The article was authored by Associate Professor Peter Crosthwaite, Dr Simone Smala, and Ms Franciele Spinelli from The University of Queensland.
In a groundbreaking study published in The Australian Educational Researcher, researchers Peter Crosthwaite, Simone Smala, and Franciele Spinelli delve into how Australian primary and secondary educators are leveraging generative AI (GAI) tools like ChatGPT for teaching. The study, conducted in 2024, surveyed 38 teachers who submitted 252 “pedagogically useful” prompts and 19 “pedagogically poor” ones after attending a workshop on GAI prompting. Semi-structured interviews with 35 participants revealed insights into how GAI is being used in classrooms.
Key findings include:
- Prominent Use Cases: Teachers are using GAI for instructional design, enhancing creativity, simplifying concepts, differentiation of materials, and managing administrative tasks.
- Assessment and Feedback: GAI supports creating assessments, providing feedback, and modelling appropriate use for students.
- Challenges and Ethical Considerations: Teachers acknowledged issues like GAI’s potential for factual errors, plagiarism, and ethical risks, highlighting the need for training to maximize its benefits while minimizing drawbacks.
This study underscores the transformative potential of GAI in education, especially when paired with effective prompting skills and ethical practices.
Read the full article at The Australian Association for Research in Education
