Using ChatGPT to learn: Get step-by-step instructions

We’re back with another short tutorial on how your child can use ChatGPT to learn better!

Need a short overview of what ChatGPT is, or how to use it to generate summaries of long texts for quicker understanding? Read the previous article here.

Today, we’ll discuss how you can use ChatGPT to produce step-by-step guidance for things that your child might need help with. Let’s dive in!

Learning to do things step by step… with ChatGPT

Learning isn’t always about reading up about the theory behind the topic in order to understand it. Sometimes, your child just wants to know exactly how to solve that problem in their worksheet, preferably as soon as possible. Most Maths questions fall into this category - the more questions they attempt, the more they’ll learn.

Have you ever been presented with a question by your child that you just can’t understand, let alone solve? Luckily, ChatGPT is (almost) always able to help, with step-by-step instructions to boot!

Crafting The Prompt

In other to ask ChatGPT for step-by-step help, you’ll want to include the following things in your prompt:

1. Describe the concept or type of question that you need help solving

2. Clearly state that you need ‘step-by-step instructions’ or explanations on how to solve the question

3. (Optional) Provide a sample question of your own

Here’s one possible prompt that you might find yourself entering:

I need step-by-step instructions on how to calculate the area of a circle in Maths questions. Can you help?

Limitations & Adjustments

Prompts like the example shown above are great for Maths or Science questions, they involve some calculation and have an established answer. However, things can start to get a little uncertain when you try to ask ChatGPT about things without clear answers, like ‘how to write a good exam composition’, or ‘how to do a good Science project’. That’s because while ChatGPT might know something about Singapore’s education system, they wouldn’t be able to guess what your child’s teachers might have in mind when grading compositions and projects.

With that said, that doesn’t mean your child can’t use ChatGPT for help - they just need to look at their problems in a different perspective and ask questions that the AI can assist with, whether its ‘step-by-step instructions on doing well for oral exams’ or ‘step-by-step instructions on how to do research for a Science project’.

Finally, feel free to explore beyond classroom topics when it comes to getting detailed help from ChatGPT, as it’s there to help you learn almost anything you can think of. Need to know how to bake a chocolate cake? Sure! Want to learn more about tinkering with computers? ChatGPT is your best friend. The possibilities are endless. Have fun learning!