How should I design prompts when using ChatGPT?

Direct AI Updates for School Leaders: 5/1/2024

Author

William Grube
May 01, 2024

Hello -

Last week, we discussed what data you should avoid sharing with AI tools. If you missed it, you can find it here. I highly recommend skimming it. Feel free to share it with anyone who may find it helpful.

In this newsletter, I will give you the simple framework I use to design prompts. Nothing fancy, just straight to the point.

Stick around till the end to learn how to use ChatGPT to help you role-play a difficult conversation.

How should I design prompts when using ChatGPT?

Think of ChatGPT as an intern. If you give an intern vague instructions, they will likely not deliver what you want.

Just like an intern, the more specific instructions you give to ChatGPT, the better.

Here is the framework I use and teach in Gruvy Education’s AI Training: Role, Action, Context, Format.

  • Role - Let ChatGPT know what role it should be playing.

  • Action - Give ChatGPT the task it needs to do in that role.

  • Context - Give ChatGPT the context it needs to produce an applicable result.

  • Format - Tell ChatGPT the format you want to see the output in.

Example 1:
Act as a school administrator coordinating school events. (Role) Design a schedule for the upcoming school spirit week. (Action) The schedule should include daily dress-up themes, activities, and any special announcements. (Context) Present this as a table with headers for the 5 days of the week. (Format)

Example 2:
Act as a school administrator handling communications. (Role) Create a template for sending weekly email updates to parents. (Action) The emails should inform parents about upcoming events, important dates, and any relevant school news. (Context) Structure the email with a greeting, sections for each update, and a closing message. Use bullet points for clarity in listing events and dates. (Format)

Example 3:
Act as a school principal. (Role) Draft a student-friendly contract for a "Classroom Device Care Agreement" that students can understand and follow. (action) Include clear expectations, consequences for non-compliance, and positive reinforcement techniques to motivate adherence. (Context) Make sure the contract is straightforward and engaging for students. (Format)

As I am doing a new task with ChatGPT, I think to myself, “Role, Action, Context, Format” as I write out the prompt. This has served me in massive ways. It isn’t complex but very effective.

In the context section, be as specific as possible. This can include anything. For example, telling ChatGPT what sections you want in a contract or newsletter. You can also use it to describe a situation you are in. Anything that would be helpful in completing the task you are asking it to do can be thrown into this section. (Keep student data privacy laws in mind, of course. See what you should avoid sharing here.)

Important points:

  • The order in which you put “Role, Action, Context, Format” in your prompt can vary; it does not have to be a specific order. The important part is including them all.

  • If the first prompt you give to ChatGPT does not produce a great output, do not give up on it. Tell ChatGPT what you want changed. For example, say what it should add, remove, or change. Say what format you wish it was in or the writing tone you wish it used. Basically, just tell ChatGPT exactly what you do not like about it.

  • The grammar, spelling, and sentence structure of your prompts do not have to be perfect.

  • Be specific.

There are other more complex frameworks out there. They are all essentially the same. Here is a popular one created by a company called “AI for Education”: The FIVE “S” Prompt Framework. Essentially, it is the same just framed in a different way.

Prompt frameworks are amazing, but experimenting and being specific will serve you best. As time goes on you will find out what works best for you.

Next, I will show you where to find ready-made prompts made for school administrators. You can simply copy and paste them into ChatGPT. Before we get into that, let’s vote on what you would like in the following newsletter:

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Thank you all for voting. I am impressed by how many votes these get! If you want to add to next week's poll, request a topic by clicking "other" or replying to this email. Remember to stick around till the end to learn how to use ChatGPT to role-play a difficult conversation you may have coming up.

Prompt Libraries

If you are looking for some ready-made prompts that you can simply copy and paste into ChatGPT, there are fantastic resources out there called “Prompt Libraries. “

Gruvy Education’s Prompt Library has a whole section dedicated to administration tasks. You can find that here: Gruvy Education Prompt Library. Just click the dropdown under the “Educator Prompt Library” title. Then, click “Administration.”

Another popular prompt library in education comes from “AI for Education”. You can find that here. They also have an administration section. Simply click on the “Administration” bubble where it lists out the categories.

Enhancing Role-Play Conversations with ChatGPT

ChatGPT can be a massive tool for dealing with sensitive situations at your school. To demonstrate this, I am going to use this prompt inside of ChatGPT (Feel free to follow along, here is a link to ChatGPT):

“Act as if you are a middle school principal who was just notified your school registrar is being accused of inappropriate conduct on social media. From your investigation thus far, these are unsubstantiated claims and are being made from an anonymous social media account. You want to tell your school registrar that there are accusations being made of them on a social media account, but you know they are over-sensitive and are afraid this will cause them to quit. Role-play this conversation with me so I can practice delivering this information to the registrar.”

You can see the output that I received here. This can be great for getting ideas of what to say.

I then followed it up with this prompt to role-play the conversation not going as planned:

“Okay, now role-play a conversation where the registrar gets mad at me for bringing it up as they think I am accusing them.”

I then followed it up with this prompt:

“Give me answers to difficult questions I might get asked about regarding this situation.”

Again, you can find the responses I got from ChatGPT here.

Of course, ChatGPT's output won't be perfect. But, it could be great practice for having a tough conversation. It lets you walk yourself through it first and get ideas of what to say in certain situations

I hope you are all having a good end of the year! As always, feel free to reach out at any time.

Kind regards,

William Grube