The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is turning the educational community upside down, divided between those who see it as an enormous threat that degrades learning processes and those who think that we are facing a very powerful ally that we must integrate into methodologies such as part of the constant updating process. A debate that is very reminiscent of the use of mobile phones in classrooms and that still does not generate consensus.
At IGNITE we are also thinking about this topic, so we have decided to ask directly the main source of information. This has been the result.
Should the use of ChatGPT be prohibited in class?
It is understandable that teachers are concerned about using a language resource like ChatGPT in class. However, it is important to remember that ChatGPT is a tool that can assist in the understanding and generation of language and can be used to support educational activities such as writing tasks or language translation exercises.
Like any technology, it is important to use it responsibly and within the context of a well-designed learning plan. It is also important to be aware of the limitations of technology and not rely on it as a substitute for teaching with humans. Additionally, teachers should be aware of the potential privacy issues and ethical implications of using AI technologies in class, and take appropriate steps to protect student data.
The main complaint is that students use it to plagiarize in their work
Preventing plagiarism is challenging, but there are several strategies teachers can use to reduce the likelihood of it happening. A very effective strategy is to educate students about the problem of plagiarism and why it is unacceptable. This can include clear guidelines on what is and is not plagiarism, as well as the consequences of being caught falsifying work.
Another strategy may be to use plagiarism detection software that can identify these cases by comparing the student's work with an extensive database fed by many sources. These tools, however, are not perfect and do not detect all types of plagiarism.
Another way to approach this problem is to use a wide variety of homework types, such as open-ended questions, group projects, debates, oral presentations, etc. This allows teachers to assess students' comprehension and critical thinking skills, not just their ability to copy and paste. Additionally, faculty can encourage students to get involved in the citation and reference process. This involves giving credit to the sources that students have used in their work and helping them understand the importance of having done so.
Finally, addressing the problem of plagiarism requires a combination of education, technology, and commitment to create an environment where students understand the importance of original works.
Teaching is not only about transmitting knowledge. It is also educating in what it means to be human. Something very difficult for a machine, I suppose...
ChatGPT is a machine learning model trained on a large database and has no emotions or feelings. However, although ChatGPT does not have emotional capacity, it is still a valuable tool for teachers to use in class.
Technology not only provides information, it also creates a positive environment that supports learning and encourages the development of critical thinking skills. A human teacher's ability to empathize and connect with their students to provide emotional support and create a motivating learning experience is essential for any class to be successful.
Although ChatGPT can assist in these learning processes, it should not be used as a substitute for a human teacher.
It is important that teachers use ChatGPT, or any technology, as a tool to rely on in their educational work, but not as a replacement for the human factor in class.
How would you see the use of artificial intelligence in a STEAM extracurricular activity like those carried out by IGNITE?
Precisely these types of activities require a personalized educational approach in which STEAM skills are worked on and, in the case of IGNITE, it is carried out in English. Children work in small groups with expert STEAM teachers, allowing them to progress at their own pace and receive individualized attention.
These educators are specialized in robotics and programming and are able to help children develop their critical skills in a fun and motivating way. This learning environment can be complemented with the use of ChatGPT to provide contexts or even to check if a working hypothesis has a high probability of being true before experiencing it in class with a robot or a program.
In short, ChatGPT can be a useful resource for STEAM learning that, due to its characteristics, would help speed up the understanding of certain concepts and contrast the degree of knowledge acquired in experimental activities.
Thank you for your time, have a nice day
Also you have a good day. I will be happy to answer your questions whenever you come back.
As a final note, we would like to clarify that all the text in italics comprises the answers generated by an artificial intelligence-based linguistic model (ChatGPT) to these questions. Only one of these questions has been answered by a human. Can you guess which one?
