By Yaneira Rodriguez
ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence applications are going to be a big topic in education for the next few years.
ChatGPT is a chatbot language tool model trained by open AI. It is capable of generating text and can answer a wide range of questions, as well as generate creative writing and text summary. ChatGPT uses sources like books, websites and articles, which allows it to have diverse knowledge on many subjects.
Schools across the country have begun to determine how they will confront this matter. Professors and teachers are already trying to figure out how this will affect the way they assess their students’ work, and how they should change their teaching in response to this available technology.
Some districts have banned it due to cheating concerns. The Los Angeles Unified School District was one of the first districts to block the site. Schools are concerned that students will use the AI to write papers and answer exam questions. Technology is still advancing;if students continuously rely on AI, critical thinking skills may be at risk.
Professor Julienne Bernard, a professor of Anthropology at ELAC, said that, “Although I hope that my assignments require critical thinking that would surpass what ChatGPT is capable of at the moment, I want to make sure that I’m able to see what my students actually know based on their written responses.
“Being able to put your own, complex thoughts into writing is probably the most important skill students will develop through their college education. This requires practice that ChatGPT will rob them of.”
However, some experts believe schools should use it as a learning tool to help students, that is a useful tool to gather research information. A student can ask ChatGPT a question; instead of the student spending hours gathering information, the AI can do it for them. Technology is a useful tool when used properly and ethically; with an increasingly technological world, students need to be prepared to use AI in the working world.
ChatGPT was asked its opinion on students using ChatGPT and this is what it generated, “While the technology has been primarily designed for other purposes, it has started to find its way into the classroom, where students are using it to enhance their learning experience. One of the ways that ChatGPT is being used in the classroom is as a study tool.
“The model has been trained on vast amounts of information, making it a valuable resource for students who are looking to expand their knowledge.”
It’s believed AI isn’t all bad when it is being used as a tool responsibly. There have been many times where multiple tabs and books are open while trying to gather information. If an AI can help organize research, why not be inclined to use it ?
It is important to note that ChatGPT is flawed and it would be a mistake to rely on it for anything important.
It isn’t accurate and since it gathers information from open resources, it can be biased, toxic, and can spread misinformation.
The AI never generates the same answer twice. With information constantly changing and being updated, the AI can also give wrong answers.
In the end it is up to the students, teachers, and schools to develop healthy relationships with technology.
Ethics are important because the student is the one who loses in the end. We cannot ban technology in the classroom, but we can learn along with it.