ChatGPT is already widely used among students for help with their assignments, but it now seems to have come up with a whole new “study mode” to help them learn.
OpenAI has launched a “study mode” for students in ChatGPT. Instead of just giving the final answer, users in the “study mode” will be able to ask questions to AI, and receive hints and suggestions on how to solve the problem.
“As ChatGPT becomes a go-to tool for students, we’re committed to ensuring it fosters deeper understanding and learning. Introducing study mode in ChatGPT — a learning experience that helps you work through problems step-by-step instead of just getting an answer,” OpenAI posted on X.
In an accompanying video, OpenAI compared the responses between its regular mode and the Study Mode in ChatGPT. In regular ChatGPT, a student asking a math question is just given the steps and the final answer without too much additional context. On Study Mode however, when the student asks for help with the same question, instead of just giving the answer, Study Mode identifies what sort of question it is, and gives some background. It then gives the student some approaches to try solving the problem. When the student just asks for the final answer, ChatGPT encourages them to try, and gives even more hints. The student isn’t sure of the approach, but hazards a guess anyway. ChatGPT tells them that they’re right, and walks the student through the next step, helping them finally arrive at the correct answer.
This experience mirrors how students are taught in real life by personal teachers. Students are encouraged to take the first step towards solving the question — if they can’t, they’re given more hints, or if they veer off course, they’re gently corrected. Through this collaborative process, in which the teacher holds the student’s hand while solving problems, they are able to reach the correct answer. This is much more helpful than simply giving away the correct answer, because it makes the student think and analyze about how they should arrive at the solution.
Thus far, there was no way to do this directly through LLMs. One could prompt an LLM to help with a problem step by step, but it’s likely that only the most motivated students would’ve chosen this route. This study mode, however, replicates the experience of being with a personal tutor, and can significantly improve learning outcomes for students. In general, only a handful of students globally had access to the world’s best teachers, but approaches like Study Mode could help bring a world-class personal tutor to every student’s home.