By Dhruv Maheshwari
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) language model that can understand and generate human-like language from being trained on massive amounts of text data. Its ability to comprehend the context, syntax and semantics of language makes it a valuable resource for providing information and even personalized learning experiences. For instance, ChatGPT can analyze a student's strengths and weaknesses and recommend specific learning resources tailored to their individual needs. This feature can help students stay engaged with their studies and achieve better academic outcomes.
“As AI sophisticates, it will be increasingly difficult to distinguish between man vs. machine...”
However, there are concerns that the overreliance on AI could lead to issues with accurately assessing students’ knowledge and abilities, which could put them at a disadvantage in the future. While ChatGPT has the potential to create positive impacts on education, many argue that it is essential to balance its use with other forms of learning and assessment.
“I think that you can use it for a general good, as it can offer a better understanding,” junior Ayush Patel said. “On the other hand, people are too dependent on AI for their assignments, and teachers or administrators don’t know if the student is at the level their work shows them to be, overall putting the student at a worse spot for the future.”
Source by Helee Shukla
Mr. Scott Colvin instructs freshmen during the school day, preparing his students to dig deeper.
English teacher Mr. Scott Colvin shared valuable insight on this topic:
Q: What are your opinions on ChatGPT overall?
Mr. Colvin: It’s the newest vehicle in technology, with a high potential for both net-positive, productive uses and net-negative uses, keeping us in a state of paranoia.
Q: What’s your take on the use of ChatGPT in assignments?
SC: Like all technology, it can be used for both good or evil. Back when iPads were first introduced, we didn’t know how to handle them productively, as students kept airdropping answers to each other, and we couldn’t stop it. My quote back then was something along the lines of, 'your iPad is a tool, not a toy.' There was quite a learning curve for both teachers and students to learn how to use them in the most productive manner.
Q: How do you plan on combating this AI technology?
SC: Specifically for English, teachers have to now copy and paste the student responses into a new AI-checker called Writer. The work educators are required to do now has increased, and we have to take extra steps in order to verify the student’s work is actually their own. Since this is such new technology, the bot-checkers are not as sophisticated, and therefore plagiarism has the potential to be undetected. The solution would be to provide teachers with technology that filters student responses automatically as well, constantly checking for AI-interference.
Q: Aside from the impact on education, how will this impact English overall?
SC: As AI sophisticates, it will be increasingly difficult to distinguish between man vs. machine.
Thomas Galvin, the head of the social studies department, provided a cross-reference between modern-day and history in the context of ChatGPT. Luddites were people who destroyed textile machinery in fear of them losing their jobs because of this automated process in creating textiles.
“Some modern-day Luddites argue that ChatGPT and other AI technologies pose a threat to human creativity and autonomy. They may believe that using ChatGPT to generate written assignments undermines the importance of human thought and expression, and that it ultimately hinders the development of critical thinking and communication skills,” Mr. Galvin said.