ChatGPT Pro Deep Research: Worth It? | Tinker Lab with Dr. Norma Jones

Welcome to Tinker Lab, a dynamic new segment of Innovating Higher Ed. In this episode, host Dr. Norma Jones tests OpenAI’s powerful ChatGPT Pro and its premium Deep Research feature. Norma shares her firsthand experience using AI to draft and enhance chapters for an Open Educational Resources (OER) textbook on Public Speaking. Discover how ChatGPT Pro helped identify gaps, suggested valuable updates, and surfaced innovative best practices—especially in accessibility and presentation effectiveness. Step into the lab as we experiment, challenge assumptions, and ignite fresh ideas to elevate teaching and learning in higher education.

Take-aways
• When Deep Research shines: cross-disciplinary literature scans in minutes
• Hidden gems: accessibility standards and medical-presentation insights to enrich course content
• Red flags: phantom URLs and a quick Google Scholar back-check to fix them
• Budget math: why lower-cost plans still cover most day-to-day course prep needs