ChatGPT and other Generative AI tools have raised concerns among different stakeholders in higher education including academic staff and students.
Me: Could you write an engaging post for LinkedIn on
using ChatGPT in Higher Education?
ChatGPT: Sure, here's a sample LinkedIn post about
using ChatGPT in Higher Education:
"Have you ever wondered how Artificial Intelligence can
enhance the classroom experience for students? One powerful tool gaining
popularity in Higher Education is ChatGPT, a language model developed by
OpenAI.
ChatGPT has the ability to generate human-like text, making
it perfect for creating personalized learning materials, such as summaries,
flashcards, and quizzes. It can also assist with language translation, making
it a valuable tool for language learning.
But ChatGPT's potential goes beyond just creating materials.
It can also assist with grading and providing feedback on student work. This
can save educators time and allow them to focus on providing more
individualized support to students.
Additionally, ChatGPT can create virtual teaching
assistants, helping answer student questions and providing additional support
outside of class time.
The possibilities for ChatGPT in Higher Education are
endless, and I'm excited to see how it will continue to shape the future of
education. Have you used ChatGPT in your classrooms? I'd love to hear about
your experiences and thoughts on this cutting-edge technology!"
Me: That's a very positive take on it. Is there a
downside?
ChatGPT: As with any technology, there are potential
downsides to using ChatGPT in Higher Education. One potential issue is that
ChatGPT cannot fully understand the context and may generate inappropriate or
irrelevant responses. This could lead to confusion for students and require
additional time for educators to correct.
Another concern is that over-reliance on ChatGPT, or other
AI tools could decrease students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Additionally, there is concern that using ChatGPT in Higher
Education could lead to a loss of jobs for educators. However, it's important
to note that ChatGPT is meant to augment and assist educators, not replace
them.
It's important to keep these potential downsides in mind
when considering using ChatGPT in Higher Education and to use it to supplement
and enhance traditional teaching methods, rather than replace them.
Me: What about plagiarism?
ChatGPT: One potential downside of using ChatGPT in
Higher Education is that it could make it easier for students to plagiarize.
Since ChatGPT can generate human-like text, students could use it to create
papers and assignments that appear to be their original work but are actually
generated by the model.
To prevent plagiarism, it's important to have strict
policies in place and to use plagiarism detection software. Educators should
also educate students about the importance of academic integrity and the
consequences of plagiarism. Additionally, it's important to use ChatGPT to
encourage original thought and creativity, rather than solely relying on the
model to generate assignments and papers.
It's also worth noting that in the case of using pre-trained
models like GPT, the model has been trained on a vast corpus of text available
on the internet, so there is a chance that the generated text might match or be
similar to the text that is already present on the internet, which is another
way of plagiarism.
While using ChatGPT in Higher Education has many potential
benefits, it's important to be aware of the potential downsides and use it
responsibly to ensure academic integrity is maintained.
Me: It seems also that even the ability to, as you
call it, 'generate text' and the myriad aspects of learning associated with
that might also be at risk. You're like Grammarly on steroids. I like and use
Grammarly, but I can only use it well because of relevant prior learning. So,
perhaps ChatGPT presents the same challenge for educators. However, at the
moment, we have a situation where people engaging with ChatGPT have never lived
with it before, and that will change. It's hard to anticipate the learning
needs of a generation that has grown up with AI, like ChatGPT. I'm interested
to hear your thoughts on these issues.
ChatGPT: You raise some valid points. It's true that
using ChatGPT or other AI tools could lead to a decrease in certain skills and
abilities that are traditionally associated with learning, such as writing and
grammar. However, it's also worth considering that ChatGPT and other AI tools
can enhance and support learning, rather than replace traditional methods.
For example, ChatGPT can help students with grammar and
writing by providing feedback and suggestions for improvement. It can also
assist with language translation, which can be a valuable tool for language
learning.
As for the future generations who will have grown up with AI
like ChatGPT, it's hard to predict exactly how it will impact their learning
needs. However, it's important to note that AI should be viewed as a supplement
to traditional teaching methods rather than a replacement. It's also important
to note that it will be the responsibility of educators to adapt and update
their teaching methods to incorporate new technologies like ChatGPT.
It's also worth considering that using ChatGPT and other AI
tools in education could lead to the development of new and innovative teaching
methods, which could positively impact learning and education.
Overall, it's important to approach ChatGPT and other AI
tools in education with a balance of caution and optimism and to use them to
enhance and support traditional methods, rather than replace them.
Me: I rather like your last points. I think AI has
good potential to enhance critical thinking, student-centred and active
learning in new and innovative ways. Do you mind if I quote your sentence about
"a balance of caution and optimism"? How should I reference you in
journal articles?
ChatGPT: You're welcome. I am glad you found my last
points useful.
You can certainly quote my sentence about "a balance of
caution and optimism" in your journal articles.
As I am an AI model, there is no formal way to reference me
in a journal article. A general reference to the source of the text (in this
case, OpenAI's ChatGPT) would be sufficient.
It's also important to note that the knowledge and
information I provide are based on the data that I've been trained on, which is
a snapshot of the data until 2021, so please make sure to verify any
information you use with more recent and authoritative sources.
Me: Ok. Thanks for that.
ChatGPT: You're welcome. I'm glad I could help. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.