AI: A Useful Tool or a Threat to Education?
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Bronwyn Rhoades
ChatGPT, an incredibly lifelike AI language model created by OpenAI, was released about two months ago, on November 30, 2022. In this short period of time, the technology has exploded in popularity among students, teachers, scholars, and more. AI can be used as a tool to dramatically change the way humans interact with technology. However, with its rise in popularity, an important question also emerges: Will AI threaten education and critical thinking?
Examine an English class, for example. Those who have taken any communication arts class may remember having to analyze any number of literary works in their opinion. One concern of this AI technology is that students will no longer form their own opinions about such matters. For example, when asked to analyze the ending of a book that is read nationwide throughout one’s schooling (Lord of the Flies), the AI responded accurately and with context.
The issue with this analysis is that the student who utilizes this AI will come to a conclusion without any true effort or thought. Literary analysis is an important skill both in education and when transferred into the real world. Students, with the use of this technology, can avoid learning how to critically think about the information that is presented to them. When students reach higher-level learning, this skill is essential. When one analyzes literature based on their own opinions and life experiences, they develop critical thinking skills that are impossible to develop if technology does the work for them.
Mrs. Gorski, Hamilton High School’s Library and Media Specialist, illuminates this effect saying, “While ChatGPT may be a tool to use to generate ideas, students can't rely on using ChatGPT all the time or they won't develop their writing, analysis, and critical thinking skills. If you rely on ChatGPT for writing and your future boss asks you to write a strategic report, will you be able to?”
If nothing else, critical analysis is introspection. When a student analyzes and compares to others, they better understand their own mental process and personal beliefs. When AI technology produces a response to a prompt such as this, it deprives the student of the opportunity to examine a piece of text using their education and personal experiences thus far. It also removes the nuances in the actual analysis of students. If ten children all use this technology which comes to conclusions based on the data which has been fed into its system, they will all receive the same (or similar) responses. If used consistently, this results in the homogeneity of responses and analysis, removing all personal input. An important asset of human reasoning and society is differences of opinion. It conveys the perspective necessary to make decisions that account for all aspects of a situation. On a smaller level, it can make classroom discussions difficult, as there is no contrast in opinion on the material that may be discussed.
A more surface-level evaluation of this AI technology has caused fear in teachers of their students’ test scores. If a student uses this technology to help them write a paper, answer questions, and do their homework, the student will likely learn much less than if they completed the assignments using their own knowledge. Furthermore, it can be used for almost every class because ChatGPT can answer prompts ranging from help on computer coding to trigonometric proofs to historical analysis
Because the technology is currently free, there is nothing stopping a student from depriving themselves of practice for tests.When a student who consistently uses this technology to help them in class has to take an exam on the subject when they are prohibited from using technology, they may have a hard time earning a good grade. This is especially true in the case of AP students, who must earn a passing grade on a national exam to earn college credit. Furthermore, it deprives students of long-term studying skills as well as the development of integrity in their work.
A student can also inform the AI of their writing style, as well as dictating length and style of the response. This may include commands such as, “Make this response longer,” “write in a casual style,” or “include more evidence.”
With this being said, AI will not earn you a perfect “A” on an essay. It lacks the input to effectively write in the way most teachers will require. However, it may still provide ideas and evidence for a student to base a paper on. More so, it often blunders in its responses, providing incorrect analysis and answers to prompts. When asked to find quotes from a well-known short story about setting, the chatbot responded with some accurate quotes, and some that cannot be found in the story.
There is concern over how this AI will affect the college essay, with its human-like ability to answer essay prompts. The computer, when prompted, has the ability to fabricate a life story to fit a prompt. It can also answer the most obscure of prompts, such as those from the University of Chicago, which is known for asking students unique or confusing questions. Multiple differing responses can be produced and modified from prompts such as, “Share a palindrome in any language, and give it a backstory” and “If you could give any historical figure any piece of technology, who and what would it be, and why do you think they’d work so well together?” With this technology easily accessible, it is likely that students will turn to AI rather than their own experiences to aid in writing college essays or creative writing in general.
To the relief of many teachers, detection software is already being developed to prevent AI responses to assignments. A twenty-two year old college student named Edward Tian built an app, GPTZero, that detects patterns of AI writing and reports plagiarism. One can take a piece of text, run it through GPTZero, and receive an evaluation of the likelihood of the writing being AI generated. Professors from universities such as Harvard, Yale, and the University of Rhode Island have already signed up to use this program. ChatGPT is also developing its own software to detect AI writing, though some have questioned its accuracy.
Though the concern exists that students will submit ChatGPT work, many teachers and educators have the ability to distinguish most AI writing from student writing. Mr. Holloway, a HHS communication arts teacher, states, “Students generally write in the same voice that they talk. So when I grade a paper, I can hear the student reading it to me. Currently, ChatGPT will likely be more detectable in language classes, but that could even be complicated if students use ChatGPT to supplement their own work/voice rather than replace it.”
Another HHS communication arts teacher, Mrs. Kowalske claims, “Early in class, I'd argue that it would be difficult to tell the difference. Once I learn about my students’ abilities and style, it should be easier to identify.” Others argue that attention to detail can indicate how an assignment is written. A recent New York Times article can test your AI detection skills by providing passages written by either a fourth grader or AI, though the article does show that AI is capable of abstract detail and it is genuinely difficult to distinguish AI from human writing.
According to the New York Times, many university professors from around the country are beginning to phase out the take-home assignment altogether, choosing instead to monitor their students in class while the assignments are completed. The same article also reports that some universities, such as the University of Vermont in Burlington and Washington University in St. Louis, have decided to change their policies to include AI in their definition of plagiarism.
Although AI technology has the potential to harm student education, it is also being used as a tool in many environments. Because of its humanlike analysis and reasoning, it is being used in customer service to help businesses answer customer questions in an efficient manner. Another use of this AI tool is for quick and accurate language translation. Some even credit the AI for sparking creativity in students with its witty responses. Some teachers have even started integrating artificial intelligence into their lessons, using the technology as a tool that cannot be avoided. When asked about the utilization of AI in the classroom, HHS teacher Mrs. Hinytz reports, “Balance... life is about balance. Teaching responsible technology is critical and I think there could be a place in the classroom for this type of technology.”
Technology accessed by students has been evolving for many years, and ChatGPT is a sign that it will likely continue to evolve for many more. However, students must take caution to use this technology wisely. AI technology is a tool that can be used for incredible development, but people must also exercise control and restraint to avoid abusing its abilities. Students may benefit from a reminder that they learn certain skills in school for a reason, and the willing avoidance of practicing these skills may carry negative consequences into the future. However, only time will tell how AI may revolutionize student learning and development.
Sources
A college student aims to save us from a chatbot before it changes writing forever : NPR
Alarmed by A.I. Chatbots, Universities Start Revamping How They Teach - The New York Times
Did a Fourth Grader Write This? Or the New Chatbot? - The New York Times
ChatGPT: Optimizing Language Models for Dialogue
ChatGPT Is Coming for Classrooms. Don't Panic | WIRED
