Digging deeper into the ways in which high school college counselors can utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT as professionals, here is a useful case example. We are constantly trying to find ways to better serve our students through the programming we provide. I have been tinkering with how ChatGPT can assist me in this work. For context, we offer seminar-style workshops throughout the second semester for grade 11 students on a series of topics. (You can see our outline here.)
While there are a number of ways to approach this one — such as by uploading a PDF of the curricular outline or using any one of a number of other AI-enhanced tools (“thought partners”) — for our purposes here, I’ve just used this prompt in ChatGPT:
We are developing our high school college counseling curriculum for grade 11 students. Our first workshop has the following topics and content: "Workshop 1 Introduction: Understanding the Process, Timeline, Who Is Responsible For What, It’s Not Too Late To Switch Pathways, & Standardized Testing." The workshop will last 45 minutes and will take place in groups of students of 12-25 students. Each topic should be covered in 8-12 minutes to maximize student attention spans. The workshop must also include one activity of reflective writing on a provided, relevant prompt, and it must also include one interactive activity to engage the students in discussion among themselves. Please provide me with a lesson outline including instructions for next steps in terms of creating additional resources such as handouts, slide decks for presentations, or other such requirements.See how I emphasized the curricular objectives, such as reflective writing opportunities and interactive activities as well as structuring things in a way so as to maximize attention spans. Here is what ChatGPT produced:
Workshop 1 Lesson Outline: College Counseling Curriculum for Grade 11
Goal: Equip students with a foundational understanding of the college application process and its various components.
Introduction (3 minutes)
- Briefly explain the purpose of the workshop: equipping students to navigate the college application process.
- Share the topics to be covered and highlight the importance of active participation.
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1. Understanding the Process (8 minutes)
Content:
- Overview of the college application process from research to submission.
- Importance of early preparation and staying organized.
Resource Requirements:
- Slide deck with flowchart or timeline highlighting key milestones in the college application process.
---
2. Timeline (8 minutes)
Content:
- Detailed month-by-month breakdown from junior year to senior year with key actions and deadlines.
- Emphasize the cyclical nature: exploration, preparation, application, and decision-making.
Resource Requirements:
- Handout with the college application timeline.
- Slide deck with visual timeline representation.
---
3. Who Is Responsible For What (8 minutes)
Content:
- Role of students, parents, teachers, and college counselors.
- Emphasize student ownership of the process.
Resource Requirements:
- Slide deck with a breakdown of responsibilities.
- Handout with a checklist for students.
---
4. It’s Not Too Late To Switch Pathways (8 minutes)
Content:
- Discussion on vocational schools, community colleges, gap years, and other alternatives.
- Importance of choosing a path that aligns with personal and professional goals.
Resource Requirements:
- Slide deck with pathways alternatives and pros and cons.
- Handout with resources for each pathway.
---
5. Standardized Testing (10 minutes)
Content:
- Introduction to SAT, ACT, and other relevant tests.
- Discussion on test-optional colleges and how to approach them.
- Tips and resources for test preparation.
Resource Requirements:
- Slide deck highlighting key test dates, formats, and scoring.
- Handout with resources for test preparation.
---
Reflective Writing Activity (5 minutes)
- Prompt: "Considering today's topics, what are your initial feelings about the college application process? What pathway interests you the most at this moment?"
- Ask students to write a brief reflection.
- Materials Needed: Notepad/paper and pens.
---
Interactive Activity: "Pathway Carousel" (5 minutes)
- Students divide into small groups.
- Each group is assigned one of the pathways discussed (e.g., 4-year college, community college, vocational school, gap year).
- Groups discuss the benefits and challenges of their assigned pathway.
- After 3 minutes, groups rotate and share their discussions with the next group, learning from each other.
- Materials Needed: Pathway cards for each group.
---
Conclusion (2 minutes)
- Recap main points.
- Encourage students to approach their college counselors with any questions or concerns.
- Provide a handout summarizing the workshop’s key points.This is a perfectly sound lesson plan given the parameters provided. Of course, there are some little things here and there that I would tweak, but it is an excellent way to develop lessons. Keep in mind this: if you don’t like what it produced, regenerate! Or, better yet, iterate with it as a “thought partner”! Ask it to refine, improve, or change any elements that seem inappropriate for you. Provide it more context, and things will improve!
Also, at the conclusion of the above-shared output there was this final piece included, which I love. In the above output, there are various “Resource Requirements” sections where ChatGPT is telling me what I need to produce to effectively deliver that component of the lesson plan. Now, here it is telling me best practices in how to go about achieving this:
Next Steps for Execution:
1. Slide Decks: Design slides with clear visuals, minimal text, and key points. Consider using platforms like PowerPoint or Google Slides.
2. Handouts: Design handouts to be both informative and interactive. They should be clear, concise, and engaging. Tools like Canva can assist in creating visually appealing handouts.
3. Activity Materials: Prepare notepads/pens for reflective writing. Create "Pathway cards" detailing different college/career pathways for the interactive activity.
4. Feedback Forms: At the end of the workshop, consider distributing feedback forms to gauge students’ understanding, concerns, and areas where they might need additional support in future workshops.
5. Logistics: Ensure there's a working projector, speakers, and adequate seating arrangement to facilitate group activities.
6. Pre-Workshop Communication: Send an email or notification to students, giving them an overview of the workshop and what to expect. This will mentally prepare them for the session.
Remember to continually adjust and refine the content based on feedback and changes in college admissions trends. Good luck with your workshop!All of this in a mere matter of minutes! Give it a try!