What about active chatlinks?

I started thinking about how I've been using chatlinks as a static component of student assignments. Then I got an idea!

Jun 25, 2025

Last week I was grading student assignments, and I got an idea for how to use AI chatlinks in a more active way.

Let me back up. In my classes, I use a lot of AI, and when I have an AI specific assignment—like a tutorial where the student needs to iterate with AI to improve their work, I ask the student to include a chatlink to that AI conversation (See this post for more information). Not only does this provide a sort of double-bind to make sure that the student is truely engaging with the assignment, it also helps me see how they are interacting with the AI chatbot. It gives me a lot of information.

So, I was taking a look at the chatlinks that my students were sharing as part of their first essay assignment. I had asked them to work with the chatbot to find a good topic for their first paper. Some of the students did a great job, but others were too quiescent, too willing to accept whatever the AI suggested. I wanted them to push back, so I suggested, in my LinkedIn discussion, that maybe I could continue their discussion and then share that back to the student so they could see how much more assertive they needed to be.

That is when one of my LinkedIn friends,

Laura Dumin

, asked, “How would you scale this?” It was definitely a fair question. Working with AI, especially in teaching, is an exhausting (and somewhat thankless) process. In order to do it, you have to rework your courses, your assignments, your assessments—and you have to be there to respond to your students so they don’t get off track. It takes a lot of time, and Laura was definitely keen to that. I, in my everlasting optomism about teaching with AI, was not being realistic. It is a great idea—but heck, who has that kind of time when you are buried under 100 papers?

She was right. I needed to find a different way to do this. What about integrating it into my discussion posts and have the students engage other students in their AI use. After all, I didn’t need practice in iteration, but they did! So, below is the assignment I came up with to have my students react to the chatlinks of their peers in discussions.

There were some questions on my original post in LinkedIn about why I chose to make my students use ChatGPT only for this assignment—it is because the share link in ChatGPT allows for the continuation of the conversation (so does Perplexity). However, Claude and Gemini’s chatlinks are static and do not allow for that type of continuation, so they are useless for this type of active use.

I haven’t had them do it yet, and, honestly—in this brave new world of teaching with AI, who knows what will go off the rails? Next week, I will test it in my summer courses. I promise that I will get back to you on how it went.

I’m going to be honest, I am worried about two things with this assignment:

I am seriously concerned that they won’t have the follow-through required for this discussion. I think they will make it for the first step, and probably for the second step—but who knows if they will make it to the final reflection? This is why I added the infographic (Thank you Napkin.AI!). My students are notorious for forgetting to do the last part of things. I am wondering if they will have enough enthusiasm for this assignment to carry through.
I worry about the share link for the chatlinks. I can remind them a thousand times to make sure they don’t copy the URL at the top, and that they need to use the “Share” button in ChatGPT, but they will still give the URL at the top instead. This is infinitely frustrating. If they don’t give the correct shared link, this whole assignment won’t work (and they have to do it correctly twice for this assignment). I am planning to do this assignment with Boodlebox next semester, which makes these types of sharing activities seamless (or at least that is what I am told), so I am hoping this will not be an issue in the fall.

There are three parts to this discussion: Your original post, your response to a peer, and your reflection. Please make sure you complete all three.

Discussion Author: Identifying a Topic

In this Discussion, you will write a prompt to help you identify a career for your iSearch Paper, and look into how future technology might affect that career.

Step 1: Sign into ChatGPT

Please use ONLY ChatGPT for this assignment. Make sure you are signed in.

Step 2: Write an effective AI prompt

Write a prompt to determine your career and a technology that might affect it. I have included an example of how to do the prompt for this assignment. Please use the table below and try to keep your prompt as close to the structure of the example as possible (The details will be different, of course!)

A table of prompt elements as follows: Prompt Elements Prompt Examples Tell ChatGPT what your career interest is. The more details the better. I love numbers, and I am extremely detail oriented. I want to identify a career in the accounting field that pays at least 100K a year that requires a two or four-year degree. Tell it what you want: I am working on a paper for Freshman Composition. I need a career idea for something I can do 5-10 years in the future. Give it a task. I want you to generate five possible careers in accounting, give the yearly income, the requirements for a job, and the likelihood that career will still exist in five years. Tell how you want the information. Create a table. Identify where you got the information by giving the source.

Step 3: Decide on one of the career ideas, and ask AI how the career will be affected by one of the technologies on the list.

Review all the careers suggested by ChatGPT and choose ONE, or redirect it and find a different career. You can ask for more information about the career choices as well. When you have decided on one career focus, ask the AI how that career will be affected by one of the future technologies on the list. (If you want, you can keep asking about different technologies on the list until you find one you are happy to explore.)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning (ML): Including generative AI (like advanced chatbots, image generators), predictive AI, or AI-driven automation.
Augmented Reality (AR) / Virtual Reality (VR) / Extended Reality (XR): Immersive technologies that blend digital and physical worlds.
Blockchain Technology: Beyond cryptocurrencies, its use in secure record-keeping, supply chains, or digital identity.
Advanced Robotics: Robots with more autonomy, intelligence, and ability to collaborate with humans.
Internet of Things (IoT): Connected devices that collect and share data--from smart homes to industrial sensors.
Quantum Computing: A new type of computing that could solve complex problems far beyond current computers.
Biotechnology / Gene Editing (e.g., CRISPR): Innovations in modifying living organisms or developing new medical treatments.
3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing: Advanced techniques for creating three-dimensional objects.
Sustainable Technologies / Green Tech: Innovations aimed at environmental protection, energy efficiency, or renewable resources.
Cybersecurity Advancements: New methods and tools to protect data and systems from evolving threats.
Digital Twins: Virtual models of physical objects, systems, or processes used for simulation and analysis.

Step 4: Copy the Share Link

Do NOT copy the URL at the top of the page. You need to copy the share link for the conversation. You will find it on the top on the right. Click on it and copy the share link. You do not need to make it public.

Here's an example of what that chat conversation might look like: https://chatgpt.com/share/6858679d-5b90-8008-ab46-b8036bc5b124

Step 5: Create a Discussion Post

Give your discussion post a great title. Make sure you have a great title that is interesting and informative.
Generate a 16:9 banner image that represents you in your career.
Write a short transparency statement immediately after the banner image. Tell what AI you used and how you used it.
Write a short introduction to your AI chat that includes your career choice and what technology you will focus on in your paper (Make this at least 50 words).
Share your AI conversation link. Paste your chat link at the bottom of this introduction. MAKE SURE IT WORKS!!

Peer Respondent: Adding to the Conversation

Adding to the Conversation

Step 1: Call "Dibs."

Look for a peer that has no responses. Before you begin crafting your response, please "claim" the post you want by simply replying "Dibs" to their post. That means that no one else can respond to that post but you. This will give you time to craft your response without worrying that someone else will post in your absence.

Step 2: Craft a Response

Now, you will craft your response to your peer. In that response, I want you to read over their introduction and then open their chatlink. After you have carefully read their chat history, I want you to add to it.

Step 3: Add to the chat

Open the chat link, and start with the word "RESPONSE" in all caps, then continue your peer's conversation. Here's some ideas (these are just suggestions, you don't need to use them if you have your own ideas!!):

Did your peer limit themselves unnecessarily in their career choice?
Is a different technology is more significant to that career?
Was the AI was entirely truthful with your peer, or could it have been too nice about the future of that career?

Step 4: Push the AI a bit

The AI might, for example, say that something in the career is only "human." Is that true? What about in five years? What about if Artificial Intelligence gets a lot smarter? Think about how you can push against what is in their chat to make it better, smarter, more interesting for your peer.

Your goal here is to help your peer see as much as they can about the possibility of this research project. How much smarter can you make this chat?

Step 5: Post your reply

When you are done, copy the share link from your conversation. Here’s an example: https://chatgpt.com/share/68587088-5f64-8008-8238-fb060227c565

Click "REPLY" to the conversation.
Write to your peer about what you did to further the conversation, what you think they should do their paper on, and why. Make this at least 50 words.
Paste the link to your extended conversation at the bottom.

Author Reflection

What did you learn?

After you have read through what your peer has written and how they extended your chat link, write a reflection.

Begin with what you will do your paper on. Did you change your mind about your topic after you read your peer's extended chat conversation? If so, what changed? If not, why not? Reflect upon the most important lesson you learned participating in this discussion. (Write 100 words minimum).

Discussion Grading

Step 1: Write an engaging title to draw the audience's attention. (5 points)

Step 2: Generate an AI image 16:9 ratio and place it at the top of the discussion post (10 points).

Step 3: Put a Transparency Statement below the image (10 points).

Step 4: Include an introduction to your chat of at least 50 words, and a working chat link (25 points).

Step 5: Respond to a peer with a explanation of your chat conversation (a least 50 words) and a share link where you extended their discussion. (25 points)

Step 6: Write a one paragraph reflection of at least 100 words on the experience of participating in this discussion. What did you learn? Use at least one specific example from your experience to illustrate the reflection. (25 points)

Note on Voice: You must write in your own voice in a conversational tone. If there is no discernable difference between your voice and a generic AI voice, you will not receive credit for this assignment.

Discussion Assignment Rubric

Category Excellent Passing Incomplete Author Post Content & AI Prompt The post includes an original, clear, and effective AI prompt that demonstrates a strong understanding of how to guide the AI for career and technology research. The chosen career and technology are relevant and clearly introduced. The post includes an AI prompt that generally follows the structure but may lack some detail or clarity. The chosen career and technology are introduced. The post is missing an AI prompt, or the prompt is poorly constructed and does not meet the assignment's requirements. The chosen career or technology is unclear or missing. Chat Link The AI chat link is functional and shows a thorough, well-documented conversation with ChatGPT that directly addresses the assignment's requirements. The AI chat link is functional and shows a conversation with ChatGPT that covers the basic requirements of the assignment. The AI chat link is missing, non-functional, or shows a conversation that does not address the assignment's core requirements. Formatting & Transparency The post has an engaging title, a 16:9 banner image that truly represents the career, and a clear, accurate transparency statement. The introduction to the AI chat is at least 50 words, well-written, and flows smoothly. The post has a title, a banner image, and a transparency statement. The introduction to the AI chat is at least 50 words but may have minor issues with clarity or flow. The post is missing a title, banner image, or transparency statement. The introduction is significantly shorter than 50 words or is unclear. Peer Response Engagement & Chat Extension The peer response is at least 50 words, offers clear observations on their introduction and chat, and genuinely extends the AI conversation by pushing the AI's responses in a helpful, intelligent way. The shared chat link is functional and clearly demonstrates the added conversation. The peer response is at least 50 words and provides some commentary on their introduction and chat, and attempts to extend the AI conversation. The shared chat link is functional. The peer response is significantly less than 50 words, or does not address their post or chat. The shared chat link is missing or non-functional. The AI conversation is not extended in a meaningful way. Peer Response Chat Link The shared chat link is functional and asks questions that add significantly to the AI output, deepening understanding of the topic. The shared chat link is functional and clearly adds to the conversation. The shared chat link is missing or non-functional. Author Reflection Content & Learning The reflection is at least 100 words and clearly addresses whether the topic changed and why, or why it didn't. It highlights a significant learning experience from the discussion, using a specific example to illustrate the point. The writing voice is clearly the student's own. The reflection is at least 100 words and generally addresses the topic change and what was learned. It may include an example, but it might not be as specific or well-connected. The writing voice is mostly the student's own. The reflection is significantly shorter than 100 words, does not address whether the topic changed, or fails to explain what was learned. It lacks a specific example, or the writing voice is not distinct from an AI voice.

Craig Clarkson

Jun 26

Thank you for this, Michelle. Even if our faculty aren't ready to embrace AI in their teaching in this way, the whole package of how you thought through and designed this assignment - the documentation, explanation, supporting materials - is exemplary.

Expand full comment

1 reply by Michelle Kassorla

1 more comment...

THE ACADEMIC PLATYPUS

Discussion about this post