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| ChatGPT is here to stay, so let’s make it work in our favor, not against us. |
Schools across the globe have been facing a quandary when it comes to incorporating ChatGPT into their educational practices. This AI technology burst onto the world scene recently, sparking debates about its role in education. Initially, many schools imposed bans on its use, but a paradigm shift is occurring as educators increasingly recognize the significance of comprehending ChatGPT and other AI tools as essential components of modern education.
The year 2023 witnessed a rapid transformation. Major school districts in the United States, including New York City, Los Angeles, and Baltimore, initially banned ChatGPT due to concerns about its unclear application strategy, potential negative impacts on students, content safety and accuracy, and its susceptibility to academic dishonesty.
New Zealand echoed these concerns as its Ministry of Education raised alarms about AI's potential to reproduce inequalities and facilitate plagiarism. However, education institutions are now reevaluating their stance on AI in education and actively working on frameworks to make its integration a reality.
For example, in Australia, ChatGPT is now officially welcomed in all schools, with education ministers endorsing a national framework to support its incorporation into teaching practices. New Zealand is also following suit, developing policies and guidelines to ensure the education system adapts to AI advancements.
From a teacher and researcher's perspective, fostering students' understanding of ChatGPT is essential. Teaching pupils about AI, its operations, and how AI systems shape the world is a crucial step in the right direction. ChatGPT can serve as an "object-to-think-with," a cultural element in students' social environment, enabling the examination of social issues.
Incorporating ChatGPT in this manner allows educators to illustrate that AI is a valuable tool when used appropriately, but it is not neutral. Students need to develop critical thinking skills to use it ethically and discern the variety of perspectives it presents, all while being vigilant against AI biases.
For example, ChatGPT can be employed to summarize issues related to youth in a region, and students can search for evidence to validate or refute its claims. This approach can begin at the primary school level, where ChatGPT can be used to explore the history of cities and landmarks, prompting students to identify whose voices have been included or omitted.
ChatGPT can play a pivotal role in cultivating critical literacy. It highlights that algorithmic decision-making is not always objective and that AI's data collection can be biased. It's vital for students to understand that AI decisions may reflect patterns of injustice rooted in the data AI is trained on.
While ChatGPT excels at processing vast amounts of data, human understanding remains crucial to evaluate the value of its output. Educators can encourage students to consider diverse perspectives and agendas embedded in or omitted from AI data.
This isn't just about understanding generative AI; it's about comprehending AI's pervasive role in our communication networks, shopping, entertainment, and information gathering.
Ultimately, education should be firmly rooted in students' real-life experiences. ChatGPT can be a tool to explore different perspectives and experiences before drawing conclusions. As the Ministry of Education works on guidelines and policies, ChatGPT can already be embraced critically in schools.
Teachers must receive the necessary support, space, and flexibility to integrate AI into their teaching methods. While AI's role in education evolves, policies and guidelines should focus on how to use ChatGPT effectively, acknowledging that AI is not a passing fad but a tool that can work for, rather than against, educators and learners.
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