This week, we talked about generative AI and its use as a tool in the classroom.

I decided to use ChatGPT to generate some resources to help young people of different ages understand computers. Here are the outcomes:

5 years old

I asked ChatGPT: Write a short explanation of how a computer works for a 5 year old child, using simple words

ChatGPT:

Of course! Imagine a computer is like a robot friend. It has a special brain that helps it do things. Here’s how it works:

1. Brain – The computer has a super-smart brain called the “computer brain.” This brain helps it think really fast.
2. Listening and Talking – The computer can listen to you when you type on the keyboard or click the mouse. It can also talk to you by showing things on the screen, like games or pictures.
3. Remembering – Just like we remember our favorite toys, the computer remembers things too. It uses its special memory to keep stuff safe.
4. Instructions – When you tell the computer what you want to do, like play a game or draw a picture, it listens and follows your instructions. It’s like telling the robot friend what game to play.
5. Pictures and Sounds – The computer can show you pictures and play music and sounds. It has a magic picture and sound maker inside.

So, a computer is like a clever robot friend that listens to you, shows you fun things on the screen, and does what you ask it to do! It’s like having a super-smart buddy to play with.

8 years old

I asked ChatGPT: Write a short explanation of how computers work aimed at 8 year old children

ChatGPT:

Sure! Imagine a computer is like a super-fast and super-smart friend that helps us do all kinds of things. It’s like magic, but we can explain how it works!

1. Brain of the Computer – Computers have a special part called the “Central Processing Unit” or CPU. It’s like the computer’s brain. It thinks really quickly, much faster than us!
2. Memory – Just like you remember things, computers do too! They have a memory, but it’s not like ours. It’s more like a big list where they can keep track of all the things they need to remember.
3. Input and Output – Computers can talk to us and listen to us. They use things like a keyboard and a mouse to hear what we want them to do, and they show us stuff on a screen, just like a TV, to tell us what they’re doing.
4. Instructions – We give computers instructions to follow. We do this by typing on the keyboard, clicking the mouse, or using special programs. These instructions are like recipes that tell the computer what to do.
5. Processing – When we give the computer instructions, it uses its brain (the CPU) to figure out what to do. It’s really good at doing math and solving problems, so it can do all sorts of jobs for us.
6. Storage – Computers can remember lots and lots of information. They save things on a special storage place, like a big digital filing cabinet. This way, they can keep our pictures, documents, and games safe.
7. Internet – Sometimes, computers can talk to other computers far away through something called the internet. It’s like sending messages to friends, but the friends are really far away.
8. Hardware and Software – The computer’s body is like its hardware. It includes the screen, keyboard, and all the parts inside. The instructions we give the computer are called software. It’s like telling our computer what games to play or what to write.
9. Graphics and Sound – Computers can show us pictures and play music and sounds. They use a special part for this, called a graphics card and a sound card.
10. Putting it All Together – When you click on a game, for example, the computer uses its brain (CPU) to figure out how to play it, shows you the game on the screen, and even makes sounds and music for you to enjoy.

So, a computer is like a super-smart friend that listens to us, does all sorts of things, and shows us cool stuff on the screen. It’s like magic, but it’s really just following instructions very, very quickly!

14 years old

I asked ChatGPT: Write a short explanation of how a computer works for a 14 year old

ChatGPT:

Certainly! Here’s a short explanation of how a computer works for a 14-year-old:

A computer is a complex machine that processes information quickly. It has several main parts:

1. Central Processing Unit (CPU): Think of this as the computer’s brain. It performs calculations and makes decisions. The faster the CPU, the quicker the computer can think.
2. Memory (RAM): This is like the computer’s short-term memory. It stores information that the CPU is currently working on. The more RAM a computer has, the more tasks it can handle at once.
3. Storage (Hard Drive or SSD): This is the computer’s long-term memory. It keeps your files and programs even when the computer is turned off. Hard drives are like big file cabinets, while SSDs are like flash drives.
4. Input and Output Devices: These include the keyboard, mouse, monitor, and more. They let you interact with the computer by giving it commands and seeing the results.

Here’s how it all comes together:

1. Input: When you type on the keyboard, move the mouse, or click something, you’re giving the computer instructions.
2. Processing: The CPU processes these instructions really quickly. It performs millions of calculations per second to do what you asked.
3. Memory: The RAM helps the CPU keep track of what it’s doing. It stores temporary data while the CPU works.
4. Storage: The computer saves your files and programs on the hard drive or SSD so you can access them later.
5. Output: The results of your instructions are displayed on the monitor, and you can hear sounds through the speakers.

Additionally, computers use software, which are sets of instructions or programs, to do specific tasks. Operating systems like Windows or macOS manage everything and make sure software and hardware work together smoothly.

So, a computer is like a super-fast problem solver that listens to your commands, thinks really quickly, and shows you the results on the screen. It’s a combination of powerful hardware and clever software, making it a versatile tool for many tasks.

Looking at the above descriptions, we can all see they take the same format. They begin with a more complex or abstract overview of a computer system in varied terms, then hone in on each individual component and explain these in age-appropriate language. Then they summarise these parts in a final sentence. This parallels pretty well what I explored in making my description of How a Computer Works. It’s possible to see some semantic wave in beginning with this overarching explanation, unpacking these meaning in simple terms, and then packing them together. Especially in the 5 years old example, ChatGPT describes examples for each area of functionality in something a child could have experienced. I think the ‘repacking’ phase is the least sophisticated in all these examples – a list of components are simply listed, and we are told they work together but not in much more detail, and the abstract examples given are the main basis for understanding the computer. I also think for a 5 year old, listing the components using abstract, simpler terms is sensible but the word choices could provide some confusion – they may wonder why Brain, Memory, and Instructions are all separate without a deeper understanding. The 8 year old example is a little more concise here, and perhaps some aspects from this could be taken into the 5 year old explanation if simplified. The explanation for 14 year olds is much more concise and clear and does describe first the components and how they link together still in fairly short and simple terms. For the children’s explanations, a computer is compared to a ‘robot friend’ or a ‘super-fast and super-smart friend’. This, while naturally being a little reductive, is totally appropriate for young kids and gives a pleasant and friendly image of what a computer is. For a 14 year old, this is simplified to ‘complex machine’, and ‘super-fast problem solver’, which are a little more accurate yet still not overly complex. Overall I think these explanations are pretty solid and there is clear consideration of age differences which I appreciate. I think there are certain elements that could be rephrased or switched around, but overall I think ChatGPT was good at this task.

For the rest of my work this week, I created an AI image to explore using tools for my portfolio. I decided to use DALL-E to generate a cartoon computer character to explore creating personalised graphics with limited experience in digital art. I was very pleased with the results – though they do tend to be stylistically fairly plain and homogeneous.

How Computers Work – Learning with Generative AI / Trinity Gulland / Computing in the Classroom (2023-2024)[YR] by is licensed under a