Revolutionizing Report Card Comments with ChatGPT-4
Welcome to our session! Thanks for coming today!
Deirdre Kennedy Email: deirdre@kennedyaiforall.com
Session Overview
1
Introduction to ChatGPT & Descriptive Feedback
2
Ethical and Effective Use of ChatGPT
3
Crafting Personalized Comments
4
Advanced Techniques for customizing comments
5
Applying our learned skills with provided templates
Icebreaker Time
On a scale of 1-5,
how comfortable are you using AI tools for educational purposes? (1 being not comfortable at all, 5 being very comfortable)
Raise your hand
if you've experimented with ChatGPT before
Type one word in the chat
that describes your feelings about using AI for writing tasks.
Introduction to ChatGPT-4
DEFINITION OF CHAT GPT-4:
The latest generative pre-trained transformer model developed by OpenAI, designed to understand and generate human-like text based on prompts given to it.
CAPABILITIES FOR TEACHERS:
Natural language understanding and generation
Ability to produce diverse writing styles and tones
Quick generation of text, saving time for educators
Customisable outputs based on user prompts
Understanding ChatGPT-4:
Benefits of using AI for Report Comments
Efficiency: Reduces time spent on drafting comments.
Consistency: Helps maintain a consistent tone and quality across all comments.
Inspiration: Provides a variety of phrasings and perspectives to convey student progress.
Personalization: Can tailor comments to individual student achievements and areas for growth.
If you've used ChatGPT for report cards before, what was your biggest success?
Descriptive Feedback
What a student can do should note significant events in the student’s growth, development, and learning; and can include the following:
Descriptive Feedback Criteria:
  1. Individual evidence of learning, using appropriate pronouns and name
  1. Strengths-based language, recognising that student learning is dynamic and holistic
  1. Parent/Caregiver friendly language
  1. Highlighting of areas of significant growth in relation to the learning standards
  1. Opportunities for further development in relation to the learning standards
  1. Suggested helpful "going forward" strategies; ways to support the student in their learning
  1. Information about student behaviour, engagement, and their approaches to learning
Question Time!
  • What's one question or hesitation you have about using AI for report card comments?
  • Have you used any other language models besides ChatGPT? If so, which ones?
Example of a Proficiency Scale (BC, Canada)
From Unpacking the Proficiency Scale (Support for Educators) PDF
Optional sentence stems
THE ETHICAL PROCESS OF USING AI
1
Start with the decision to use AI.
2
Proceed to data input with confidentiality in mind
3
Follow up with critical review & personalisation in mind.
4
End with the responsible application of the generated text.
Ethical Considerations: ChatGPT-4
Maintaining Confidentiality & Privacy:
  • Avoid inputting personally identifiable information re: students into ChatGPT-4.
  • Anonymise student data before using AI to generate comments. For example, "Student A"
  • Emphasise the importance of secure handling of any generated text to protect student privacy.
Other Ethical Considerations
Responsible AI Use
  • Encourage critical review of AI-generated comments to ensure they accurately reflect each student's achievements.
  • Use it to enhance professional expertise
Supporting Teacher Judgment
  • A starting point for drafting comments, but the final judgment should always be made by the educator.
  • We need to personalise and adapt AI suggestions to fit the context and needs of our students.
Promoting Equity
  • Be aware of and address any biases that may arise in AI-generated content.
  • Ensure that the comments generated are equitable and do not perpetuate stereotypes.
Crafting Your Strong Prompt
Clarity
  • Clarity: Be clear about what you're asking. Vague prompts can lead to generic responses.
Specificity
Specificity: Tailor your prompt to include specific competencies and learning outcomes relevant to your subject and grade level.
Context
Context: Provide context by mentioning the proficiency level you're addressing, and any other relevant details that will help the AI understand your needs.
Tips for Crafting Effective Prompts
1
Start with a brief description of the task or skills; learning standards (curricular competencies).
2
Include the level of proficiency based on the learning standards/competencies (emerging, developing, proficient, extending).
3
State what the comment should include, such as strengths, areas for growth, and suggestions for improvement.
4
Mention specific student work, tasks or skills to personalize the comments
Basic Template Prompt
1. Assign the chatbot a role:
You are an expert, experienced teacher with over a decade of experience.
2. Explain the task:
Write/create/generate descriptive comments, opportunities for future development, and constructive feedback.
3. Name the curricular competencies/learning standards:
Your students have been working on so far [this term/semester/year].
4. Request writing a variety of template style comments:
In progressive order, for students who have been a) proficient b) developing c) emerging d) extending
Example Prompt: (Social Studies 10)
Example Prompt Continued (SS10)
RESULTS: TEMPLATE-STYLE COMMENTS
VARIATION PROMPT & EXAMPLE
Prompt:
"Please write at least 5 variations for each competency above [name of skills you are assessing] as well as 5 more variations for general descriptive feedback and 5 more variations for constructive feedback for improvement."
Example:
Composite Comments
& Time- Saving Hacks
Once the template process above has been completed, you can prompt for composite comments.
EXAMPLE PROMPT FOR COMPOSITE COMMENTS:
Create sample report comments, for one potential student who is developing, using a comment from each of the template category areas that covers all 4 competencies, and provides general descriptive feedback and constructive feedback, to create a completed report card comment for a potential individual student please.
OUTPUT EXAMPLE: SAMPLE COMMENT
Additional Helpful Prompts:
To encourage the chatbot to be more creative: If you could please find more creative ways to describe a student who is 'developing' their abilities with alternatives to the actual word 'developing' and use phrases/words that suggest it.
To encourage improvement, add clarity on generated comments: Please start each comment by specifically addressing a learning standard, then providing an example. Then, address another competency, provide another example. Concurrently, you could also be providing descriptive feedback on their strengths, as well as then providing constructive feedback, opportunities for further development and/or any next steps the student should take/have going forward. Let's try again, please, with this feedback in mind. Thanks!
Proactive prompts: Please avoid using words like 'good' or directly using the word 'proficient' or 'proficiently; please try to use more creative and descriptive language to make it sound more human like. Thanks!
Trouble-Shooting Prompts:
If generated comments are too short: "These report comments are looking a bit too short. Please be sure to address all 4 competencies, use their recent work as examples and evidence of their abilities in relation to the expected learning, and provide tangible going forward suggestions for each student for how they could continue to improve their Spanish skills going forward. Thanks!
Remind the chatbot to incorporate all prior prompts: Incorporate this feedback and please keep in mind all of our previous correspondence so far.
If comments are too formal/wordy: Tone & Audience: Please write comments in an encouraging and friendly tone; please write comments in parent and caregiver friendly language.
Composite Comments: Example Result
EXAMPLE RESULTS FOR COMPOSITE PROMPT
  1. 'Extending Student: "[Student's Name] has shown a remarkable aptitude for Spanish, consistently demonstrating a strong grasp of the language. In mastering various strategies to understand and articulate thoughts in Spanish, both orally and in writing, [he/she/they] has excelled. [His/Her/Their] dialogue presentation about a foreign exchange student was a standout, showcasing not only improved pronunciation but also cultural awareness. To build on this solid foundation, I suggest [Student's Name] further immerse [himself/herself/themselves] in Spanish media like YouTube videos or podcasts which would provide [him/her/them] with more opportunities to understand spoken Spanish in various contexts."
  1. 'Developing' Student: "[Student's Name] is showing early signs of being able to narrate simple stories in Spanish. [His/Her/Their] effort in writing about [his/her/their] student schedule, though basic, is a step in the right direction. To foster [his/her/their] narrative skills, it would be beneficial for [Student's Name] to engage with picture-based storytelling in Spanish, which can help [him/her/them] connect visual cues with language, enhancing [his/her/their] ability to tell stories more effectively."
Composite Comments
Follow-up prompts
Depending on how many characters you are allowed, (or how long you want your comment to be) once you have a complete composite comment, remember that you can ask for the comment to be more concise, have a more encouraging tone, and so on. You are having a conversation, and your feedback to the chatbot will help you get the output you are looking for
The Ultimate Report Card Comment Shortcut Hack!
Once you have created a template bank of composite comments (a completed report card comment for one potential student) . . .
Provide the chatbot with a list of student code names (for example, Student A), their gender/pronouns, and their proficiency level for the learning standards, and instantly, the entire comment for one student will be created! In brackets beside this information, include a few specific details about this student's engagement in class activities, highlights of their work, or any other specific details you'd like to include.
This particular hack has saved me tons of time, as you don't even need to go back into template comments you have created and change name, gender and pronouns, which could otherwise take up more time.
EXAMPLE COMMENT BANK: SOCIALS 10
Social Studies 10 Comment Bank Example

Google Docs

SOCIALS 10 COMMENT BANK EXAMPLE

The Process: Practice Time!
1
Start practicing!
Craft your own similar prompt, or use the one provided in the template to begin.
2

Google Docs

GENERAL COMMENT BANK TEMPLATE

NAME OF COURSE: CURRICULAR COMPETENCIES: (Copy + paste here) COMMENT BANK: EXTENDING COMMENTS: PROFICIENT COMMENTS: DEVELOPING COMMENTS: EMERGING COMMENTS:

Create a comment bank with your subject(s)/grade levels using this template.
3
Create proficient comments, developing comments, emerging, extending. (I usually go in that order).
Then, add your comments to the Doc as you go.
Sharing & Discussion/Q&A
I'd love to hear your thoughts! What surprised you, what resonated with you, or what are you still wondering about?
  • What's one question about using ChatGPT for report cards that's still on your mind?
  • Is there any aspect of the report card writing process where you're unsure if ChatGPT could be helpful? Let's talk about it.
  • What's one thing you learned today that you're excited to try out in your classroom?
  • Was there anything missing from today's presentation that you were hoping to learn?
Reference Materials
Report Card Comment Template Cheat Sheet & Example Prompt: Google Doc:

Google Docs

REPORT COMMENT TEMPLATE+ EXAMPLE PROMPTs

Comment Bank Template:

Google Docs

COMMENT BANK TEMPLATE EXAMPLE

Today's Slides:

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KENNEDYAIFORALL Revolutionzing Report Card Comments with ChatGPT-4

Welcome to our session! Thanks for coming today! Deirdre Kennedy Email: deirdre@kennedyaiforall.com

Thank you so much for joining today!
Thank you so much for coming and participating today!
If you have any questions, or if there's anything I can do to help support you writing your report comments, please don't hesitate to reach out!
email: deirdre@kennedyaiforall.com
Instagram: @kennedyaiforall