ChatGPT in geography education
Updated October 2024
Since first publishing this blog post in June 2023, I have continually come back to it to add, update and tweak the resources discussed and signposted below. It may be the incredible power of the algorithms distorting what I see but it certainly seems like the geography teacher community are amongst those at the fore of developments in education around the potential of generative AI.
When generative AI, in particular ChatGPT, was discussed at the GA Conference in April 2023, the overall consensus seemed to be as follows:
a) it is imperative that we acknowledge AI’s place in the classroom and don’t ignore its existence
b) we must consider the implications for our teaching and the work of our students
c) we need to learn, discuss, and reflect on, how we can use it to the best possible effect.
So, if you’re wondering how to get started with exploring ChatGPT as a geography teacher, hopefully you’ll find the resources below useful.
1. Getting started: What is AI and ChatGPT and what can it do?
Artificial Intelligence in geography: a GA blog by Brian Kerr
The GA continues to update this GA webpage about using technology in geography teaching. It signposts many of the blogs and resources detailed below but I recommend this blog by Brian Kerr for an introductory overview of what ChatGPT is, what it can and can’t do, and why it might be useful to geography teachers.
Using ChatGPT to promote and assist revision: a blog from Paul Logue
Having read Brian’s overview, this blog post by Paul Logue is a natural next step. Paul discusses what he learnt when initially using the tool and what results is an invaluable blog post. In particular, it is his use of examples that means you will learn an incredible amount from this blog and definitely be inspired to try it out for yourself. Paul’s blog can be accessed here.
Teaching Geography Article: Using AI for teaching and learning about climate change by Alice Griffiths
Exploring the use of AI for the teaching and learning of climate change, Alice Griffiths’ article helps provide further food for thought. It is Alice’s discussion of using a machine to investigate a moral issue such as climate change that makes this a great addition to the resources on ChatGPT so far. This article helped to highlight to me how valuable AI will be in helping teachers improve their subject-knowledge- particularly non-specialists. However, it also stressed to me the importance of having strong subject-knowledge to use ChatGPT well as a teaching resource or a resource for teachers.
For an article that explores using Generative AI for model answers about Changing Places, read this recent article in Teaching Geography by Ruth Harding.
How Good is AI at A-Level Geography? A blog by Alice Griffiths
In this blog post Alice discusses how ChatGPT performs when asked some of the longer questions that are so common within A-Level geography. Alice suggests how it may be useful to use some of its answers in the classroom with students- an idea I like and will certainly be trying.
Teaching Geography Article: ChatGPT: Are geography teachers redundant? James Hickman and Rajeet Ghosh
This Teaching Geography article looks at the pros and cons of using ChatGPT for lesson planning in geography. It’s a very interesting read that includes a range of different examples of lesson planning as well as examples of assessing work using a mark scheme- furthering the work of Alice Griffiths discussed above. My main takeaway from the examples given is that ChatGPT has clearly learnt from the exam boards… in Figure 1 it proposes teaching the 4 types of erosion and the formation of headlands and bays, cliffs, wave-cut platforms, caves, arches, stacks and stumps and more all in 20 minutes!
Teaching Geography Article: Using AI to transform adaptive teaching at A-Level by Jack Downs and Thomas Campbell
My concern around the timings given by AI in the example above are confirmed in the more recent article by Downs and Campbell which can be accessed here. In this article they talk about using AI to transform adaptive teaching at A-Level. There is lots of food for thought in this article and the authors point out that the responses of ChatGPT are far from flawless. Downs and Campbell highlight the timings given by ChatGPT as the main issue and how the timings given wouldn’t allow A-Level students to tackle the topic in any real depth. However, my main concern from ChatGPT’s resources shared in this article is the level of over-teaching that the response suggests. Given how much over-teaching already occurs at A-Level, this worries me. Something to think about- particularly when advocating the use of ChatGPT for lesson planning with less experienced teachers.
2. Starting to use AI in the classroom: How can AI help me with making resources and with my lesson planning?
Where should a teacher start with ChatGPT? TES article by Alasdair Monteith
Alasdair is, in my opinion, one of those leading the way amongst geography teachers regarding the use of ChatGPT. His Twitter account regularly shares articles and tips regarding the use of AI and he is certainly one to follow if you’re interested in this area. In this TES article, he urges teachers to give ChatGPT a go to reduce workload, freeing up time to focus on teaching and learning. Although written for a wide audience, this article is particularly useful for geographers.
Using ChatGPT to ease planning: tweets from Joel Kenyon
This thread from Joel Kenyon echoes the ideas and experience of Alasdair above. Joel shares 7 ways that he has used AI to make his lesson planning more efficient and easier.
AI tools to use for resource creation: tweets from Laura Pellegrino and Amjad Ali
Whilst these tweets are not focused solely on geography resources or ChatGPT, they share incredibly useful AI tools to use to further ease workload around making or tweaking resources:
1. Converting text to voiceover using speechify
2. Creating exportable multi-choice quizzes and creating quizzes from Youtube videos using QuizGecko
3. Creating multi-choice quizzes from text using Questionwell
In this blog post, Amjad Ali shares a more comprehensive list of AI tools for resource making.
3. The future of AI in the classroom: Where might we go from here?
Education’s encounter with Artificial Intelligence: a blog from David Alcock
Of course, it is not long after engaging with the resources above that you begin to ponder what the growth of AI in education will mean for geography teaching, curriculum, and assessment. David’s blog explores these ideas and his answer is to stress the importance of the human side of education. It will get you thinking about what it is we do that AI will (we think!) never be able to replace… The blog can be read here.
Academic editorial: The rise of generative AI- challenges and opportunities for geography and environmental education
To further the points in David’s blog, I recommend reading the article below. In this editorial, the authors introduce the current challenges and opportunities of generative AI in geography education and make some interesting key points. The most thought-provoking for me was around the need to think about the sorts of criticality that we want our geography students to have- owing to the risk that they may come to rely too heavily on AI-generated material and fail to acquire the skills needed to think critically. This is not a challenge unique to AI-generated material of course; we have always battled with how to ensure that students critique the information they engage with. However, the authors suggest that we need to identify the sorts of criticality that we want our children to have. Can we identify this as a geography teacher community? Do we need to? The editorial can be read here.
I’m sure this selection of resources are just the start of many more to come but they’re a great place to start! As someone who struggles to get their head around exactly what generative AI is, this tweet in particular caught my eye. Perhaps it worth sharing with students as a starting point for the conversation around the opportunities and challenges of them using ChatGPT?
