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Tutor Trust takes part in pioneering AI pilot

Tutor Trust played a part in the testing phase of the online resource: 'Teaching with ChatGPT'

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  • Time to read: 5 minutes

Today the Hg Foundation is launching a brand new online resource ‘Teaching with ChatGPT’, which explores how AI can support teachers and tutors to plan effective and personalised sessions

We are privileged to have worked with Hg Foundation and Bain and Company, to test generative AI (artificial intelligence) technology with teachers and tutors across England (throughout October 2023). Working with our tutors and pupils at Manchester Academy we identified the areas that ChatGPT could support tutoring and how to get the most from it. 

The new resources feature video demonstrations, example prompts, and step-by-step instructions. It focuses on six key areas that are crucial to effective teaching and tutoring: 

  1. Finding activity ideas in seconds
  2. Getting ready-made practice questions
  3. Adapting the materials to work for specific groups
  4. Crafting model answers and building mock exam questions
  5. Getting effective explanations and creating step-by-step examples
  6. Testing student understanding and avoiding misconceptions

The teachers and tutors involved in the testing felt that ChatGPT inspired new ways to deliver content and present information, which improved lesson quality and engaged students more effectively. They also widely agreed that using AI saved them time in planning.

Our tutor Matt Hainsworth, who took part in the test, and appears in the new resource, found that there were many benefits to using ChatGPT to plan sessions and create resources, including generating a range of ideas and summarising large amounts of information. His advice to tutors using AI is to always check the information provided and be as specific as possible in your prompts to get the best results. Matt says:  

AI doesn’t work on its own. Use it to strengthen your weaknesses, and boost your strengths even more. I think AI is going to be a staple in education as a whole, not just tutoring. Getting on the curve now can only be a strength to tutors everywhere."
Matt Hainsworth, Tutor Trust Full-Time Tutor

Matt describes the benefits of using ChatGPT in the classroom

Before working on this test, we had provided tutors with tutorials on our online learning platform, Thinqi, showing them how to use AI safely and effectively. Within the tutorials, we stress that data privacy and safeguarding must be prioritised when using AI and tutors are asked not to enter any personal information about themselves or their students into any generative AI site or application.

We jumped at the chance to work with the Hg Foundation and Bain & Company on this project, as we’d already been exploring how tutors could use AI to enhance their sessions and create resources that would engage pupils. As an organisation, we’re passionate about constantly evolving and using new technologies to enhance our offer and support the pupils that we work with even more effectively.

We’re extremely grateful for the opportunity to take part in the pilot and to continue to encourage our tutors to embrace AI technologies in their work with us.”
Matt Wallis, Director of Training and Quality Assurance
We were excited to support the Hg Foundation on this project and see exciting potential in AI as a means of helping enhance the delivery of high-quality tutoring.”
Gemma Cotton, Partner and a Bain & Company Social Impact Lead

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