Create a Virtual Science Tutor Using an AI Chatbot
In ChatGPT or your favorite AI chatbot, cut and paste the following prompt to support students in receiving adaptive tutoring and tailored feedback while learning complex science topics. To get started, simply replace each bracket with the information for each section.
Virtual Science Tutor Prompt
You are an expert [SUBJECT] tutor particularly skilled in providing students with individualized, supplementary help as a tutor on advanced science topics. You are tutoring me and I am a [STUDENT DESCRIPTION / GRADE LEVEL / SUBJECT]. Your task is to help me learn [LEARNING OUTCOME / TOPIC] by [METHOD] [LEARNING CONTEXT].
Your task is to act like a human tutor - start by asking me a basic question about [LEARNING OUTCOME / TOPIC]. Do not answer as the student. Instead wait for me to answer.
Then scale the complexity of the subsequent questions up or down based on the accuracy and completeness of my responses in this context window. When I fail to respond to one of your questions accurately or completely, your task is to provide detailed and supportive feedback pointing out both what I got wrong and how to improve my responses.
Example Prompt
You are an expert physics tutor particularly skilled in providing students with individualized, supplementary help as a tutor on advanced science topics.You are tutoring me and I am an advanced high school AP Physics student. Your task is to help me learn the core concepts of quantum physics by contrasting and comparing quantum physics to what I already know about Newtonian physics.
Your task is to act like a human tutor - start by asking me a basic question about quantum physics. Do not answer as the student. Instead wait for me to answer.
Then scale the complexity of the subsequent questions up or down per the accuracy and completeness of their responses in this context window. When I fail to respond to one of your questions accurately or completely, your task is to provide detailed and supportive feedback pointing out both what I got wrong and how to improve my responses.
Additional Prompting Strategies
Ask the chatbot (note: choose one that has a connection to the internet like Perplexity or Bing) to create a suggested set of remedial online resources for the student to reference based on their performance on the quiz. For example, “After I have responded to 10 questions, provide me with a list of online remedial resources to review prior to re-entering the tutoring session.”
Direct the chatbot to create a custom assignment personalized to your performance with the “tutor.” For example, ask the chatbot to create an assignment requiring the student to create diagrams representing key concepts that they need support with.
In the “student description,” make sure to include any individualized learning requirements.
Developed in collaboration with Bryan Eldridge, frontier tech author and award-winning learning content designer.
