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Hands-On AI: Education Guide

"LLMs made simple for students and educators"

This guide provides educational rationale, classroom implementation strategies, and learning objectives for using Hands-On AI in various educational settings.

Educational Value

ChatCraft was designed with specific educational benefits in mind:

  1. Removing Technical Barriers - Students can experiment with AI without getting lost in API keys, tokens, or complex setup
  2. Focusing on Core Programming Concepts - Function calls, variables, conditionals, and user input are reinforced
  3. Encouraging Creative Expression - Personality bots invite students to think about tone, voice, and creative writing
  4. Making AI Approachable - Simplifies complex technology into manageable, fun interactions
  5. Building Critical AI Literacy - Students learn about AI capabilities and limitations through hands-on experimentation

Curriculum Integration

ChatCraft can be integrated into various levels of computer science education:

Beginner Level (No Prior Programming Experience)

  • Objectives: Basic syntax, function calls, variables
  • Activities:
  • Modify existing bot personalities
  • Create simple conversation scripts
  • Experiment with different prompts

Intermediate Level (Some Programming Experience)

  • Objectives: Conditionals, loops, functions, error handling
  • Activities:
  • Create custom bot personalities from scratch
  • Build a menu-based chatbot interface
  • Develop a simple Q&A system

Advanced Level (Proficient in Python)

  • Objectives: API integration, state management, more complex applications
  • Activities:
  • Create multi-bot conversation simulations
  • Build a chatbot with memory/context
  • Extend ChatCraft with additional backends

Classroom Implementation Models

1. Guided Tour (1 Hour)

A quick introduction to AI concepts through ChatCraft: - 10 min: Introduction to LLMs and ChatCraft - 15 min: Demonstration of pre-built bots - 25 min: Hands-on with simple modifications - 10 min: Discussion and reflection

2. Mini-Project Workshop (2-3 Hours)

Students build a specific application with ChatCraft: - 15 min: Introduction and demo - 30 min: Planning and design - 90 min: Development time - 15 min: Showcase and sharing

3. Multi-Week Unit (2-3 Weeks)

Deeper exploration of AI concepts and applications: - Week 1: Introduction to ChatCraft and basic interactions - Week 2: Building custom personalities and applications - Week 3: Culminating projects and presentations

Learning Objectives by Domain

Computer Science

  • Understand function calls and parameters
  • Practice string manipulation and text processing
  • Implement basic control structures
  • Gain exposure to API concepts

AI Literacy

  • Recognise capabilities and limitations of LLMs
  • Understand the role of system prompts in shaping responses
  • Identify patterns in AI-generated content
  • Develop critical thinking about AI outputs

Creativity & Communication

  • Design unique bot personalities
  • Craft effective prompts for desired outcomes
  • Create narrative-based interactions
  • Express ideas through multiple communication styles

Assessment Ideas

  • Portfolio: Collection of bot personalities created by students
  • Project: Functional application built with ChatCraft (quiz bot, story bot, etc.)
  • Reflection: Written analysis of AI strengths/limitations observed
  • Presentation: Demo of custom bot and explanation of design choices

Classroom Setup Requirements

Hardware

  • Standard classroom computers or laptops
  • Internet connection (if using remote LLM APIs)
  • Or: Sufficient local processing power for running Ollama locally

Software

  • Python 3.6+
  • ChatCraft library installed
  • Ollama or alternative LLM backend

Preparation Steps

  1. Install Python on all classroom machines
  2. Install ChatCraft (pip install chatcraft)
  3. Set up Ollama with desired models (llama3 recommended for beginners)
  4. Test a basic example before class

Ethical Considerations

When introducing AI in the classroom, consider discussing:

  • Attribution: When is AI-generated content appropriate to use?
  • Transparency: The importance of disclosing when AI has been used
  • Critical evaluation: Not accepting AI outputs without verification
  • Appropriate uses: Setting boundaries for how the tool should be used

Additional Resources

Example Lesson Plan: "Personality Bot Workshop"

Duration: 90 minutes Level: Beginner to Intermediate Objective: Students will create and interact with custom personality bots

Materials

  • Computers with Python and ChatCraft installed
  • Handout with personality prompt examples
  • Worksheet for planning bot personalities

Lesson Flow

  1. Introduction (15 min)
  2. Demonstrate existing personality bots
  3. Explain the concept of system prompts

  4. Show how personality affects responses

  5. Planning Phase (15 min)

  6. Students brainstorm bot personalities
  7. Complete worksheet defining tone, style, quirks

  8. Share ideas with a partner for feedback

  9. Implementation (30 min)

  10. Code their personality bot function
  11. Test with various prompts

  12. Refine system prompts based on results

  13. Challenge Extension (15 min)

  14. Create a conversation between two different bots

  15. Implement a simple menu to switch between bots

  16. Showcase & Reflection (15 min)

  17. Students demonstrate their bots
  18. Class votes on most creative, most helpful, most amusing bots
  19. Discussion: What did you learn about how system prompts affect responses?

Assessment

  • Completed personality bot function
  • Creative application of system prompts
  • Thoughtful reflection on bot behaviour

Note: ChatCraft is designed to be used with age-appropriate models and settings. Always review school policies regarding AI tools before implementation.