ChatGPT’s New Tutoring Feature: Study and Learn

A common concern many educators have with GenAI is that it might disincentivize students from doing the work necessary for learning. But others highlight one of its main advantages: it can function as a private tutor.

Now OpenAI has developed a new tool to make personalized tutoring easier than ever. Study and Learn is accessed by clicking the + symbol in the Ask Anything text box on the ChatGPT home page. (If you do not have an account, click Study.) The tool offers three generic prompts to start with (help me with my homework, explain a topic to me, create a practice quiz) or you can jump right into your topic of choice using a prompt of your own.

To test the effectiveness of Study and Learn, I asked ChatGPT, “How do I calculate the volume of a cylinder?”

This was the response:

To calculate the volume of a cylinder, you use this formula:

Volume =πr²h

Where:

• r = radius of the circular base
• h = height of the cylinder
• π ≈ 3.14159

Steps:

1. Measure the radius of the base (half of the diameter).
2. Square the radius (r²).
3. Multiply by π (pi).
4. Multiply by the height of the cylinder.

✅ Example: If the radius is 5 cm and the height is 10 cm: Volume = π x (5)² × 10 = 3.14159 × 25 × 10 = 785.4 cm³

Do you want me to also show how to do this if you only know the diameter or make a quick calculator for you?

Note that ChatGPT gave me the formula, then solved a sample problem for me. Not much thinking is required on my part. But when I ask the same question using Study and Learn, I get a much different reply:

Good question — let’s tackle it step by step instead of me just handing you the formula. A cylinder is basically like a stack of circles — imagine piling up a bunch of coins into a tube. So, to get its volume, you need to figure out:

1. The area of the circle on the base
2. Multiply that area by the height of the cylinder

Here’s my first question for you:

👉 Do you remember the formula for the area of a circle?

This time, no answer has been provided by ChatGPT. Rather, what I have is the start of a tutoring session. When I reply to its final question with, “not really,” ChatGPT begins reviewing the formula for the area of a circle:

That’s okay — let’s rebuild it together. The area of a circle depends on the radius (the distance from the center to the edge). The rule is:

Area of a circle = πr²

Here’s why:

• r² means “radius × radius” (so the size grows quickly as the radius grows).
• π (pi ≈ 3.14) is the special number that relates circles to straight lines.

So if a circle has radius 3 cm:

Area = 3.14 × 3 × 3 = 28.26 cm²

Now, once we have the circle’s area, what do you think we do with it to get the cylinder’s volume?

As you can see, ChatGPT’s Study and Learn is far more helpful for any student struggling to grasp a concept. And when I respond with the correct answer, I get this response:

Exactly! Nicely done. 🎯

So the full formula becomes:

V = πr²h

Where:

• r = radius of the base
• h = height of the cylinder

Want to try a quick practice one?

👉 Suppose a cylinder has a radius of 4 cm and a height of 9 cm. What volume do you get? (You can leave π in your answer if you don’t want to multiply it out yet.)

At this point, if I were still feeling unsure about my understanding, I could work through some more problems. Or, if I think I’ve got it, I can end the study session.

For best results when using Study and Learn, be specific about your level of expertise. If you want help understanding how osmosis works, for example, you will get a much different response from ChatGPT if you say you are a second-year nursing student than if you describe yourself as a high school biology student.

AI expert Ethan Mollick is known for saying “today’s AI is the worst you will ever use.” With new tools like ChatGPT’s Study and Learn coming on board, it’s easy to see how this could be true.