Generating a Lesson Plan Using ChatGPT

Key takeaways

  • On average, K-12 educators rated ChatGPT-generated lesson plans a 7.6 out of 10.
  • 4 in 5 K-12 educators believe a ChatGPT-generated lesson plan would be effective.
  • 61% of K-12 educators would consider using ChatGPT for lesson planning after seeing what it could produce. Just 1% already use it.
  • 71% of K-12 educators claimed ChatGPT-generated lesson plans were more detailed than their own.
  • Outside of lesson planning, K-12 educators would consider using ChatGPT to generate quiz/test questions, generate practice/review questions, and provide examples.

Transforming education with ChatGPT

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming an integral part of our lives, from recommending matches on dating apps to completing sentences in our emails. With the release of powerful AI tools like ChatGPT, some educators are now employing this technology to create lesson plans. But how useful is it for this purpose?

We used ChatGPT to create a lesson plan generation tool to find out. Then, we presented the lesson plans it created in a survey of K-12 educators in the U.S., Australia, and the EU. Their feedback gave us insight into the best ways that educators can use ChatGPT.

Curriculum technology

Anyone can generate a lesson plan quickly by using the tool below. It helps educators to create engaging content on a variety of subjects, and you can control the complexity level and duration of the lesson, too. The tool also accounts for different learning styles and teaching techniques—key aspects in helping students learn to the best of their ability.

Optimised learning

Using AI tools to create lesson plans may be the wave of the future, but how do educators feel about jumping into the deep end of this new technology?

Infographic that explores how educators are using ChatGPT

Most educators we surveyed felt an AI-generated lesson plan was worthwhile: 4 in 5 believed it would be an effective tool for instruction. We also found that K-12 educators spend an average of 79 minutes creating a single lesson plan, and ChatGPT could significantly reduce this process. Educators reported it would take an average of just 12 minutes to optimise an AI-created lesson plan, allowing them to save time and focus on other important tasks.

Infographic that explores educators' perceptions of ChatGPT-generated lesson plans

Our study also revealed that while K-12 teachers felt ChatGPT would be most effective for teaching STEM subjects, over one quarter believed it would be suitable for any subject. This could indicate the tool's versatility in different educational contexts.

Educators also expressed that ChatGPT would be most helpful for:

  • Generating quiz or test questions
  • Generating practice or review material
  • Providing examples on given topics

These results further emphasise the potential for AI to enhance the assessment and evaluation process, enabling educators to create tailored questions that would align with a course's learning objectives.

Education for future generations

AI-powered tools like ChatGPT have immense potential for revolutionising lesson planning. Educators can leverage this technology to save time, create more effective lesson plans, and enhance assessments. As AI continues to advance, further exploration and research in this area can unlock new opportunities for optimising education and promoting student success—no matter the grade level.

Methodology

For this study, we leveraged ChatGPT to create a lesson plan generation tool. Additionally, we surveyed 336 K-12 educators across the world, specifically in the U.S., Australia, and EU countries.

Fair use statement

Know an educator you'd like to share our findings with? You're welcome to do so for non-commercial purposes only, but please provide a link back to this page to ensure proper credit and acknowledgment of the original source.