After reading The Wall Street Journal, Thursday, April 6, 2023, article about ChatGPT, “The Robots Have Finally Come For My Job,” by Greg Ip. and the Sunday New York Times article, by Alyson Krueger, March 23, 2023, “We Need to Talk, But First I’ll Consult a Chatbot,” about how regular folks are turning to A.I., I decided to explore AI and Chat GPT as an ordinary person and as a Boomer grandmother.
In Part I, I decided to see what would happen if I turned to Chat GPT to write a blog post. I asked Chat GPT:
How should I explain Chat GPT to Boomers who may or may not know much about A.I. or ChatGPT.
How can ChatGPT be useful to grandparents of grandchildren at different ages (preschoolers, school age grandchildren, teenagers, and young adults) who want to share family history and preserve family memories with their grandchildren in interesting ways.
I did not like or find helpful the first, general, answers from ChatGPT. So, I went further. How Can You Really Use ChatGPT?
I have begun to realize that it is impossible to get a human on the telephone in any way, shape or form, for any reason whatsover, when calling any business or company, and talking to computers is frustrating and unsatisfying. I have found that navigating websites instead is frustrating and unsatisfying as well. Maybe it is my age and generation, but there never seems to be a prompt or FAQ that is helpful. In desperation, I have turned to the chat feature on websites. I have found the chat feature on websites to be time consuming, but ultimately more helpful than not. So, I preface my experience with ChatGPT, that using the chat feature was helpful and satisfying, but then I am somewhat experienced with what did not work with chat features in the past. Yes, I thought that I was conversing with a real person on the website chat features, and now I think that was a fantasy and it is AI, but who knows. So, as with many new experiences, using ChatGPT has a learning curve, but is worth it.
ChatGPT actually helped me with specific examples by age group that I am pleased with to share with grandparents in this blog post. The question:
How can ChatGPT be useful to grandparents of grandchildren at different ages (preschoolers, school age grandchildren, teenagers, and young adults) who want to share family history and preserve family memories with their grandchildren in interesting ways.
For each sub heading that is in parentheses above, all I did was repeat back the exact phrase ChatGPT gave me and asked for more information in the simplest way possible.
I now added in the chat:
“EXAMPLES OF FUN STORIES AND INTERACTIVE GAMES GRANDPARENTS CAN CREATE TO TEACH PRESCHOOLERS ABOUT FAMILY HISTORY”
CHATGPT IDEAS FOR PRESCHOOLERS:
Sure, here are a few examples of fun stories and interactive games that grandparents can create to teach preschoolers about their family history:
Family Treasure Hunt:
Create a scavenger hunt that leads preschoolers around the house, with each clue providing information about a different family member or event. For example, a clue might say “Look under the bed where Grandma keeps her special box” and the box might contain old photos or trinkets that belonged to ancestors.
“The Adventures of Our Ancestors”:
Write a short story that tells the tale of a few family members from generations past, and illustrate it with drawings or photos. The story can be based on real events, or you can use your imagination to create a fictional adventure. This is a great way to introduce preschoolers to the concept of family history in a fun and engaging way.
Family Tree Collage:
Help preschoolers create a family tree collage using pictures of family members. You can use a large piece of paper or poster board as the base, and then have the preschooler cut out pictures of family members from old photos or magazines to attach to the tree. This can be a fun activity to do together, and it helps preschoolers understand the relationships between family members.
“Who Am I?”:
Create a guessing game where preschoolers have to guess which family member you’re describing based on a series of clues. For example, you might say “I’m a man who loved to play the guitar and sing songs by the campfire” to describe a grandfather who passed away before the preschooler was born.
These are just a few examples, but the possibilities are endless. The key is to make it fun and engaging for preschoolers, and to use age-appropriate language and activities that capture their attention and imagination.
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Next, I added in the chat:
“EXAMPLES FOR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN”
CHATGPT IDEAS FOR SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN
Certainly! Here are some examples of how grandparents can use ChatGPT to engage school-age grandchildren with family history:
Q&A with ChatGPT:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to answer their grandchild’s questions about family history. The grandchild can type in a question, such as “What was great-grandpa’s favorite hobby?” and ChatGPT can generate an answer based on information provided by the grandparent. This can be a fun and interactive way for grandchildren to learn about their family’s past.
Trivia Time:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to generate a trivia game based on family history. The grandparent can input information about family members, events, and traditions, and ChatGPT can generate questions for the grandchild to answer. For example, “What was the name of your great-great-grandmother who immigrated from Italy?” or “What was the year that your grandparents got married?” This can be a fun way for grandchildren to test their knowledge of family history and compete with siblings or cousins.
Timeline Creation:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to help their grandchild create a timeline of family history. The grandparent can input important dates and events, such as births, marriages, and immigrations, and ChatGPT can generate a visual timeline that the grandchild can add to and personalize with family photos and mementos. This can be a great way for grandchildren to see how their family’s history fits into the larger historical context.
Ancestor Stories:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to help their grandchild create a fictional story about an ancestor. The grandparent can input information about a specific family member, such as their occupation, interests, and personality traits, and ChatGPT can generate a story that incorporates these details. This can be a fun and creative way for grandchildren to imagine what their ancestors’ lives might have been like.
These are just a few examples, but the possibilities are endless. The key is to use ChatGPT to make learning about family history fun and engaging for school-age grandchildren.
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Next, I added in the chat:
“EXAMPLES FOR TEENAGERS”
CHATGPT IDEAS FOR TEENAGERS
Certainly! Here are some examples of how grandparents can use ChatGPT to engage teenagers with family history:
Virtual Family Scrapbook:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to help their teenager create a virtual family scrapbook. The grandparent can input information about family members, events, and traditions, and ChatGPT can generate a visual scrapbook that the teenager can customize with family photos and mementos. This can be a great way for teenagers to see how their family’s history has evolved over time.
Life Lessons from Family Members:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to help their teenager create a collection of life lessons from family members. The grandparent can input information about family members’ experiences and insights, and ChatGPT can generate personalized advice and wisdom that the teenager can reflect on and apply to their own life.
Genealogy Research:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to help their teenager conduct genealogy research. The grandparent can input information about ancestors, such as names, birth dates, and locations, and ChatGPT can generate relevant historical records and documents. This can be a great way for teenagers to develop research and critical thinking skills, as well as deepen their understanding of their family’s history.
Oral History Interviews:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to help their teenager conduct oral history interviews with family members. The grandparent can input interview questions, and ChatGPT can generate follow-up questions and prompts based on the interviewee’s responses. This can be a great way for teenagers to learn how to conduct interviews and record family history for future generations.
These are just a few examples, but the possibilities are endless. The key is to use ChatGPT to help teenagers engage with family history in a way that is relevant and meaningful to them.
________________________________________________
Next, I added in the chat:
“EXAMPLES FOR YOUNG ADULTS”
CHATGPT IDEAS FOR YOUNG ADULTS
Certainly! Here are some examples of how grandparents can use ChatGPT to engage young adults with family history:
Family Recipe Collection:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to help their young adult create a collection of family recipes. The grandparent can input recipes passed down through the family, and ChatGPT can generate personalized cooking tips and stories about the history and significance of each dish. This can be a great way for young adults to connect with their family’s cultural heritage and traditions.
Family Tree:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to help their young adult create a family tree. The grandparent can input information about ancestors, such as names, birth dates, and locations, and ChatGPT can generate a visual family tree that the young adult can customize with family photos and stories. This can be a great way for young adults to understand their family’s history and how they fit into the larger family narrative.
Virtual Museum Exhibit:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to help their young adult create a virtual museum exhibit about their family’s history. The grandparent can input information about family members, events, and traditions, and ChatGPT can generate a multimedia exhibit that the young adult can curate with family photos, videos, and artifacts. This can be a great way for young adults to showcase their family’s history and share it with a wider audience.
Ancestor Research Project:
Grandparents can use ChatGPT to help their young adult conduct an ancestor research project. The grandparent can input information about a specific ancestor, such as their occupation, interests, and historical context, and ChatGPT can generate relevant research materials and historical context. This can be a great way for young adults to learn about a specific ancestor and their place in history.
These are just a few examples, but the possibilities are endless. The key is to use ChatGPT to help young adults engage with family history in a way that is creative and meaningful to them.
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Because of this positive experience with ChatGPT, after some experimentation, I would recommend that Boomers and grandparents use ChatGPT for EVERYTHING, yes, everything written to a third party that is significant to the Boomer or grandparent and use ChatGPT with grandchildren. I put my draft of PopPop’s obituary into ChatGPT. I did not take all of the editing suggestions, but I did take some of the suggested edits. I believe ChatGPT helped me create a better obituary.
USE CHATGPT. YOU WILL BE HAPPY YOU DID. And, definitely, try some of the ChatGPT ideas above for grandparents who want to share family history and preserve family memories with their grandchildren in interesting ways.
Joy,
Mema
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