Why Seattle's Ban on ChatGPT May not Work
Seattle Public Schools banned the use of ChatGPT in December, as it is an Artificial Intelligence tool that can facilitate cheating. However, experts believe that banning such tools will not work as students can easily access them on their personal devices and email themselves the answers. Once platforms like Bing, Meta, and Google Bard integrate ChatGPT, it will be practically impossible to block the tool.
Jason Yip, a professor at the University of Washington, who is working on ChatGPT and misinformation curriculum for children, believes that banning the tool is like using a paper to block a flood; it is inevitable. Instead, educators should embrace the technology and create policies that support the ethical use of ChatGPT and other AI tools in education.
Effects of ChatGPT in Education
The AI tool has both positive and negative effects on education. It can help teachers generate questions for a quiz, identify the primary sources in a student essay, or rewrite assignments at varying reading levels. Students can also use it to help prepare for tests, research topics, and write emails to professors or potential employers. However, educators worry that chatbots will lead to widespread, instantaneous cheating, work avoidance, and plagiarism.
Institutions like Bellevue and Northshore schools have blocked ChatGPT for students under the age of 13, as the tool's terms state that people under 13 are not allowed to use it. Those between 13 and 18 can only use it if they receive their parents' consent. Bellevue is creating a task force to make recommendations about how to responsibly incorporate the AI tool into teaching and learning.
Empowering Students to Create their Own Work
Kira Hopkins, an English teacher at West Seattle High School, believes that teachers must empower students to want to create their work. When students avoid doing the work when they are overwhelmed or about to miss a deadline, they cheat or plagiarize. To prevent this, teachers need to do a lot of discussions about literature and emphasizing the fact that their ideas matter. This way, students will feel more confident and competent in their writing skills.
When it comes to trust, students should be skeptical about what they get with ChatGPT as the sources it gives might be fabricated. The tool can use any data that you put into it, which means you should not provide private information. The University of Washington has seen a couple of dozen reports of suspected misconduct involving AI since January, so educators need to work on policies that prevent the unethical use of AI tools in education.
