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In the cold, dark days of January 2022, I heard the news. ChatGPT, a new artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, was breaking through the market and ready to revolutionize the world. As with any innovation, tension heightened, and opinions blasted through the ethernet.
Some were fully on board with AI while others grappled with the brave new world AI would open. Would we humans become obsolete? What good would a teacher be when you have a super-intelligent bot ready to spit out any answer with citations in APA format?
Amongst my family, we all had very different views of AI and couldn’t find common ground. My husband, always open and willing to adopt new technology that will make life easier, was and still is a staunch supporter of AI. He frequently uses ChatGPT to get answers to some of our common questions. The Fortune 500 company he works for has even integrated AI within its network and is encouraging its team to utilize this tool.
Shortly after ChaptGPT hit the scene, my previous district started an AI Think Tank Group. I eagerly joined the team, wanting to learn about this new resource and how we might incorporate it into education. When this group started, I was on the fence with AI. As a former English teacher who encountered plagiarism in student writing, I feared that plagiarism would skyrocket with the advent of this tool.
To say I was not a fan of ChatGPT in the beginning is an understatement. My initial concerns involved encouraging lazy thinking and government control. Only through my willingness to explore something new and utilize it within my personal and professional lives did I realize AI's utility.
A few months ago, my family and I had a conversation with ChatGPT. My 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter asked him (yes, I gave it a pronoun) questions ranging from, "What color are Godzilla's eyes?" to "Does the government control you?" My kids giggled over ChatGPT's sonorous voice and eagerly engaged in conversation. They were excited to learn and discover the answers to their questions. ChatGPT didn’t prevent learning, he encouraged it.
To suppress the power and utility of ChatGPT and AI resources is myopic and a battle you just will not win. School districts can either continue to block ChatGPT and commensurate resources, or they can seek to educate and empower students and educators on how to effectively utilize a resource that has the power to change the world and how we learn.
In this post, I’ll review some of the debate over AI, as not everyone is on board. Then, I’ll provide 5 ways educators can use AI to increase efficiency and deepen student learning.
AI is the New Internet, the New TV, and the New Radio
I’m a millennial and can not remember a time when the internet (even the wonderful dial-up AOL that sounded like a mix of an electric explosion with a dash of nails on the chalkboard) and, consequently, the world were at my fingertips. Generations after the millennials can not remember it either.
What I do recall when the internet started to become all the rage was adults' hesitancy to use this tool. They would say the information on the internet wasn't valid or if they wanted to learn something they would read it in a book or speak to an expert.
As a young girl, my mom would recount when her family got their first TV. It was quite a big deal - a box in your living room illuminating the outside world, exposing people to things they had never seen before. And how many times have we heard that TV will destroy your brain? There will always be anachronistic individuals who despise innovation because it disrupts the status quo and challenges us to question what we have been doing.
AI is the amalgamation of all the books and experts in the world. Rather than limiting yourself to one resource, why wouldn’t you read something that collects and curates various views?
Some pundits purport that we should question who controls and filters AI resources -- and we should. We must hold executives accountable and question the algorithms driving AI. All AI algorithms must be white or glass box which allows for transparency and not the black box version currently in existence. We should be doing the same with everything else we are exposed to. Google, social media outlets like Facebook and X, and (shocker) every single news outlet ever in existence are plagued with bias and filters. Biases exist in everything.
Rather than limiting resources and ways to connect, we must teach our students how to navigate and discern bias so that they are empowered to navigate the many resources that are currently at their fingertips and will be at their fingertips in years to come.
ChatGPT has the power to revolutionize education and I hope you choose to adopt this resource to better serve your students.
5 Ways Educators Can Maximize Efficiency with AI
By integrating ChatGPT and similar AI resources into the classroom, teachers can automate repetitive tasks, provide personalized support, and foster a more engaging learning environment. Let's explore how AI can be a game-changer:
1. Automate Routine Tasks
One of the significant benefits of ChatGPT is its ability to handle routine administrative tasks, freeing up time for educators to focus on more meaningful interactions with students. If we can cut down some of the time we spend on things like grading, lesson planning, or completing various forms, then we can focus our energies on that human element I mentioned earlier.
ChatGPT can assist in grading by providing quick and consistent feedback on assignments, helping teachers manage their workload more effectively (Brown & Smith, 2023). Now, I would be wary of this as you want to ensure the feedback is personalized -- you are you and ChatGPT is ChatGPT. Don't forget this. Whenever I use ChatGPT, I ensure I read through what it has created and include my authorial voice.
Along with assisting with grading, ChatGPT can generate lesson plans, worksheets, and other teaching materials tailored to specific topics and student needs, streamlining the preparation process (Johnson, 2023). No more Teacherspayteachers.com! One of the best things about ChatGPT is that you have intellectual rights over whatever is created. So the worksheets and lessons are all yours.
2. Provide Personalized Support
When you have a class of 25 unique individuals, it's challenging to ensure you personalize materials for all learners. ChatGPT can take away some of that challenge and offer personalized support to students, ensuring they receive the help they need when they need it.
While teachers may be wary of students' use of ChatGPT, it can provide valuable feedback to students who need homework help (Doe, 2022). Taking this further, ChatGPT can adapt its responses based on individual student queries, providing explanations and resources that cater to different learning styles and paces (Smith, 2023).
One of the challenges with homework is the equity question. Is it just to assign homework to students who may not have the resources at home to help them learn or review material? ChatGPT can be the resource we've been asking for and increase equity, access, and inclusion so that all students can learn.
3. Enhance Student Engagement
Educators know that student engagement is essential to the learning process. Guess what? ChatGPT can help with that by making learning more interactive and enjoyable for all types of students.
Teachers can use ChatGPT to create interactive lessons and activities that stimulate student interest and participation (Jones, 2023). It can also facilitate virtual discussions, encouraging students to explore topics in-depth and develop critical thinking skills (Brown & Smith, 2023).
Just this afternoon on our way back from the pool, my husband decided to ask ChatGPT about whether or not I need to use a cold or warm compress for a recent dental procedure. After providing the answer (warm compress after the first few days), ChatGPT proceeded to ask how else my recovery was going and if I was eating and drinking ok. It purposefully extended the conversation. This type of interaction can assist all types of students, particularly those students who may not have access or resources.
Imagine a student who comes from poverty and whose parents work in the evenings. Does that child have access to someone who can have academic conversations with them? Does that child have someone who can ask them questions to get them thinking? ChatGPT can fill this void.
4. Support Data-Driven Decisions
Analyzing data can be extremely overwhelming and just another thing on the very long list for educators to complete. ChatGPT can analyze and provide insights from vast amounts of educational data, helping any educator make informed decisions (Johnson, 2023). It can predict trends and outcomes, enabling teachers to implement proactive measures to address potential issues before they escalate (Smith, 2023).
However, I do not recommend entering private student data into ChatGPT.
5. Foster Effective Communication
Crafting thoughtful and meaningful communications takes time… a lot of time. For those of us who receive 50 + emails a day, some of which need more than a one or two-line response, we can get overwhelmed. ChatGPT can facilitate this process.
ChatGPT can draft emails and newsletters, ensuring clear and consistent communication with all stakeholders (Doe, 2022). However, whatever is crafted, I would encourage you to revise it to your liking and to add your voice. ChatGPT does a great job giving you the bones, but I personally always change things up.
Additionally, one of the challenging aspects of being a teacher is providing students with timely and constructive feedback. ChatGPT can help with this and craft feedback that promotes continuous improvement and learning (Jones, 2023).
ChatGPT is more than a search engine -- it is a bonafide open education resource that must be harnessed correctly.
*Note: ChatGPT assisted with parts of the above section.
One Last Thought
I recently read What Do You Do With A Chance” by Kobi Yamada, so it is percolating in my mind, specifically when we consider AI. The premise of the story is when you are given a chance, you should take it because it can pass you by and leave you where you originally were. AI is that chance for us. We can use this resource to not only make our lives easier but also more fulfilling.
ChatGPT will not replace teachers because it is artificial. Education is a very human field that needs individuality, understanding, love, and compassion. That will never come from a piece of AI.
So as you embark on your journey this upcoming school year, I encourage you to explore AI and dip your toe in uncharted seas. See what AI can give you as an educator and how it can make your life easier and enrich your students' learning experience.
I guarantee you will be able to focus more on the essential component of education – the relationships you forge with your students and how you build their confidence and belief in themselves.
References
Assistant. (2024). How educators can maximize efficiency with ChatGPT. In User's Blog Post on the Use of ChatGPT in K-12 Education. www.nicoleeducator.com.
Brown, J., & Smith, A. (2023). The impact of AI on education: A comprehensive review. Educational Technology Journal, 45(3), 245-260.
Doe, J. (2022). Using ChatGPT for student support: A practical guide. Journal of Educational Innovation, 29(2), 102-115.
Johnson, L. (2023). AI in the classroom: Strategies for educators. Teaching and Learning Today, 34(4), 198-210.
Jones, M. (2023). Enhancing student engagement with AI tools. Interactive Learning Environments, 41(1), 87-99.
Smith, R. (2023). Personalized learning with ChatGPT: Benefits and challenges. Journal of Personalized Education, 37(3), 178-192.
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