ChatAER – Utilization of ChatGPT in Educational Environmental Research

The aim of the project is the assessment, in collaboration with the teachers, of the students’ abilities in data evaluation, which will be necessary during their AI assisted research on a controversial topic such as the climate crisis. Therefore, we propose a dual preparatory teacher training in the fields of green awareness and utilization of Generative AI tools. Before the training phase, the opinions, knowledge and capabilities of the teachers on AI technology will be pre-tested through a questionnaire. During their first training, the teachers will learn to discern correct data and sources of information on environmental issues. During the second, their skills in AI generated text recognition and optimized prompt use will be developed.

After the training phase, the interventions in the collaborating schools will require the students to research specified environmental topics through the ChatGPT tool, evaluate the data through conventional online research, and present the results in a short essay. Utilizing their training, the teachers will have to present feedback on their student’s capabilities, and their continuous progress through the phases of the process. After the completion of the interventions, their own development will be post-tested.

The aforementioned skills, concerning both the teachers and the students, have been highlighted in various recent papers (Baidoo-Anu & Owusu Ansah, 2023; Firat, 2023; Halaweh, 2023; Kasneci et al., 2023)