Prompt engineering is the art and science of asking the right question to get the best output from an AI tool. It’s all about formulating clear, purposeful prompts that will give you responses that will transform the AI from a basic tool to a super-smart teaching assistant. A well-crafted prompt can drastically improve the quality and relevance of an AI tool's output.
To learn more, check out the Prompt Library for K-12 Educators or consider how AI works as a whole to discover why some questions work better than others.
Crafting a Good Prompt
Learning how to craft a good prompt is like any skill: it requires practice, flexibility and iteration. The more you experiment with prompt engineering, the more you will understand how to get what you need from the AI tools. Until then, having a solid framework can be your secret weapon for crafting those perfectly tuned prompts.
Here’s a simple guide to help you write effective AI prompts:
- Context: Remember, AI doesn't know anything about you, your classroom, your students, etc. Specify grade level, subject area, curriculum standards, and any relevant student information (but remember to leave out any identifiable student data, like names and ID numbers)
- Task Definition and Output: Do you want a lesson plan? An email template? Be clear about what you want, including how long and complex the output to be.
- Voice and Style: Want academic and formal? Conversational and fun? A specific persona? Give the AI a style guide to get exactly what you want.
- Models or Examples: If you've got an example of what you're looking for, share it! It's like giving your AI a roadmap. The clearer the example, the closer you'll get to exactly what you want.
Effective AI prompts are all about clarity and context. Think of the AI tool as a super-smart but very literal student teacher on their first day of the semester. You need to be specific and provide plenty of background.
Remember, AI isn't a search engine. It responds best to natural language, so write in complete sentences and be more precise than you would with Google. It's also important to avoid negative commands ("Don't do X").
AI prompt engineering is all about iteration. Don't be afraid to:
- Experiment with different phrasings
- Refine your prompt based on the AI's response
- Ask for clarification
- Ask the AI for help with improving the prompt
- Ask the AI to slow down and think (yes, really!)
Avoid these common prompt engineering pitfalls:
- Vague or ambiguous instructions. Don't tell it to write a paragraph when you really want an email. Be crystal clear about exactly what you need.
- Overcomplicating prompts. Keep it simple and to the point.
- Technical jargon without explanation. Spell out all those acronyms that run your teaching life.
- Task overload. Asking AI to create a lesson plan and plan a field trip in one prompt is not going to work! One thing at a time, please.
Using Prompt Libraries and Prewritten Prompts
As you begin your journey with AI prompt engineering, you'll find that having a collection of ready-to-use prompts can be incredibly helpful. Here's how you can make the most of prompt libraries and prewritten prompts:
- Prompt Libraries: You can find many prompt libraries through web searches, but we have curated one that is designed specifically for K-12 educators in mind. This is a great place to start.
- Saving and Organizing Prompts: As you discover effective prompts, save them for future use. Create a personal collection organized by subject, grade level, or task type. This can be as simple as a document on your computer or a note-taking app.
- Customizing Prewritten Prompts: While prewritten prompts are useful, don't hesitate to modify them to fit your specific needs. Adjust the language, add context relevant to your class, or combine elements from different prompts.
- Learning from Examples: Study the structure and language of prewritten prompts to understand what makes them effective. This will help you craft your own prompts in the future.
- Sharing with Colleagues: Exchange prompts with other teachers. This collaborative approach can expand your prompt library and provide insights into how other educators are using AI.
Learn More
Ready to try prompt engineering? Great! Check out ideas in the Prompt Library for K-12 Educators or review questions to consider while developing AI School Policies. But the best way to learn is to simply try for yourself. Have a conversation! Play! Ask questions. See what you can learn and discover, and hopefully have some fun doing it.
