Introducing SlidesBot

GenAI technology is evolving at an incredibly rapid pace, poised to reshape not only the education system but also various aspects of the economy. A legitimate concern within education is the potential misuse of GenAI for cheating in classrooms. While students do have the opportunity to make ill-advised choices with this emerging technology, we must also consider the ways in which they can leverage GenAI to enhance their learning experience.

This is where SlidesBot comes into play. SlidesBot is a GPT-powered chatbot designed to serve as a reference guide for students struggling with AP US History material. When creating this chatbot, I implemented strategies to address some of the existing limitations in GenAI technologies.

Here's how SlidesBot works: After a student selects the historical period they are studying and pses a question, SlidesBot responds directly to the question with a piece of evidence that supports its claim. It then provides a concise four-sentence paragraph about the event or person in question. To provide a well-rounded perspective, SlidesBot also includes both positive and negative impacts related to the student's query.

SlidesBot goes beyond other AI bots by providing course-specific information. It explains how the topic relates to one of the eight AP US History themes and offers an example of how it connects to prior events through one of the three historical thinking skills emphasized in the AP US History course.

Subsequently, SlidesBot offers a piece of hard evidence – a primary source – linked to the topic. These primary sources suggested by SlidesBot are readily accessible online through provided links. Additionally, SlidesBot recommends two distinct secondary sources for further information, offering one authored by a male historian and another by a female historian to diversify the voices students encounter.

Lastly, to ensure accuracy, SlidesBot encourages students to regenerate the response. If students identify any inconsistencies in the information provided, they can ask the bot for further clarification.