Writing about ChatGPT with ChatGPT? That sounds like Donald Duck eating poultry. So be sure to see 100% human content here.
Artificial intelligence was groundbreaking, just like electricity or the first car in our history. And AI changed literally everything (or will soon change). Its basic usage is a chatbot based on natural language processing, which was an absolutely new experience for users who have interacted with menu-and keyword recognition-based chatbots. An AI-based chatbot is a whole new level of interaction. But we are not here to talk about chatbot types but the role of ChatGPT in education, dry figures and data on how ChatGPT affects education, how ChatGPT is used in education, and how to stay human in a world full of AI.
The Evolution of ChatGPT in Education
I remember the first time I “talked to” ChatGPT, and it was scary to admit it knew everything. People started using ChatGPT randomly in everything to understand its capabilities and the true power behind it. Today, we have a more or less stable environment with ChatGPT used in education beyond being just a content generator. But here is how it all started.
The core functionality of ChatGPT is OpenAI’s large language models (now GPT-4). Using a deep learning algorithm, it generates human-like responses to prompts interacting with users on any topic (except questions that promote hate speech, discrimination, illegal activities, violence, etc.). Translated into human language, ChatGPT learns from all the information available online (information created by humans) and responds to your queries, creating a fantastic blend.
Since autumn 2022 (the first time ChatGPT-3 was introduced to the public), the education sector has, not immediately but slowly, started responding to external impulses and adapting AI for education. At first, it was only content creation. Students were generating tons of content for their research papers and learning materials. Today, ChatGPT has much wider usage, aimed not at reducing students’ engagement in learning with quick solutions but at using AI potential to empower students with flexibility. Additionally, ChatGPT started being effectively used in teaching.
ChatGPT in learning: Educators’ perspective
Just like students learn to incorporate ChatGPT into learning (not using AI to get grades), teachers should also learn how to use ChatGPT to benefit from AI capabilities and not lose the game between humans and AI. Here is what teachers will do with ChatGPT.
Personalize learning materials for intelligent tutoring systems
Customize content
Automate the students’ work correction
Automatically grade homework
Generate questions for tests
ChatGPT in learning: Learners’ perspective
Students don’t write anymore. And why should they even bother about writing when they have ChatGPT for writing, translating, editing, researching, analyzing, summarizing, and so much more? Even though most universities are now using AI-detecting tools, students still cheat. In fact, this innovation will soon become the norm, deprioritizing some skills like “bad” writing and prioritizing prompt writing and communication. Just remember the times when the first electronic calculators started being used; they were also banned at schools and teachers also forced students to calculate manually. Eventually, the technology took its deserved place, and students focused their attention on other, more important aspects of learning.
More Opportunities Presented by ChatGPT
Multiple studies have been carried out to decide whether AI and ChatGPT present new opportunities for academia or whether they will become the beginning of the end of education. For now, we have the balancing benefits and drawbacks.
Personalized learning
First and most, ChatGPT is about personalization, which is significant in online learning. With proper prompts (like “Give me the 10 fears of students engaged in online learning”), educators can immediately have 10 strategies to make learning personalized. Another effective way to create a personalized approach is to offer ChatGPT to analyze the feedback from students and make relevant adjustments to the learning material (for example, if the content is too complicated, the chapters are too long, the material lacks interactive components, etc.).
Accessibility
Most learning management systems have already integrated AI tools into their platforms to double the power of their content. ChatGPT is used to streamline learning material design and development tailored for different industries and organizations. The fewer resources spent on production, the more accessible the course is.
From students’ POV, ChatGPT can provide language support if the material is not translated into the learner’s native language.
Cultural exchange
Access to world cultures has never been so easy. Students can now get information about any culture by just asking the right question. At the same time, teachers can gain a better understanding of specific cultural aspects, which in turn will help them communicate more effectively with students.
Research Assistance
ChatGPT is a gateway to global knowledge. In a flash, you can learn about a tribe in Africa and vanished civilizations, and get math explained in simple language, all tailored to your needs.
Instant feedback
Self-paced online learning is an amazing way to gain knowledge but it also poses the challenge of being disconnected. Students are not in constant contact with their instructors and miss the chance to get immediate feedback, (which is crucial to setting a student on the right track). ChatGPT provides instant feedback to the student’s inquiry, solving the gap of missing communication.
Instant feedback is important for tutors too. Analyzing and giving feedback to students is time-consuming while with ChatGPT, tutors can now analyze tasks in bulk and send them back to students without stopping their progress.
Challenges and Ethical Considerations
We are embracing the advantages of ChatGPT and the role it already plays in our lives yet all the good things come with hidden pitfalls and challenges. In fact, I’ve never had so many mixed feelings about anything more than ChatGPT and AI. This double-edged sword may save us or destroy us and now it is 50/50.
Biased Information
First and foremost, we should remember that ChatGPT is a pretrained language model that continues to learn from the user and online information. In means, if the information provided is false, the generated result will be false too, and only the bearer of this knowledge would know this. Using ChatGPT to get information that is false and to spread information looks like a vicious circle.
Privacy concerns
The interaction and communication with ChatGPT pose a sensitive data leak, but the users hardly think of it when handling their information. When integrating AI and ChatGPT in education, educational institutions and online learning platforms should clearly understand the risk of handling any sensitive student data. And yes, you can’t delete information from ChatGPT; once prompted, it will always stay there.
Depersonalization of Learning
It has been just two years since ChatGPT has been around, but we already have millions of pieces of AI-generated content that look alike. Part of this content is generated by students for learning purposes and bears no trace of student critical thinking. At the same time, AI-generated learning material also starts losing personal touch.
Lack of Transparency
AI systems often operate as "black boxes," with decisions made by algorithms that are not always transparent.
Overreliance on Technology
ChatGPT can make you easily dependent. And I say it based on my personal experience. This is a more serious concern for students who lack knowledge and seek assistance in AI, not willing to work on enhancing personal knowledge.
Biased Feedback
While multilingual, ChatGPT is "monocultural" because it is trained on English texts with specific cultural biases from a small group of US contractors. If educators use ChatGPT for feedback or grading without acknowledging these biases, students might receive unfair evaluations that ignore their unique cultural writing styles.
Future Trends of Education with ChatGPT
While I was writing this article, Amazon Web Services announced its new AI, App Studio, that will help generate codes and release applications. That’s insane. This is one of the fields where it is hard to make any predictions and talk about future trends, because of how far you look (months or years), the news may in fact be around the corner.
At this stage, educational institutions should invest in legitimately integrating AI into the learning process without compromising students' progress or their motivation to learn.
Saima and ChatGPT: A Synergistic Relationship
Saima is the world’s first AI-based video speed controller and video note-taking app that solves the key problem of comprehension and collaboration during video-watching. Fair question "What do video-watching and or note-taking have to do with ChatGPT?” Imagine you are making quick notes on your video that you then need to use for writing a presentation or a speech. You have tons of notes, structured on your video but have no time to create a presentation. ChatGPT will help you transform your short notes into a professional presentation (of course, under your supervision).
The Saima educational tool gives you 65% saved time by giving you control of the video speed and your comprehension, while ChatGPT doubles the results, making the task of composing a text easier for you.
Conclusion
Artificial intelligence and ChatGPT are, without a doubt, powerful edtech tools that can work for humans if used smartly and not instead of a human. It is like the first time you open Google Earth and you have the globe to explore but you end up searching for your home.
AI gives endless opportunities to use ChatGPT in education and to build a better society.
After all, AI can teach us to work smart, not hard. And that’s what Saima did—make our lives easier using the whole potential of AI. Well, if AI is here to make my life easier and not replace me, I’d say welcome.
What about you?