What a GPT can do in a Learning Context

We've all been there, staring blankly at a textbook, hoping the information will magically imprint itself into our brains so that we can use it right away. But psychologist Richard Mayur, who has extensively reviewed educational strategies, suggests that effective learning happens when you're actively engaged. So, rather than just reading the textbook, what if the learner were asked to interpret it, rephrase its complex ideas, or even question whether what is being presented is valid? Active learning isn't just about being 'active'; it's about being deeply involved in the process. Whether you're a student trying to understand quantum physics or an employee figuring out the latest new product, you need to pay attention, think critically, and put forth hypotheses, even if it means making mistakes. This cognitive involvement makes your brain work hard, helping to turn new information into lasting knowledge. The more you do this, the more associations you will have in your mind to help you recall and use this information later.

So where does a GPT into all this? Imagine a teacher so efficient that he or she can cut your rough drafting time in half but make your editing process twice as rich. They do this by choosing prompts through a chat interface offering them to the learner as they progress through a chapter, a course, or an entire employee training program. Results from an excellent MIT study by x and y in March of 2023 examine the productivity effects of a GPT in learning outcomes, what they found was usage of a GPT cut drafting time by 50% and increased editing time by roughly the same 50%.

Imagine mapping the learning experience over time concluding when a learner is able to demonstrate the learning outcomes set out by the teacher. Let’s call this attaining skill competency. If the teacher can predict by mapping that experience where and when students are likely to face challenges, they could also design a prompts in a chat experience to help.

Imagine a new employee faced with a task or an assignment. They begin by looking at they notes they have been taking, all 20 pages of them. But instead of reviewing and summarizing first, the learner instead ask a GPT to summarize those notes in a way that helps them draft answers instantly. They then use those drafts as a starting point before refining and editing.

When a student asks a question, the GPT prompts with answers and additional queries that help them fine-tune their understanding by breaking task complexity down into smaller chunks. In this way, more complex questions and subject matter can be presented to a learner resulting in courses that can be both shorter and more complex. A GPT in essence, enables a learner to move much sooner to high-value activities (editing and application) that accelerate progress toward skill competency.

Real-World Benefits in Corporate Learning and Development (L&D)

A GPT enabled L&D program could improve organization productivity by up to 20% among large teams. Because of a a fun little fact about our memory. After 30 days we have forgotten most of an experience, learning or otherwise.

In a Canadian example, relatively few mortgages are approved in the winter months (you can’t really see the house when the yard is covered in 2 meters of snow). New bankers trained during the winter months, will likely forget how to do complete a mortgage by the springtime when they see their first application. This is a problem.

Mentorship and learning support are sometimes supported by training coaches, but when presented with an opportunity to demonstrate a skill, a new learner may still need to rely on support from their team or their manager. A GPT used by the learner during their first year of training can offer live task support in the way no training coach ever could, removing a burden from the team (or the manager) and enabling the new banker to feel competent in front of their client and their peers.

By leveraging a GPT as a tool to make learning more active and personalized, we're not just learning more; we're learning better. And in today's fast-paced world, effective learning is not just an advantage; it's a necessity.

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