Use of ChatGPT in the Classrooms of a Junior Highschool Science to Invoke Ability of Questioning

Abstract

We attempted a science lesson that encourages middle school students to ask their own questions through ChatGPT. First, in a literacy session, students experienced the merits and demerits of ChatGPT by having the teacher ask questions to ChatGPT on their behalf about what they wanted to ask the AI. Next, as an introduction to the sound unit, a hands-on session was conducted in which the students themselves asked questions to ChatGPT while experiencing the experimental manipulation. Finally, a reflection session was conducted in which feedback comments by ChatGPT on the students’ questioning of ChatGPT were presented to the students.

During the hands-on session, most students asked a single question, similar to a web search, where the search term was submitted once. A few students, however, repeated the question around 10 times. In the process of repeating the dialogue, questions that led to scientific inquiry emerged, such as how and why the phenomenon is the way it is. The most common reason for students’ desire to repeat the question was that the dialogue helped them understand what they wanted to ask. A large number of students in the reflection sessions were positively receptive to the assessments from the ChatGPT.

These results suggest that a generative AI that responds to students’ questions individually can be a learning partner for learning to ignite questioning and thinking, provided that appropriate literacy education is provided.