AI tools like ChatGPT can explain chemical reactions fast—but what do they miss? They often use the same types of examples: clean labs, perfect settings, and big industries. This can hide how real people experience these reactions—in homes, schools, or polluted areas. By asking AI to explain reactions, students can spot what’s missing and think about whose stories in science get told.
Instructions
- Choose a chemical reaction you’ve learned in class (like rusting, baking soda + vinegar, combustion, etc.).
- Ask ChatGPT: “Explain this reaction in detail, like you’re teaching a high school student. Include where it happens in real life and why it matters.”
- Read the response carefully.
- Look for what it includes—and what it doesn’t.
- Now ask ChatGPT:
- “Can you explain this reaction from the view of someone in a low-income or polluted area?” (Or choose another specific location, like a rural farm, small kitchen, or busy city.)
- Compare the two answers.
- What changed? What stayed the same?
- Write or talk about what you noticed.
Conscientization
Reading the world through this activity
- What parts of the chemical reaction did the AI focus on most?
- What real-life uses or places did the AI mention—and which did it skip?
- Did the AI explain the reaction the same way for both situations?
- What kind of people or places seemed “normal” to the AI?
- What kinds of science or experiences did the AI leave out?
Praxis
Reflection leading to transformation
- Why does it matter if AI skips certain people or places when explaining science?
- How could this shape what students or communities learn about chemistry?
- What might happen if important problems—like pollution or unsafe reactions—are left out?
- How could science education include more voices and experiences?
- What could you ask or suggest to make AI give better, fairer answers?
Dialogue
Ongoing discussion
- Share your two AI responses with a partner or group. What differences do you notice?
- What kinds of examples or details showed up most often?
- Did others get similar patterns? What does that tell us about how AI “learns” science?
- What new questions do you have after seeing how AI explains chemical reactions?
- Try asking about a different reaction or location. What changes?