"Close...but not as good as an educator." -- Using ChatGPT to provide formative feedback in large-class collaborative learning
This addresses the problem of scalable feedback delivery for educators in large-class collaborative learning, but it is incremental as it applies an existing AI tool to a new educational context without major methodological innovations.
The study tackled the challenge of providing personalized formative feedback in large collaborative learning settings by using ChatGPT to deliver feedback to health professionals during a one-hour activity on digital health evaluation plans. Results showed that while 44 survey respondents generally found the feedback favorable and adapted to it, only three groups used it to improve their plans.
Delivering personalised, formative feedback to multiple problem-based learning groups in a short time period can be almost impossible. We employed ChatGPT to provide personalised formative feedback in a one-hour Zoom break-out room activity that taught practicing health professionals how to formulate evaluation plans for digital health initiatives. Learners completed an evaluation survey that included Likert scales and open-ended questions that were analysed. Half of the 44 survey respondents had never used ChatGPT before. Overall, respondents found the feedback favourable, described a wide range of group dynamics, and had adaptive responses to the feedback, yet only three groups used the feedback loop to improve their evaluation plans. Future educators can learn from our experience including engineering prompts, providing instructions on how to use ChatGPT, and scaffolding optimal group interactions with ChatGPT. Future researchers should explore the influence of ChatGPT on group dynamics and derive design principles for the use of ChatGPT in collaborative learning.