Editorial Record:

This article was originally submitted as an AEJMC Public Relations
Division GIFTs paper, with a February 2023 deadline. Top papers were submitted to
JPRE June 2023, and accepted for publication at that time. Published January 2024.

Authors

Overview of the Assignment, Including the Rationale

Using ChatGPT, a chatbot developed by OpenAI and launched in November 2022, a group of faculty members facilitated an in-class exercise across six different courses that included administering a pre-test to assess students’ confidence in evaluating and testing new technology tools and innovations, reviewing current news featuring the tool, previewing a creative execution using the tool, and evaluating the tool individually. The session ended with a post-test to reassess the same factors listed above, as well as a discussion of the ethical considerations communicators must make when evaluating new digital technologies and innovations. This exercise reinforced the important role communicators have in critically evaluating new tools—a practice they must master for long-term success.

Student Learning Goals and Connection to Public Relations Practice And/Or Theory

Aligning with the college’s core values, this in-class exercise is designed to help students “apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communication professions in which they work,” “demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity,” “take ownership of their own academic experience,” and “cope and thrive in the workplace.” This exercise aligns with the Commission on Public Relations Education’s call for embedding ethics within coursework while also improving communicators’ abilities “to move, be nimble and adaptable” (Prsaweb, 2023 p. 11). 

Evidence of Learning Outcomes/Assessment

Ninety-four students participated in this exercise across six courses. Some key findings:

• When comparing pre- and post-test responses, average scores improved slightly across each factor. Student averages were lowest when answering “I consider myself an innovator.” (Pre-test: 6.3 avg; Post-Test 6.4 avg.). Every other question averaged between 7.1 and 7.8.
• Scores varied widely when students were asked if they keep up with tech trends, with responses ranging from 2 to 10.
• When asked to share their ethical considerations regarding digital technology, student responses on the post-tests were much more robust than their initial responses. Each class enjoyed a rich discussion of ethics to conclude the exercise, and topics ranged from copyright and attribution concerns to misinformation dissemination to worry about future job security.
• Using a scale of 1 (Completely Disagree) to 10 (Completely Agree), students responded with an average of 4 for their proposed use of ChatGPT or other AI tools at work vs. an average of 2.9 using those same tools at school.

Two students’ post-test responses summarized many students’ feelings by saying, “AI can be used as a tool, but not as a replacement,” and “I think AI will be a useful tool for many professions. Right now, AI can’t replicate the complexity of the human mind, but it is a useful tool for idea generation.”

References

Prsaweb. (2023, September 15). Fast forward: Foundations and Future State. Educators and Practitioners – Commission on Public Relations Education. Commission on Public Relations Education -. http://www.commissionpred.org/commission-reports/fast-forward-foundations-future-state-educators-practitioners/

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Appendix A

Overview of the In-Class Exercise

• Administer and Collect Pre-Tests (Appendix B)
• Show NBC Nightly News Report from 12/22/22 on artificial intelligence (Appendix D)
• Show ChatGPT in Action via the Ryan Reynolds Mint Mobile ad (Appendix D)
• Share highlights from NPR’s story featuring a student who created a ChatGPT detector (Appendix D)
• Showcase the ChatGPT toll at https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt – Important Note: Load it up early to avoid ‘at capacity’ messages. Ask students to think about how they might use this tool in their careers. Here are two examples:
  • “Please write five headlines for an animal rescue organization.”
  • “Write a one-page press release announcing a new event design to raise money to help children with cancer.”
• Give students 5-10 minutes to play with the tool. Again, ask them to think about how they might use this tool in their careers.
• Administer and Collect Post-Tests (Appendix B)
• Whole-Class Discussion About Ethics of the Tool
• You may also consider administering an additional two-question, anonymous survey asking if they plan to use the tool at work or at school. (Appendix C)

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Appendix B

Pre- and Post-Test – Evaluating Technology Tools         

Name: ________________________ Major(s): ___________________________________

I try to keep up with technology trends.

Completely                                                                                                       Completely

Agree                                                                                                                     Disagree

    10           9            8           7           6           5           4              3            2                      1

I feel confident in my ability to develop content for online audiences.

Completely                                                                                                       Completely

Agree                                                                                                                     Disagree

    10           9            8           7           6           5           4              3            2                      1

I enjoy testing new digital tools.

Completely                                                                                                       Completely

Agree                                                                                                                     Disagree

    10           9            8           7           6           5           4              3            2                      1

I consider myself an innovator.

Completely                                                                                                       Completely

Agree                                                                                                                     Disagree

    10           9            8           7           6           5           4              3            2                      1

I am comfortable evaluating new digital tools or technologies.

Completely                                                                                                       Completely

Agree                                                                                                                     Disagree

    10           9            8           7           6           5           4              3            2                      1

Please indicate on the line below the percentage of time each day you estimate you will use each of the following in your future career. For example, you may answer 10% on one tool and 55% on another tool. If you don’t anticipate using the tool, you may answer 0%. Please share additional technology/digital tools you anticipate using and the associated percentages in the “Other” option below.

_______  Social Media                                    

_______  Search Engine Optimization

_______  Data Analysis Tools

_______  Mobile App Creation/Maintenance

_______  Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality

_______  Artificial Intelligence

_______  Other (please specify) _________________________________________

Please share your ethical considerations regarding digital technology. 

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Appendix C

Sample Anonymous Post-Module Survey

I plan to use ChatGPT or other AI tools to complete future assignments at work.

Completely                                                                                                       Completely

Agree                                                                                                                     Disagree

    10           9            8           7           6           5           4              3            2                      1

I plan to use ChatGPT or other AI tools to complete future assignments at school.

Completely                                                                                                       Completely

Agree                                                                                                                     Disagree

    10           9            8           7           6           5           4              3            2                      1

Anything else to add?

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Appendix D – Resource List for Instructor Background

Bowman, E. (2023, January 9). A college student created an app that can tell whether Ai wrote an essay. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/01/09/1147549845/gptzero-ai-chatgpt-edward-tian-plagiarism 

Caplan, J. (2023, January 19). Wonder tools 7 ways to use CHATGPT. Substack. https://wondertools.substack.com/p/chatgpt 

Gecker, J., & Brien, M. O. (2023, January 31). Cheaters beware: Chatgpt maker releases AI Detection Tool. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/technology-education-colleges-and-universities-france-a0ab654549de387316404a7be019116b 

Gans, J. (2023, January 25). Nearly 30 percent of professionals say they have used chatgpt at work. The Hill. https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3821400-nearly-30-percent-of-professionals-say-they-have-used-chatgpt-at-work/ 

Kim, S. (2023, February 1). How to detect openai’s CHATGPT output. Medium. https://medium.com/geekculture/how-to-detect-if-an-essay-was-generated-by-openais-chatgpt-58bb8adc8461 

Hoffman, L., & Albergotti, R. (2023, January 10). Microsoft eyes $10 billion bet on CHATGPT. Semafor. https://www.semafor.com/article/01/09/2023/microsoft-eyes-10-billion-bet-on-chatgpt 

Mogg, T. (2023, January 19). Investigation exposes murkier side of AI chatbot, chatgpt. Digital Trends. https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/investigation-exposes-murkier-side-of-ai-chatbot-industry/ 

NBCUniversal News Group. (2023, September 27). New AI technology chatgpt raising questions about human creativity. NBCNews.com. https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/new-ai-technology-chatgpt-raising-questions-about-human-creativity-158542405830 

Townsend, C. (2023, January 7). CHATGPT essays and more: How teachers and schools are dealing with ai writing. Mashable. https://mashable.com/article/chatgpt-ai-essays-classroom-materials-teachers-react 

Warren, T. (2023, January 23). Microsoft extends OpenAI partnership in a “multibillion dollar investment.” The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/2023/1/23/23567448/microsoft-openai-partnership-extension-ai 

Reynolds, R. YouTube. (2023, January 10). Chatgpt writes a mint mobile ad. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eHjifELI-k 

© Copyright 2024 AEJMC Public Relations Division

To cite this article: Bruhn, K., McCoy, A., Snider, C., Stoldt, R., and Wilson, J. (2024). ChatGPT in the Classroom: Using the Latest Technology to Explore Innovation and Ethics. Journal of Public Relations Education, 9(2), 75-82. https://journalofpreducation.com/?p=4014