On January 26th 2023, a workshop was held at Schiller Gymnasium in Hof, organised in cooperation with Hof University of Applied Sciences. The aim of the workshop was to give the students a comprehensive insight into the world of generative artificial intelligence (AI). The lecture was given by Prof. Dr. Sven Rill and highlighted various aspects of this topic, with a particular focus on ChatGPT and similar technologies. Prof Rill was supported by twelve students from the Mobile App Development and Media Informatics degree programmes.
The lecture began with a detailed introduction to how generative AI works, in particular ChatGPT and similar systems. Both the possibilities and limitations of these technologies were discussed in detail. Another focus of the lecture was on the general strengths and weaknesses of AI. The students gained insights into the practical application of generative AI and were sensitised to the importance of critical reflection when using such tools. Prof Rill emphasised that AI should be seen as an aid and is by no means a substitute for independent thinking and research.
Overall, the workshop at Schiller Gymnasium was a successful event that not only provided the students with a basic introduction to generative AI, but also taught them practical skills for using these technologies in their seminar papers and gave them an insight into the expertise from the academic world.
Prof. Dr. Sven Rill, Head of the Mobile App Development programme
After the lecture, the students were given specific guidelines for their seminar papers, which were to include the use of generative AI. The students were divided into groups to apply the knowledge they had acquired in a practical workshop. Here they had the opportunity to use ChatGPT and similar tools to work together on their seminar papers. The workshop tasks included summarising documents, creating a table of contents, adding a specific chapter or section of generated text, critically reviewing content, tracing references and searching for alternative information.
The students showed great interest and commitment during the workshop. They used generative AI to make their seminar papers more efficient, without neglecting the quality of the content. The collaboration with the students from Hof University of Applied Sciences gave the pupils a practical insight into the application of AI technologies.
