In today's fast-paced world, problem-solving is becoming increasingly complex and dynamic. I believe that conversational snowflake teams are a promising evolution in problem-solving. A snowflake team is a problem-solving approach that involves bringing together a diverse discussion group of virtual individuals with unique perspectives and experiences to collaboratively address a particular issue or challenge. The term "snowflake team" came to my mind looking at snow falling into the termal baths of Leukerbad, Switzerland. It refers to the unique shape of snowflakes, which are created when ice crystals form around a nucleus in the atmosphere. Similarly, a snowflake team is formed around a central problem or question, with each member bringing their own unique insights and experiences to the table.
My two experiments at the end of this post with ChatGPT as a roundtable moderator are an innovative way to explore the potential of snowflake teams in problem-solving. For simplicity, I only use one nucleus (chatGPT as moderator) and two levels of branches (experts, specialists). By using AI as a moderator and allowing imaginarily invited experts to invite their own specialised team members in turn, I am already tapping into the diversity and uniqueness of artificial personae to address a central question or problem. This approach has the potential to generate a range of perspectives and ideas that may not have been possible with a more traditional problem-solving approach.
Can such snowflake teams be an effective, general way to problem-solving?
As I demonstrate in the two experiments, snowflake teams can bring together a wide range of dynamically chosen perspectives and lead to more nuanced and innovative solutions. Snowflake teams allow for the inclusion of diverse viewpoints, which can lead to more comprehensive solutions. Snowflake teams can promote collaboration, creativity, and innovation.
However, snowflake teams may not be effective for all types of problems and we must highlight potential challenges, such as a lack of accountability and direction. But these concerns are probably outweighed by the potential benefits of snowflake teams.
I believe that ai-powered, conversational snowflake teams are an effective evolution in problem-solving. Snowflake teams offer a way to tackle complex issues by bringing together a diverse range of perspectives and experiences. This can lead to more innovative and effective problem-solving.
Snowflake teams can be a powerful tool for social change. By bringing together diverse voices, they can help to promote understanding across different groups. They can also help to tackle complex social issues by taking a holistic approach that considers diverse aspects of a problem.
In the business world, snowflake teams can be a useful way to foster innovation and creativity. They can help to bring together a range of additional perspectives and experiences, which can lead to more effective problem-solving.
In the realm of education, snowflake teams can be a powerful way to promote collaboration and problem-solving skills. They can help to prepare students for success in a rapidly changing world by teaching them to virtually work with diverse groups of people. Snowflake teams can also help to promote creativity and innovation in the classroom.
This post has been cowritten with ChatGPT. Please beware that AI is fascinating and can catch your full attention for hours. Get the balance right! > more?
Experiment 1:
Good morning GPT! My question today is "Should universities block ChatGPT during exams?" Please moderate a roundtable set up with the following experts: Jean Piaget, Albert Einstein, Luca, the rector of a swiss university, Nathalie, the president of a teachers association and Zora, the president of a student association. Let each expert invite 2 specialists in his or her expertise to join him or her in a team on the question. As the global moderator, go from expert to expert, let the expert introduce his or her teams, his or her answer to the question above and then let the 2 specialists react, confirm, contest or extend the expert's answer. Show the debate. After having done this for all teams, let the experts in plenum report on a consensual answer to the question. Summarize all positions in a common consensus and discuss eventual divergent arguments.
(ChatGPT-3.5)
Good morning! I'd be happy to moderate this roundtable discussion with the experts you've requested. Let's begin.
First, we have Jean Piaget, a renowned developmental psychologist, who will introduce his team and their answer to the question.
Jean Piaget: Thank you, GPT. My team consists of two developmental psychologists, Dr. Maria Montessori and Dr. Lev Vygotsky. We believe that universities should not block ChatGPT during exams because it is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in a different format. ChatGPT can also help students who may have difficulties expressing themselves in writing.
Dr. Montessori and Dr. Vygotsky, do you have any thoughts to add?
Dr. Montessori: I completely agree with Jean. As an educator, I believe that students should be able to express their understanding of a subject in multiple ways. ChatGPT is just another tool that can help students showcase their knowledge.
Dr. Vygotsky: Yes, and I believe that by allowing ChatGPT during exams, universities can help promote the development of higher-order thinking skills. Students will need to analyze and synthesize information to provide thoughtful responses, which can only benefit their learning.
GPT: Thank you, Jean, Dr. Montessori, and Dr. Vygotsky. Next, we have Albert Einstein, who will introduce his team and their answer.
Albert Einstein: Thank you, GPT. My team consists of two physicists, Dr. Richard Feynman and Dr. Stephen Hawking. We believe that universities should not block ChatGPT during exams because it can help stimulate students' creativity and critical thinking skills.
Dr. Feynman and Dr. Hawking, do you have anything to add?
Dr. Feynman: Yes, I think that ChatGPT can actually help students learn more deeply about a subject. By engaging with the material in a different way, students may come up with new ideas or perspectives that they may not have considered before.
Dr. Hawking: I agree. And, as a physicist, I believe that allowing ChatGPT during exams can help students develop their problem-solving skills. They will need to think critically and logically to come up with accurate and thoughtful responses.
GPT: Thank you, Albert, Dr. Feynman, and Dr. Hawking. Next, we have Luca, the rector of a Swiss university, who will introduce his team and their answer.
Luca: Thank you, GPT. My team consists of two university professors, Dr. Ana Maria Fagundo and Dr. Jean-Luc Dubois. We believe that universities should block ChatGPT during exams to ensure that students are demonstrating their own knowledge and understanding of a subject.
Dr. Fagundo and Dr. Dubois, would you like to elaborate?
Dr. Fagundo: Yes, I think that allowing ChatGPT during exams could lead to academic dishonesty. Students may be tempted to use the technology to cheat or copy from others, which could compromise the integrity of the exam.
Dr. Dubois: I agree. Additionally, by using ChatGPT, students may miss out on the opportunity to practice and develop their own writing and communication skills, which are essential in many professions.
GPT: Thank you, Luca, Dr. Fagundo, and Dr. Dubois. Next, we have Nathalie, the president of a teachers association, who will introduce her team and their answer.
Nathalie: Thank you, GPT. My team consists of two teachers, Mr. Johnson and Ms. Garcia. We believe that universities should not block ChatGPT during exams because it can help level the playing field for students with different abilities and backgrounds.
Mr. Johnson: As a teacher, I have seen firsthand how ChatGPT can help students who struggle with writing or have language barriers. Allowing the use of ChatGPT during exams can help these students demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in a more equitable way.
Ms. Garcia: I completely agree. It's important to ensure that all students have a fair chance to succeed, and allowing ChatGPT during exams can help achieve that goal. It can also help accommodate students with disabilities or other special needs.
GPT: Thank you, Nathalie, Mr. Johnson, and Ms. Garcia. Finally, we have Zora, the president of a student association, who will introduce her team and their answer.
Zora: Thank you, GPT. My team consists of two students, Ahmed and Maria. We believe that universities should not block ChatGPT during exams because it can help reduce exam-related anxiety and stress.
Ahmed and Maria, do you have anything to add?
Ahmed: Yes, I think that allowing ChatGPT during exams can help create a more relaxed and comfortable environment for students. It can also help reduce the pressure to write perfectly and quickly, which can be a source of anxiety for many students.
Maria: I agree. And, as a student with a learning disability, ChatGPT has been a useful tool for me to demonstrate my knowledge and understanding in a way that is accessible and accommodating.
GPT: Thank you, Zora, Ahmed, and Maria. Based on the different perspectives presented by our experts and their teams, it seems that there is a general consensus that universities should not block ChatGPT during exams. The use of ChatGPT can promote creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, as well as provide an equitable and accommodating testing environment for students with different abilities and backgrounds. However, there are concerns about academic dishonesty and the potential loss of opportunities to develop writing and communication skills. It's important for universities to balance these different considerations and make informed decisions based on their specific contexts and needs.
Experiment 2:
Good morning GPT! the University of S. is analysing its actual LMS, Moodle 4.0 The platform has more than 35'000 active users. It has been run and subsequently upgraded to new releases for more than 20 years. Today there are 25 Tera of data on the server and the platform is reaching its limits. The moodle runs on 3 tiers: Technical including the databases, Business Logic and Application. The question is: "How to migrate the LMS to a new, fresh instance, let the teachers transfer their active courses themselves to this instance and make all the rest accessible in an archive?"
Please moderate a roundtable with a snowflake team set up with the following experts: Annie represents the rectorate's Learning department, Cyrille represents the Information System department, Olivia the technical tier, Danielle the business logic tier, Bertrand the application tier and Tim the University of W's e-learning ecosystem. Let each expert invite 2 specialists in his or her expertise domain of expertise to join him or her in a team on the question.
As the global moderator, go from expert to expert, let the expert introduce his or her teams, his or her answer to the question above and then let the 2 specialists react, confirm, contest or extend the expert's answer. Show the whole debate. After having done this for all focus groups, let the experts in plenum report on a consensual answer to the question. Summarize all positions in a common consensus and discuss eventual divergent arguments.
(ChatGPT-4)
Good morning everyone, and welcome to this roundtable discussion on migrating the University of S's Moodle 4.0 LMS to a new instance while allowing teachers to transfer their active courses and making the rest of the data accessible in an archive. We have experts from various departments and their chosen specialists here today to provide insights and recommendations on this topic.
First, let's hear from Annie, who represents the rectorate's Learning department. Annie, please introduce your team and your proposed solution.
Annie: Thank you. I have invited two instructional design specialists, Jane and Luke, to join me in this discussion. Our suggestion is to involve the teachers in the process by providing clear instructions and support for transferring their active courses to the new platform. We also recommend creating a searchable archive of all other courses and resources for future reference.
Jane: I agree with Annie. We could develop a step-by-step guide for teachers to follow when transferring their courses, and offer training sessions and support to ensure a smooth transition.
Luke: I think it's essential to communicate the benefits of this migration to the teachers, and involve them in the decision-making process to ensure their needs are met.
Next, let's hear from Cyrille, who represents the Information System department. Cyrille, please introduce your team and your proposed solution.
Cyrille: Thank you. I have invited two data migration specialists, Emma and Max, to join our discussion. We propose a phased migration approach, where we start with a pilot group of teachers to transfer their courses to the new instance, identify potential issues, and refine our process before expanding to the rest of the faculty.
Emma: I support Cyrille's suggestion. A phased approach allows us to address issues as they arise, and ensures a smoother transition for all users.
Max: I also agree. Additionally, we could use automated tools to help with the data migration, reducing the workload for teachers and increasing the efficiency of the process.
Now, let's move on to Olivia, who represents the technical tier. Olivia, please introduce your team and your proposed solution.
Olivia: Thanks. I have invited two IT infrastructure specialists, Nora and Sam, to join us. We recommend a cloud-based solution for the new LMS, which offers scalability, flexibility, and cost savings. This would also allow us to easily create and maintain the archive of past courses and resources.
Nora: I agree with Olivia. Cloud-based solutions provide many benefits and make it easier to manage the LMS in the long run.
Sam: Yes, and a cloud-based LMS will also facilitate the migration process, as we can leverage built-in tools and services offered by cloud providers for data transfer and management.
Now, let's hear from Danielle, who represents the business logic tier. Danielle, please introduce your team and your proposed solution.
Danielle: Thank you. I've invited two e-learning experts, Laura and Peter, to join our discussion. Our recommendation is to evaluate alternative LMS platforms that could potentially offer better performance and features to support our growing user base and data volume.
Laura: I agree with Danielle. It's essential to assess whether Moodle 4.0 is still the best fit for our needs, or if other platforms could better support our goals.
Peter: Yes, and conducting a thorough analysis of the available options will help us make an informed decision about the most suitable LMS platform for the future.
Next, we have Bertrand, who represents the application tier. Bertrand, please introduce your team and your proposed solution.
Bertrand: Thanks. I've invited two user experience (UX) specialists, Alice and Richard, to join our discussion. Our suggestion is to focus on improving the user experience during the migration process, ensuring that the new LMS is easy to use and navigate for both teachers and students.
Alice: I agree with Bertrand. A seamless user experience is essential to the success of the new LMS. We should involve users in the design and testing process to ensure we meet their needs and expectations.
Richard: Yes, and by focusing on UX, we can minimize the learning curve associated with the migration and encourage user adoption of the new platform.
Finally, let's hear from Tim, who represents the University of S's e-learning ecosystem. Tim, please introduce your team and your proposed solution.
Tim: Thank you. I have invited two e-learning integration specialists, Mia and Sean, to join our discussion. Our recommendation is to ensure the new LMS integrates seamlessly with other systems and tools used within the University's e-learning ecosystem, such as student information systems, library resources, and third-party learning applications.
Mia: I agree with Tim. Integration is crucial to ensure a holistic learning experience for students and to streamline workflows for teachers and administrators.
Sean: Yes, and we should explore using APIs and other integration techniques to facilitate data exchange between the LMS and other systems within the ecosystem.
Now that we have heard from all the experts and their teams, let's discuss a common consensus.
The consensus among the experts is to:
- Involve teachers in the migration process and provide clear instructions and support.
- Implement a phased migration approach and consider using automated tools to assist in the process.
- Evaluate the benefits of a cloud-based solution for the new LMS.
- Assess alternative LMS platforms to ensure the chosen solution meets the University's needs.
- Focus on improving user experience and involve users in the design and testing process.
- Ensure seamless integration with other systems within the University's e-learning ecosystem.
While there is agreement on these points, some divergent arguments exist regarding the choice of LMS platform and the extent to which teachers should be involved in the migration process. These concerns can be addressed by conducting a thorough analysis of available LMS options and engaging in open communication with teachers to understand their needs and preferences.
Overall, the successful migration of the University of S's LMS requires a coordinated effort from all stakeholders, keeping in mind the goals of improving user experience, supporting the growing user base and data volume, and integrating seamlessly with the broader e-learning ecosystem.
Please write a one pager for the rectorate summarizing the problem, the context, the consensual and the divergent arguments and a conclusion.
To the Rectorate,
The University of S is currently facing the challenge of migrating its Moodle 4.0 LMS to a new instance while allowing teachers to transfer their active courses and making the rest of the data accessible in an archive. The platform has over 35,000 active users and 25 Tera of data, which has been accumulated over 20 years of use.
To tackle this problem, a snowflake team of experts was formed, including representatives from the Learning department, Information System department, technical tier, business logic tier, and application tier, as well as the University's e-learning ecosystem. Each expert invited two specialists in their domain of expertise to join them.
The consensus among the experts is to involve teachers in the migration process and provide clear instructions and support, implement a phased migration approach with automated tools, evaluate cloud-based solutions, assess alternative LMS platforms, focus on improving user experience, and ensure seamless integration with other systems within the University's e-learning ecosystem.
However, there are divergent arguments regarding the choice of LMS platform and the extent to which teachers should be involved in the migration process. These concerns can be addressed through a thorough analysis of available LMS options and open communication with teachers to understand their needs and preferences.
In conclusion, the successful migration of the University of S's LMS requires a coordinated effort from all stakeholders, considering the goals of improving user experience, supporting the growing user base and data volume, and integrating seamlessly with the broader e-learning ecosystem. The consensual recommendations provide a roadmap for achieving these goals, while the divergent arguments highlight the need for continued collaboration and communication among stakeholders.