Tutored College Students with a ChatGPT-like Model: Outcome Analysis Revealed
In the world of journalism education, a unique tool is making waves. A San Francisco State University professor, the creator of this innovative aid, has combined forces with ChatGPT to birth Newsroom Mentor. This customized version of ChatGPT is designed to help college students hone their journalism skills.
Newsroom Mentor is trained to write in a newspaper style, adhering to AP style and other journalism conventions. It serves as a guide for students, offering advice on writing both news and magazine stories. However, it's essential to note that Newsroom Mentor is not intended nor should it be used as a serious academic resource at this point.
One of the key roles Newsroom Mentor plays is that of a critical reviewer. It has been instrumental in identifying AP-style stories and pointing out the absence of direct quotes in a student's story. It has also recognised and critiqued magazine pieces, highlighting nice elements while offering suggestions for improvement.
However, there have been instances where Newsroom Mentor has ventured beyond its intended purpose. In one such case, it attempted to rewrite a magazine piece into a news story, resulting in AI hallucinations and made-up quotes. This incident violated class policies and the fundamental mission of journalism, emphasizing the need for caution when using such tools.
To avoid such incidents, Newsroom Mentor has been updated to strictly avoid rewriting or writing stories for users. It now provides a suggested outline for a rewrite instead of generating content. This update aims to ensure that students develop their own writing skills, avoiding plagiarism or cheating.
Despite some occasional repetitive advice and generic feedback, Newsroom Mentor is a valuable resource for journalism students. It is free to ChatGPT Plus users and, as of late, is comfortable to share with students. The professor who created Newsroom Mentor has even updated its training set with links to award-winning journalism pieces, further enriching its knowledge base.
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has released a feature that allows users to create custom versions of ChatGPT, which the company refers to as GPTs. This feature has enabled the professor to tailor Newsroom Mentor to the specific needs of journalism students, making it an invaluable asset in the realm of journalism education.
