ChatGPT and Beyond: How to Handle AI in Schools | Common Sense Education – Commonsense.org
Topics: Digital Citizenship EdTech Instruction & Assessment News & Media Literacy Privacy & Security
Have you ever heard anyone joke about robots taking over the world? Those quips were based on a reality that felt impossibly far ahead, but now there’s a certain anxiety behind them. Artificial intelligence, or AI, is very real and pretty powerful. And while tools like ChatGPT have captured headlines, we interact with AI every day we’re online.
So what is it, exactly? It comes in several forms, from simple automation to social intelligence. Algorithms control what ads we see online, the movement of self-driving cars, and those bots that pop up to answer questions when we’re shopping online. Apps like Lensa use AI with images, and some programs generate images that are truly eerie—or utterly unethical. Google has an AI music generator. And while no AI has achieved true, Westworld-style self-awareness yet, there are plenty of examples of “companion” AI programs meant to stand in as friends. There are even AI-generated personas and social media stars!
We also see AI at work in schools. Some edtech uses adaptive learning, which is a form of AI, and facial recognition also qualifies. But generative AI—like writing tools that can create whole essays based on a simple prompt (like ChatGPT and Bard)—is a relatively new frontier, especially in classrooms. While predictive text is something we encounter in Google Docs or text messaging, it’s pretty novel to have a program deliver an entire piece of writing based on simple questions or requests. And while its ability to create truly original content isn’t there yet, it’s still a concern for many educators.
As technology evolves and becomes more sophisticated, it’s understandable that we’re uneasy about actual and anticipated challenges. Here are some current concerns:
Because the development of technology won’t slow down enough for us to truly think about—and plan for—its implications, we can explore this uncertainty with students.
With all of these worries and uncertainties, it’s no wonder that some educators are overwhelmed by the whole idea. But try not to panic! There are things we can do and resources we can use.
Programs like ChatGPT lack the ability to form emotional connections with readers. We cannot rob writing of human emotion. — Rose, 18
A focus on transparency is needed as more and more corporations start including AI in their products. — Andrea, 17
As technology rapidly improves, we learn to embrace it and ChatGPT should be no exception. — Audrey, 17
On the flip side of all of these concerns, however, is the utility: What if you could just ask an AI program to write a lesson plan, a letter home, an email? Play around with it and figure out how AI might serve you. It is a tool, after all! What if AI could give you some of what so many teachers deeply need but never have enough of (other than money)—TIME?!?!
I typically talk about what the most common college application essay topics are, but this year I made ChatGPT write those essays! We’ll talk about what the AI did well and didn’t do well and ways they could use it to help them with their college application process: Make a list of the application deadlines and required essays or a schedule of when all the application materials are due. — Patricia Monticello Kievlan, Educator
Christine Elgersma is Senior Editor, Learning Content, Strategy which means she manages the newsletter about learning, edits writing about learning, and loves to learn. Before coming to Common Sense, she helped create ELA curriculum for a K-12 app and taught the youth of America as a high school teacher, a community college teacher, a tutor, and a special education instructional aide for about 18 years. Christine is also a writer, primarily of fiction and essays, and loves to read all manner of books. When she's not putting on a spontaneous vaudeville show with her daughter, Christine loves nature, music, and almost any form of dark chocolate.
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