Bridgeway International

AI Fundamentals with Prompt-a-Thon: ChatGPT Edition

Course Information

Need Group Training

Course Description

This course gives learners a clear and practical look at Artificial Intelligence with an emphasis on how to use OpenAI ChatGPT in day-to-day work. The morning session builds a strong understanding of what AI is, how it works, and how ChatGPT fits into the larger picture. Learners explore the basics of prompting, see real examples, and practice simple techniques that help them get better results.

The afternoon is a hands-on Prompt-a-Thon where learners work in small groups to solve real problems by applying what they learned. Each team picks a challenge, builds and tests prompts, and prepares a short explanation of their solution. The experience is interactive and helps learners build confidence using AI tools in practical ways.

Course Objective

  • Explain what AI is in simple terms and describe common workplace uses
  • Describe what ChatGPT is and how large language models work at a basic level
  • Use core prompting skills that improve clarity and output quality
  • Apply prompt patterns such as instruction prompts, role prompts, question prompts, context prompts, and refinement prompts
  • Review prompts and outputs with a critical eye and improve them through iteration
  • Work in teams to design real solutions using ChatGPT
  • Present an AI supported idea that explains the problem, the prompt approach, and lessons learned
  • Recognize ethical considerations related to privacy, accuracy, and responsible use

Course Outline

1 – Welcome and Course Overview

  • Introductions
  • Learning goals
  • What to expect from the experience

2 – What AI Is and How It Works

  • Plain language explanation of AI
  • What large language models are
  • Common terms such as model, context, tokens, hallucinations
  • Real examples and workplace use cases

3 – ChatGPT Overview

  • What ChatGPT is and what it can do
  • Strengths and limits of ChatGPT
  • Helpful ways to think about working with AI in conversation
  • Live examples that show how ChatGPT responds and adapts cases

4 – Prompting Fundamentals in ChatGPT

  • What a prompt is and why wording matters
  • Clear examples of strong prompts compared to weak ones
  • Core prompt patterns
    • Instruction prompts
    • Question prompts
    • Role prompts
    • Context and few shot prompts
    • Chain of thought prompts
    • Creative prompts
    • Refinement prompts
  • Hands on guided practice with ChatGPT

5 – Transition to Prompt-a-Thon

  • Overview of the afternoon flow
  • Group setup and expectations
  • How to pick a strong problem or workflow to explore

6 – Kickoff and Instructions

  • Review Prompt-a-Thon flow
  • Team roles
  • How to test and iterate prompts in a focused way

7 – Problem Selection and Brainstorming

  • Teams identify several tasks that take time or create friction
  • Pick one problem to explore with ChatGPT

8 – Prompt Building and Testing

  • Create a first draft prompt
  • Test and review outputs
  • Try new versions
  • Capture strong examples

9 – Team Review and Selection

  • Share best prompt versions within each group
  • Agree on the example that tells the clearest story

10 – Team Presentations and Wrap Up

  • Present the problem, prompt approach, and results
  • Peer and instructor feedback
  • Main takeaways and next steps