Using Chat GPT to write observations

[TwyningVillagePlaygroup]

I'm looking for advice with regard to one of my younger practitioners using ChatGPT to help write observations. Her observations look amazing and the other staff members feel that it is unfair because they don't want to use assistance to write their observations but they are no longer confident in what they are writing 

[BenTapestrySupport]

When addressing the use of AI tools for writing observations, the first step is to assess the actual value being added. AI usually generates text that is longer and uses a wider range of language, which can feel more 'amazing,' which you've shown to cause other staff to lose confidence. However, the team must consider whether these lengthy, generated observations truly offer deeper analysis or more actionable planning suggestions than a concise, human-written note. More words do not necessarily equate to more value; effective observations should be brief, accurate, and directly inform next steps for planning and monitoring children's progress. Creating observations should be a process that saves time, not consumes it. The time spent gathering a note, inputting it into the AI, prompting the response, and then editing the output for accuracy may well be an inefficient use of a practitioner's time compared to simply logging the key learning point immediately.

One area I would also be considering is around data sharing and confidentiality. Unless a protected, purpose-built tool is being used, entering sensitive details about a child (initials, behaviour, activity) into a public large language model like ChatGPT means sharing confidential data with a third-party service, which could go against your setting's data protection and safeguarding policies. This could be the 'quick' solution to stopping the practitioner doing this whilst you have a proper conversation as a whole team. 

[Helen]

I agree. I think AI-written observations will lose that personal touch and families will stop valuing them. If a parent knows the observation has been written by AI, they'll lose respect for the educators, who are supposed to be literate and able to write their own observations, in my view. (I am also aware that staff with dyslexia or specific difficulties need support, of course). I am concerned that  every member of staff's observations will all sound exactly the same. When we created learning journals for our nursery children, each member of staff had a particular voice/communication style which really gave the journals character.