Bitesize Guide to AI: How to use AI for revision

EMMA-LOUISE: You've got exams soon. You don't know where to start. Could generative AI be a good study buddy?

Generative AI can find answers in seconds. But getting AI to do the work for you won't actually help you learn the information. So, how can it help you to learn independently? Addy and Solly, let's take a look. What subject should we go for?

ADDY: Let's start with English Lit. We're studying Romeo and Juliet and the motivations of the female character. So, I'm going to ask generative AI to make a five question quiz focused on the female characters in Romeo and Juliet, designed for a 15 year old student.

And I'm going to say each question must include a reference to the relevant act and scene, so I can easily check the answers in the play. Okay, this is pretty good…

Question one… In Act 3, Scene 2, how does Juliet react when the nurse initially condemns Romeo after he kills Tybalt? And then the quiz format gives me multiple choice answers. I think it's this one:

"Juliet fiercely defends Romeo and rebukes the nurse for speaking ill of him."

If I click on the right answers, it goes green to show it's correct. I can easily check the act and scene in the play to see if we're both right.

SOLLY: The other questions are pretty good too. It looks like what a teacher might test us on.

ADDY: And it gives you a hint option too, if you're struggling. What are you going to try?

SOLLY: Well, I'm revising for my biology exam, so I'm going to ask AI, "Create 20 practice questions on photosynthesis for 15 year old biology students."

EMMA-LOUISE: That's a good start, but can we add even more detail to test what you remember and what you need to learn?

SOLLY: Okay, the teacher says we should start with the basics, then move to more difficult ones where we have to apply the science and explain why.

ADDY: So how has that come out?

SOLLY: Yeah, it's quite a lot, but it's really helpful. Some of the basic questions are quite easy, but it gets harder as we go.

ADDY: Yeah, there's a lot to get into, but it looks like it would be useful for revision.

SOLLY: Like when we do it in class, it's giving me different types of questions too. I could always ask the specific types of questions too, if I know I'm worse at a certain area, like sketching diagrams.

ADDY: I have heard though, that AI sometimes gets things wrong. So, I would use it as a starting point and then fact check as I go through.

EMMA-LOUISE: Yeah, a good point. Most generative AI tools use machine learning. Here, finding patterns in existing educational content about Romeo and Juliet or photosynthesis.

This means it can be great for summarising ideas, but they have been known to hallucinate, and include data that is wrong, misleading, or very silly, which is why being critical of outputs from AI is an essential skill.

As long as you check your answers, using the right prompts, it can help explore, brainstorm, connect ideas and analyse. Use it to learn, not just get given an answer, which you might forget.

ADDY: I've noticed the good thing about AI is that I can test my knowledge and then personalise the learning to what helps me.

SOLLY: Exactly. It can create a quiz, help you brainstorm, or set you a challenge. But you have to check the facts, form your own opinions and do the actual learning yourself.