A Better Mousetrap?…
A better mousetrap may look good on paper…
In November 2022, ChatGPT burst upon the scene, and created a seismic shift in our lives. In the world of education, parents and teachers panicked. They were afraid that cheating on homework and essay assignments would become rampant, undermining learning and corrupting students’ morality and ethics in the process. The bot was banned in many school districts.
Fast forward two years. For-profit, licensed AI/ChatGPT programs are on the global scene. They all market their services in similar fashion, promising to 1) to diminish teachers’ stress and burnout by relieving them of time-consuming administrative work thereby freeing them to 2) spend more time “personalizing” instruction for students.
They all state that AI will not replace teachers. Is that even a question?
Yes, it is. Because what these programs also propose is that, using teacher key words, AI will develop lesson plans, accompanying activities, tests, et al. Teachers - or should we call them AI Assistants - simply administer what AI has created without regard for accurate sourcing, multiple perspectives, potential cultural bias, or teacher input. In this case, personalized means one-on-one explanation, not instruction.
If students need extra help, these programs all offer on-line “tutors” on every conceivable subject or topic. Some tutors are in real-time, others are pre-recorded. Is this learning personalized or siloed? It depends on your point of view.
And yet, such programs have been purchased, embraced in some school districts as the educational response to the future. Gone are concerns about cheating or lack of student’s personal involvement. No questions asked. What is the rush? Can AI really be all things to all people? Should it be?
AI technology is not new in education. Public and charter schools, private and home schools, micro schools, all schools are using some form of AI technology in the classroom. Of course, they should. The difference is that they use AI holistically, as part of their learning model, not its entirety. And they rely on teachers’ professional skills, sensibilities, knowledge, and control.
AI technology can deliver reams of information on virtually any topic in seconds. But the question is: How can humans - and our ability to evaluate, prognosticate, and innovate - intersect effectively with AI? Educatiors in universities are examining positive uses for AI/ChatGPT that enhance students’ learning experience.
They caution that it takes time to understand how and when AI can be an effective teaching tool. The answer will be different depending on what data is needed and for what purpose. Critical will be learning how to frame a prompt or question to produce the most accurate, on-target responses. Developing a productive relationship between humans and robots will be an everyday learning experience that is constantly being refined.
Bottom line: We cannot accept AI information as absolute, definitive, or thoroughly comprehensive. It is a black and white data dump. It is time to take a deep breath and examine how to best use AI and prepare our children for a tech future where people are in control.
We have to use our knowledge, life experience, plus social and emotional awareness to add color, texture, dimension, and perspective to AI’s scope and breadth. Our human contribution will bring AI’s information to life with fuller possible meanings that are relevant, interesting, and exciting to our students.
Our common sense and egos should want this because our future could be the price we pay for what once seemed to be a better mousetrap.