personalized Learning: AI can adapt to individual learning styles and paces, providing personalized learning experiences for students. This benefits learners with different abilities and preferences, allowing them to progress at their own speed.
2. Accessibility Features: AI-powered tools can incorporate accessibility features, making educational materials more accessible to students with disabilities. For example, text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and other assistive technologies can support students with visual or auditory impairments.
3. Language Support: AI can facilitate language learning by offering real-time translation, pronunciation assistance, and language practice exercises. This can be particularly helpful for students who are non-native speakers or are learning a second language.
4. 24/7 Availability: AI tools enable asynchronous learning, allowing students to access educational materials and resources at any time. This flexibility can benefit learners who may have other responsibilities or commitments, making education more accessible.

Reference: OpenAI. (2023, Nov. 21). [ChatGPT response to a prompt about AI for inclusive education]. https://chat.openai.com/

In my opinion, I do agree with the points of accessibility and language support. AI tools make learning more accessible for learners who have different preferences and they are not limited by one language, so I can ask them to translate or answer questions in my first language. However, there are still some limitations in terms of inclusive learning. People who do not have access to technology cannot benefit from AI tools. Similarly, it is not friendly for the elderly because they are not used to using technology not to say AI tools. Another limitation is that for the same question, an AI tool might give you the same answer, so if everyone uses AI to generate answers then everyone has the same answer. 

Exploring AI Tools

I explored QuillBot and ChatGPT, and I compared answers they generated for the exact same content. It was not surprising that QuillBot generated a better paragraph because its main function is paraphrasing. I like the way it highlights some words and phrases, and I think that I can improve my writing skills by using this tool. Similarly, I asked the ChatGPT to rephrase my paragraph, but the answer generated by it reads more like a summary rather than paraphrasing the content. From my personal experience of using these AI tools, I think that all of these AI tools should be used as complementary tools, and we cannot depend on them to generate what we need for us.