ChatGPT, Education, and Ethics
There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the emergence of new technologies such as ChatGPT. It is a technological tool that provides automated responses to a variety of questions in the English language. However, amid the discourse that surrounds this technology, significant issues affecting the technological world have been overlooked. For instance, the digital divide and unreliable internet connectivity affect many parts of India and other regions globally.
Despite these challenges, some educators have embraced ChatGPT's seemingly instant productivity, overlooking concerns regarding its accuracy and credibility. In reality, ChatGPT often gives general responses to specific questions, which raises significant ethical concerns regarding the future of written assessments. As a teacher of literature, writing, and academic writing at the university level, I believe that ethical and pedagogical challenges exist regarding ChatGPT.
Liberal arts and humanities educators must respond to ChatGPT on ethical grounds. Some Western institutions have appropriately curtailed its use in coursework to ensure that educators are judicious in their use of technology in the classroom. This approach enables deeper textual engagement, in turn raising the bar for critical thinking and reading among students who are encouraged to compare texts rigorously. While I am not an anti-technologist, I believe that ChatGPT could be better utilized in other subjects.
The use of technology in the humanities raises concerns about the ethical considerations surrounding such use and who has access to the technology. Ethics are pivotal to education, and students should be encouraged to ask rigorous and insightful questions of texts and social phenomena. Easy solutions, such as ChatGPT's fast-food-style answers to quick questions, are not conducive to this type of learning.
The current emphasis on "skills" and "outcomes" in education has neglected the significance of an educated pause. The focus on presentable "artifacts" and tangible "products" across all subjects risks sacrificing the means of getting to them. Instead, ethics should be front and center in educational thinking. Foundational courses like Great Books courses, which focus on textual and philosophical engagement, have traditionally set the tone for students' future education.
In conclusion, ChatGPT presents both opportunities and challenges for education. Educators must prioritize ethics and critical thinking in their responses to new technologies. This approach demands that we prioritize deeper textual engagement and raise the bar for critical thinking and ethical learning.
