The emergence of AI…. A topic I know very little about and seem to spin around in circles trying to find where I stand on the topic and how it could benefit me as an educator. I think we can all agree that AI is not going anywhere, so I suppose its time to buckle up and learn about it.
“AI will not be stopped. ” – Mo Gawdat
Reflecting on the readings this week:
After taking time to read more about what exactly AI is, I have a slightly better understanding that it has been around us for more than we probably were aware. Examples such as having amazon predict items you may like, or using google. Personally I had not thought deeper in thinking with was AI.
I was aware there were different types of AI and the different pathways and processes those AI use. Thank you Dean, as well as the video Generative AI in a nutshell for presenting AI in a way that was a bit more understandable. That being said, I want to spend more time looking into AI and understanding the risks and benefits.
Giving ChatGPT a try:
During our zoom, I rated myself as a 0 when it came to using AI, which in hindsight was a bit lower… I’m probably more of a 1 or 2 (still not that impressive, I know). Previously I tried using ChatGPT in a small amount to help create report card comments. I had followed a teacher turned entrepreneur who posted this video that gave some information about using Chat GPT
At the time, I thought it was amazing (it still can be helpful) but we were also quickly shut down by admin/division office about using Chat GPT for report cards. To be honest, I never pushed back and truly questioned them as to why, but chalked it up to “oh well, glad I didn’t spend too much time using it!”
Fast forward a year or so later and I really hadn’t given Chat GPT or AI another shot…. until now. This weekend I was creating my morning slides for my class, where we have a different attendance question each day. I usually try to make my slides a month at a time, so thinking of questions can be a bit tricky. Here’s how I used chat gpt to help:
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- Attempt #1 – Little direction
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- Attempt #2 – More precise direction
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- Attempt #2 continued
(Sorry if the image is really blurry – I’m not sure what is going on)
From this experience, I can see that Chat GPT could be quite helpful with certain aspects of teaching, such as helping to create new ideas, maybe help with lesson plans (although I’m not sure how well they would connect to the curriculum outcomes? Might be worth a try!), helping to phrase things, etc.
On the flip side….
Image from The Future of Human Being
Deep down, I still have many questions and concerns about the impact of AI on society, especially with its insane speed of development. Of course I have many concerns around privacy and how exactly it is being used. I do feel like people are quick to think AI is “taking over the world” without maybe knowing all the risks involved or without learning how to use AI is a less risky way?
Looking at all the fake news and deep fake videos out there is also quite concerning. As we discussed in our zoom, those deep fake videos could create quite a disruption to society should they be used in a malicious way, spreading misinformation, impersonating others, etc. With so many limitations, as described in The Top 10 limitations of Chat GPT I feel that we still have a ways to go with finding just the right balance between productive use and harmful use.
I also fear that with AI developing SO quickly, could it eventually start taking away jobs or roles we as humans have? I had a student last year tell me “Ms. Guest, why do we have teachers when we can just learn everything from tik tok?” I mean, he wasn’t completely wrong…. Maybe he was wrong in assuming tik tok is the best place to gather information… BUT, with AI continuing to be more intelligent and a more readily accessible form of information…. Is it a threat to society in that way?
The takeaway:
I think AI has its place in the world and is here to stay. I think as educators it could be quite helpful when looking at our overall work load and creating new ideas. I absolutely have my doubts and fears about what is to come from using AI and how it will be used in general. I keep thinking to myself “I teach primary grades, I don’t have to worry about this as a teacher” in regards to students using AI, however I need to shift my thinking and also think “how can I help prepare them for the world of AI as they grow older?”
Thanks for reading!
Kathleen
Kathleen, thank you so much for your thoughts! I posed something similar at the end of my blog post this week: how do we prepare our students for an increasingly AI focused world? A part of me strongly believes the curriculum needs to be re-written to effectively represent the technological advances and digital citizenship evolution that continues to change every day. Another part of me believes that teachers must prepare students to be competent and critical thinkers which means informing students of AI and teaching them about its capabilities. I also feel like there needs to be discussion with students (of any grade) about technology balance. It’s important for kids to know when to turn it off, unplug, and be present in the real world. With our reliance on AI and tech, I’m worried that we will lose sight completely of what it means to be a human being in society.
I agree with you that it is here to stay and we need to find ways to use it in a positive way. The YouTube video talked at length about using AI ethically to teach our younger generation how to use it, and to influence AI to pick up on ethical ideas and ways. There are so many ways we could be using it to assist with teaching, while still keeping the human connections as a higher priority. One way that I came across using AI in a positive way that I hadn’t considered before, was to help our EAL students. Currently we are really good at using google translate to communicate and to adapt assignments for our students, but that is only a tip of the iceberg!
Hi Kathleen,
first, I enjoyed the gifs and memes that added humor and comedic relief to a complex topic. Similar to you, I am familiar with AI, but learning more in-depth this week about what exactly generative AI is, and how it relates to this conversation started to make me think more.
I think that the general concern of robots replacing humans is so prevalent in society through fear-mongering without a true knowledge of how this process would occur… feels like the movie “i Robot” continued to perpetuate this fear in people that has long been there.
Your last point touches on a great paradox of teaching where we try to prepare students for an ever-changing future.
I wonder how we as educators try to stay up to date with trends, new perspectives, and designs, while still holding to universal values and skills that will benefit any student in the future.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Great post! I share your concern about future generations relying too heavily on AI without engaging their critical thinking skills and inherent wisdom. To find the right balance, it’s essential that students use AI as a supplementary learning tool rather than becoming fully dependent on it. The education system needs to be adequately staffed to ensure that students recognize human educators as their primary source of support. Additionally, integrating prompt engineering into the curriculum can help students learn to use technology responsibly while fostering their critical thinking and innovative ideas. By doing so, we can empower them to harness AI effectively without losing sight of their own capabilities.
I think you’re like most of us in that we’re wrestling with this on a daily basis. I think it’s important to keep tinkering with it and discovering when it’s useful, when it isn’t and when it might be useful but also harmful.
The answers to these questions might be different for everyone but I hope you can stay connected with others who are equally willing to wrestle like you are.