Generative AI technology has become a huge stressor in the classroom. I hadn’t heard much about AI technology until my high school years. When I was in elementary school, the worst academic fraud that you would hear of would probably be paying someone else to do your homework (don’t get any ideas now). I never had an issue with that sort of thing throughout my academic career due to the fear tactic (and a very big conscience).
We would hear horror stories about students who were caught committing academic fraud (detention, expulsion, mark on your academic record). So I never dared to pull a fast one– a goody-two-shoes through and through, haha.
When I saw that we were going to be discussing AI technology, I knew it was time to rip the band-aid off and dip my toes in the water. Everybody’s been talking about ChatGPT, so I took a look at it. ChatGPT is a virtual chatbox assistant that is focused on language.
I typed several different questions into the ChatGPT chatbox— recipes (my learning project may be done now, but I’m not, haha!), how-to articles, etc. I decided to up the stakes a little bit and see how thorough of an essay this AI tool could write. I asked it to write an essay explaining why Finding Nemo is the best movie on Earth. Random, yes– it’s for experimental purposes. So….
The theme I chose was a little goofy, but it goes to show that it could be very easy to fool (or think you could fool) educators into thinking AI generated “work” is original to the students’ knowledge.
In a constructive aspect, if used appropriately, ChatGPT could be used in the classroom by teachers to create quick quizzes or assignments. This tool could also support different learning styles by personalizing prompts to engage students.
Personally, I might continue to stay away from generative AI technology– just because I hadn’t felt the need to use it in the past. Kind of like that old phrase “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it”. I can see the appeal as to why others might like to use ChatGPT– but that’s just my own preference.
Hi Jelisa,
Your reflections on experimenting with ChatGPT are insightful and relevant to the ongoing conversation about AI technology in education. It’s clear that the introduction of generative AI like ChatGPT has brought both challenges and opportunities to the classroom.
Your experience highlights a common concern among educators about academic integrity. The potential for students to use AI tools to generate essays and other assignments raises questions about originality and fairness. Your anecdote about the fear of academic fraud during your school years resonates with me, and it’s understandable why this concern extends to AI-generated work.
You rightly point out that tools like ChatGPT can be beneficial when used appropriately. Teachers can leverage AI to create quick quizzes, generate assignments, or provide personalized prompts that cater to different learning styles. This can enhance the learning experience and provide valuable support in the classroom.
Thanks for sharing!