Module 1: What is GenAI? | ⏰ 25–35 minutes

Overview 

Students run the same prompt through four different GenAI platforms and compare the outputs to discover firsthand how different systems interpret and respond to identical instructions. Builds platform literacy and reinforces the habit of evaluating GenAI outputs rather than accepting them uncritically.

Learning Objectives 

By the end of this activity, students will be able to:

• Observe how different GenAI platforms respond to identical prompts
• Analyze meaningful differences in output across platforms
• Evaluate which platform’s output is most useful for a given task and explain why
• Apply critical thinking to GenAI outputs rather than accepting them at face value

Materials Needed

• Student devices with access to four GenAI platforms: ChatGPT, Claude, CoPilot, Gemini
• Whiteboard or shared document for recording and comparing outputs

Instructions

1. As a class (or in groups), select one of the prompts below
2. Run the prompt through all four platforms: ChatGPT, Claude, CoPilot, and Gemini
3. Record each platform’s output
4. Compare and discuss: What is different? What is similar? Which output is most useful? Why?

Choose one prompt:

“I’m teaching about the water cycle to 6th graders. Create a visual diagram showing evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. Include labels and a simple explanation for each stage.”

“Analyze the trends shown in this graph. Create a 2-paragraph explanation suitable for undergraduate students, highlighting the most significant patterns. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/life-expectancy“

“Generate an image of a diverse classroom where students are collaborating on a science project. Make it realistic and appropriate for a school website.”

Debrief Questions

• Which platform produced the most useful output for this task? What made it better?
• Where did the platforms diverge most significantly?
• Did any platform refuse or modify the prompt? What might explain that?
• What does this experiment suggest about choosing the right GenAI tool for the right task?
• How might the choice of platform matter for academic work?

Instructor Notes 

This activity works best when all four platforms are tested simultaneously. Consider assigning one platform per group or by demonstrating each on the projector. The image generation prompt (option 3) often produces the most visually striking differences and generates strong discussion, but requires platforms that support image generation. The life expectancy graph prompt (option 2) works well for disciplines with a data or research focus. Consider having students document outputs in a shared class document for easy side-by-side comparison during the debrief.