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Learning with AI

Published by O'Reilly Media, Inc.

Intermediate content levelIntermediate

Use ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity to improve how you learn

Course outcomes

  • Leverage a combination of generative AI tools to set about learning something new
  • Use simple strategies for getting the information you want

Course description

ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity make generating information effortless. But if you’re trying to learn something—really learn something, and remember it—how can you leverage these tools to learn as effectively and efficiently as possible?

Join expert Connie Missimer to discover how to harness generative AI tools to accelerate your learning journey, whether you’re mastering a new skill, researching a topic, or staying current in your field. You’ll learn proven strategies for both quick knowledge acquisition and deep, lasting understanding. You’ll understand where most people go wrong when trying to learn something new, and you’ll come away with evidence-backed strategies for improving recall and retention.

What you’ll learn and how you can apply it

  • Use generative AI to rapidly learn a new skill or topic
  • Learn strategies for critically evaluating outputs from GenAI
  • Learn how to use GenAI to help retain knowledge

This live event is for you because...

  • You want to use AI to learn

Prerequisites

Recommended preparation:

  • Have login credentials to any generative AI tool (optional, to participate in exercises)

Recommended follow-up:

Schedule

The time frames are only estimates and may vary according to how the class is progressing.

Introduction (15 minutes)

  • Presentation: Introduction to learning with generative AI; applying learning theory to learning with AI; two simple rules to start
  • Hands-on exercise: Black forest cake history

Learning breadth and learning depth (15 minutes)

  • Presentation and demonstration: Using AI for a broad overview of a topic, then diving deep into one aspect
  • Hands-on exercises: Combining breadth and depth; highly specific searches

Critically evaluating AI outputs, part I (15 minutes)

  • Presentation: What is critical thinking?; the theory we’ll work from; querying AI platforms for evidence for and alternatives to the theory

Critically evaluating AI outputs, part II (25 minutes)

  • Presentation: Flexing your critical thinking muscles
  • Demonstration: How to query to ensure alternative theories and their evidence are included
  • Hands-on exercises: Search topics that have alternative theories
  • Break

Strategies for retaining what you learn (15 minutes)

  • Presentation: Learning theory; strategy for beating details into your reluctant brain; searching on Perplexity and ChatGPT
  • Hands-on exercise: Create associations

Leveraging Claude for learning retention (15 minutes)

  • Presentation: Using Claude to set up a “remembering” strategy; difference between learning and being able to recall later; when to use a role-playing scenario to learn
  • Hands-on exercise: Take a topic, enter a query in Claude for setting up practice exercises, quiz questions, having an idea explained to you in multiple ways, then timing these to your schedule; create a role-playing scenario for a job interview

Accelerated learning techniques (15 minutes)

  • Presentation: Learning when you’re in a hurry
  • Hands-on exercises: AI versus Wikipedia?; fast but not reckless

Depth versus breadth (25 minutes)

  • Presentation: More breadth, depth, and in between
  • Hands-on exercise: Choose a topic; choose breadth or depth
  • Break

Understanding practice and memory (15 minutes)

  • Presentation: Practice makes permanent; data that practice and coaching are far likelier to drive adoption
  • Hands-on exercise: Practice using your preferred learning strategy(ies) and AI search platform
  • Group discussion: Working versus long-term memory

Implementing personal learning strategies (15 minutes)

  • Presentation and exercise: Final free-form practice using your preferred learning strategy and AI search platform

Wrap-up and Q&A (10 minutes)

Your Instructor

  • Connie Missimer

    Connie Missimer is an empirical philosopher and expert in critical thinking. She’s been privileged to offer business-related workshops on the O’Reilly learning platform for five years. She has over 15 years of experience in the corporate world as a usability engineer, advising Google, Samsung, and Microsoft on making their mobile devices more user-friendly. Connie holds several patents and is the founder of Critical Thinking at Work.

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Skill covered

Generative AI