Information about ChatGPT for Educators
Considering the increased attention being given to generative AI, many educators have expressed concerns about how programs like ChatGPT will influence academic integrity.
Following the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, many school districts across the country immediately blocked access to the website and prohibited its use.
However, survey results suggest that educators’ attitudes towards ChatGPT are generally more positive than negative, and some of the schools that initially banned ChatGPT have since reversed those decisions. Here are some reasons why:
Blocking ChatGPT and preventing its use entirely would be difficult
Although there are many programs that claim to be able to detect the use of ChatGPT in writing with high levels of effectiveness, these programs are not guaranteed, and instances of false positives have been documented. Additionally, some research has suggested that AI detectors are biased against non-native English writers, further calling into question reliance on AI detectors to detect plagiarism.
Teaching students about ChatGPT helps them become information literate citizens
Incorporating ChatGPT into lessons can help develop students’ information literacy skills by teaching them how to use information responsibly. Educators can teach students acceptable ways to use Chat GPT, rather than forbidding its use. It can serve as a starting point for discussions about academic integrity and what constitutes plagiarism and cheating, a nebulous subject for students even prior to the advent of generative AI.
In addition to its use in student learning, ChatGPT can also be used to help educators with their work
ChatGPT can help educators with their workload, providing assistance in writing syllabi, developing lesson plans, producing writing samples, generating assessment questions, creating flashcards, differentiating assignments, producing classroom posters, drafting emails, and more.
Practical Tips for Navigating ChatGPT in the Classroom
- Clearly define what you consider to be cheating in your classroom.
- Also define the consequences of plagiarism, both in your classroom and beyond.
- Provide assignments that require students to express their original thoughts and opinions, which are harder to find in the work of others.
- Model ChatGPT and demonstrate how it can be used in ways that are acceptable.
- Teach students about the limitations of ChatGPT.
- Stress the importance of privacy and not contributing personal information to ChatGPT.
For more tips on using ChatGPT in the classroom, check out these resources:
How to use ChatGPT as a learning tool (apa.org)
Leveraging ChatGPT: Practical Ideas for Educators (ascd.org)