Students will be able to identify the major categories of generative AI tools and apply fundamental techniques for controlling their output.
Key Ideas
The Generative AI Landscape (The "What")
Text-to-Image: (e.g., Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, DALL-E 3) - Creating visuals from written descriptions.
Large Language Models (LLMs): (e.g., GPT-4, Claude 3, Gemini) - Generating and refining text, code, and ideas.
Audio & Music Generation: (e.g., ElevenLabs, Suno, Udio) - Creating voiceovers, sound effects, and full musical compositions.
Video Generation: (e.g., Sora, Gen-2, Pika) - Creating video clips from text or image prompts.
Disclaimer: This landscape changes weekly. The goal is to understand the categories, not memorize every tool.
Fundamental Techniques for Better Output (The "How")
The Core Components of a Great Prompt:
Subject: What is the core thing you want to create?
Style/Medium: In what style should it be created? (e.g., "oil painting," "photorealistic," "in the style of Hayao Miyazaki").
Context/Environment: Where is the subject? What is the mood? (e.g., "in a neon-lit cyberpunk city," "at golden hour").
Composition/Framing: How should it be framed? (e.g., "close-up," "wide shot," "from a low angle").
Technical Specs: (e.g., "4K resolution," "using a 50mm lens").
Iterative Prompting: Don't expect the perfect output on the first try. Start simple, see what the AI produces, and then add or change elements to refine the result.
Using Negative Prompts: Specifying what you don't want to see (e.g., "--no text, --no blur").
In-Lesson Activities
Live Demo - From Simple to Complex Prompt: Take a simple prompt like "a dog" and iteratively build it into a complex, specific prompt, showing how the output changes at each step.
Tool Petting Zoo: Provide students with links to several free or freemium AI tools from different categories. Give them 30 minutes to experiment and create something. Have them share their most interesting or surprising result.
Talking Points
"The prompt is your paintbrush, your camera, your director's chair. Learning to use it well is the single most important skill."
"Think of this as a conversation with the AI. You give it direction, it shows you something, and you give it feedback."
"Don't be afraid to get weird. Some of the most creative results come from unexpected prompt combinations."