Should we let students use ChatGPT? | Natasha Berg | TEDxSioux Falls

Summary

The transcript discusses the impact of AI, specifically OpenAI's chat GPT, on education. It highlights the concerns of educators about students' critical thinking skills in the face of AI's capabilities. The speaker suggests that instead of blocking AI, schools should embrace it, teaching students to use it responsibly and productively. They propose integrating AI into the curriculum to enhance learning through collaboration, project-based learning, and personalized tutoring. The transcript emphasizes the need for educators to adapt and redesign their teaching methods to prepare students for the evolving digital world.

Takeaways

• 🤖 AI programs like Chat GPT can generate essays and other written content, raising concerns about academic integrity.
• 📚 English teachers experienced an existential crisis upon witnessing AI's essay-writing capabilities.
• 🌐 Chat GPT has gained widespread attention, being featured on major news stations and Time magazine.
• 📈 Chat GPT is a large language model that improves its responses over time through neural pathway connections.
• 🔍 The AI can provide information, understand natural language, and generate creative responses.
• 🏥 Various industries, including healthcare and business, have started using AI for diverse applications.
• 🖼️ GPT-4, an upgrade from Chat GPT, can analyze images and web links, not just text.
• 🔍 Microsoft is integrating GPT-4 into Bing search engine and plans to incorporate it into Microsoft Office Suite.
• 🏫 Educators are grappling with the impact of AI on critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students.
• 🚫 Blocking AI in schools may not be effective, as students can access it outside of school-controlled devices.
• 📝 Educators should consider integrating AI into the curriculum to teach students how to use it safely and productively.

Q & A

What was the initial reaction of the English teachers to the AI program's ability to write an essay?

The initial reaction was disbelief, as they couldn't believe that AI could write a quality essay.

How did the speaker test the AI program's capabilities?

The speaker tested the AI program by using their laptop to observe it construct a well-written analysis essay in seconds.

What is a large language model?

A large language model is a network of neural pathway connections that allows a program to learn and become more accurate in its responses over time.

What did Chat GPT say about its capabilities when asked?

Chat GPT said it can provide information on a wide range of topics, understand and respond to natural language, generate creative and personalized responses, and learn from interactions to improve its language processing capabilities.

What was the significance of the release of GPT-4?

GPT-4, released in March, can analyze images and web links, unlike Chat GPT which was restricted to text input only.

How has the AI technology been utilized by various industries since its public emergence?

Doctors have used it to help diagnose patients, businesses for creating advertisements and blog posts, and individuals for tasks like writing thank you cards.

What concerns do educators have about AI in the classroom?

Educators are concerned about students' declining abilities to think critically and problem-solve, and the potential for AI to do the thinking for them.

What does the author suggest as an alternative to blocking AI in schools?

The author suggests teaching students how to interact with AI safely and productively, and integrating AI into the classroom to enhance learning experiences.

How can AI technology benefit teachers in their work?

AI can save teachers hours of preparation time by helping with writing lesson plans, creating discussion prompts, and generating tests and quizzes.

What is the potential impact of AI on the future of education?

AI is expected to transform the landscape of education, requiring educators to re-evaluate and redesign their curriculum to prepare students for the 21st-century workforce.

Why is it important for schools to adapt to AI technology?

Adapting to AI technology is important to ensure that students are prepared to interact with the world around them using the technology available to them, and to avoid being left behind in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Introduction to AI and Chat GPT

The speaker recounts a story of witnessing the power of AI, specifically Chat GPT, which can write essays in seconds. This AI, part of a large language model, has gained significant attention and has been featured in major news and Time magazine. The speaker explores the various applications of Chat GPT across different industries and everyday tasks, highlighting its ability to learn and improve over time. The release of GPT-4, an advanced version that can analyze images and web links, is also mentioned, along with its integration into platforms like Microsoft's Bing and Office Suite.

05:02

📚 AI's Impact on Education

The speaker discusses the transformative potential of AI in education, drawing parallels to the internet's impact. Educators are challenged to re-evaluate their teaching methods and curriculum in light of AI's capabilities. The speaker suggests that instead of blocking AI, schools should teach students how to use it safely and productively. The narrative includes examples of how AI could be integrated into classroom activities to enhance learning experiences and critical thinking skills.

10:03

🚀 Embracing AI in the Classroom

The speaker emphasizes the importance of adapting to AI technology in education. Teachers are encouraged to use AI to streamline their work, such as writing lesson plans and creating assessments. The speaker shares personal experiences of using AI to save time and adapt teaching materials. The potential benefits of AI for both students and teachers are highlighted, including personalized learning and making complex texts more accessible. The speaker calls for a balanced approach to AI in education, ensuring that it is used to prepare students for the 21st-century workforce.

Keywords

💡Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think, learn, and problem-solve like humans. In the video, AI is exemplified by chat GPT, a program that can generate essays and understand natural language, which has raised concerns among educators about its impact on students' critical thinking skills.

💡Chat GPT

Chat GPT is a large language model developed by OpenAI that can generate human-like text based on the input it receives. It is used in the video to illustrate the advanced capabilities of AI, such as writing essays and responding to natural language queries, which has led to its widespread media coverage and adoption across various industries.

💡Large Language Model

A large language model is a type of AI that processes and generates human language by learning from a vast amount of data. It uses neural networks to understand and produce text. In the context of the video, chat GPT is a large language model that has significantly improved upon previous versions, allowing it to perform complex tasks like essay writing and language understanding.

💡Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze and evaluate information objectively. In the video, educators express concern that AI technologies like chat GPT might undermine students' development of critical thinking skills, as AI can perform tasks that traditionally required human cognitive effort.

💡Educational Transformation

Educational transformation refers to significant changes in the way education is delivered and experienced. The video discusses how AI, particularly chat GPT, is poised to revolutionize education by forcing educators to re-evaluate teaching methods and curriculum, emphasizing the need for students to learn how to approach and organize concepts effectively.

💡GPT-4

GPT-4 is the latest version of the AI system that powers chat GPT, with enhanced capabilities such as image and web link analysis. In the video, it is mentioned that Microsoft is using GPT-4 to enhance their search engine Bing and plans to integrate it with Microsoft Office Suite products, indicating a significant technological advancement in AI applications.

💡AI in the Classroom

The integration of AI into educational settings is a central theme of the video. It suggests that instead of blocking AI tools like chat GPT, educators should embrace them to enhance learning experiences, promote collaboration, and engage students in critical thinking through project-based learning and interactive activities.

💡Reverse Psychology

Reverse psychology is a phenomenon where people are more likely to do the opposite of what they are told, especially when they are told not to do something. The video uses this concept to argue that blocking AI in schools may only make students more curious and likely to explore AI outside of controlled environments.

💡Digitally Progressive World

A digitally progressive world refers to a society that is advancing and evolving through the integration of digital technologies into everyday life. The video emphasizes that schools should reflect this progress by incorporating AI and preparing students to interact with technology effectively, which is essential for their future in the 21st-century workforce.

💡Curriculum Reevaluation

Curriculum reevaluation involves critically examining and potentially revising the content and methods of teaching to better meet educational goals. The video suggests that educators need to redesign their curriculum to incorporate AI technology, ensuring that students are equipped with the skills to use AI safely and productively in their future endeavors.

Highlights

A teacher discovered a student cheating using AI chat GPT.

Chat GPT can construct an entire essay with a click of a button.

The initial reaction to AI's essay-writing capability was disbelief.

Chat GPT is a large language model with neural pathway connections.

Chat GPT can provide information on a wide range of topics and improve over time.

GPT4, released in March, can analyze images and web links.

Microsoft is using GPT4 to power Bing and plans to integrate it with Office Suite.

Google released their AI system Bard, indicating an AI arms race in tech.

Educators are concerned about AI's impact on students' critical thinking skills.

The appearance of AI tech forces us to confront what we value in education.

Educators must re-evaluate what and how they teach due to AI advancements.

Blocking AI in schools may not be effective as students can access it outside.

AI can be used for collaborative, project-based learning in the classroom.

AI can help students with writing, vocabulary, and individualized tutoring.

Teachers are using AI to write lesson plans and create assessments.

AI can adapt complex texts for different reading levels.

AI will become a staple in our everyday routines like smartphones.

Schools need to teach students how to use AI safely and effectively.

Educators and institutions must redesign their curriculum for the AI era.

Transcripts

foreign

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

this past December I was sitting around

a table having lunch with some English

teachers when one of them started

sharing how she had recently caught a

student cheating on an essay using this

new form of artificial intelligence

called chat GPT

she watched in awe astonishment and a

bit of mild horror as this program

constructed an entire essay for the

student with a click of a button

the initial reaction around the table

was disbelief there's no way that AI can

write a quality essay

naturally curious I whipped out my

laptop to test it out

all of us watched in shock as this AI

program constructed a well-written

analysis essay right before our eyes in

a matter of seconds if you've ever

wondered how to induce an immediate

existential crisis amongst a group of

English teachers

yeah that's how

while there are dozens of text

generative AI programs out there

open ai's chat GPT which was released to

the public this past November is the

most well known

since its release chat GPT has been

featured on almost every major news

station and even made it to the cover of

Time magazine in February

this program caught the World by storm

because it was 10 times smarter than the

version that had come before it

chat GPT is what is known as a large

language model which is essentially a

network of neural pathway connections

that allows the program to learn and

become more accurate in its responses

over time

when I asked chat GPT what it wanted the

world to know about its capabilities

it responded

I can provide information on a wide

range of topics and understand and

respond to natural language I can also

generate creative and personalized

responses and learn from my interactions

to improve my language processing

capabilities over time

oh

is that all

right after its public emergence

companies and people around the world

began harnessing the immense power of

this technology doctors have used it to

help diagnose patients businesses began

using it to create advertisements and

blog posts and Joe schmoe has been using

it to help him write all those pesky

thank you cards from his wedding 14

months ago

and all of this is being done with the

click of a button

common applications like Snapchat

instacart

Duolingo and Quizlet have also begun to

integrate this technology into their

platforms

and then openai released gpt4 in March

which is the newest version of the

system that powers chat GPT

gpt4 unlike chat GPT can also analyze

images and web links instead of being

restricted to text input only

Microsoft began using gbt4 to power

their search engine Bing they also have

plans to integrate gpt4 with the

Microsoft Office Suite products soon

you'll be able to turn your boss's

20-page email into a comprehensive

PowerPoint presentation with a single

click

a couple of weeks after Microsoft

released their new search engine Google

released their AI system bard

and I'm sure it's only a matter of time

until we see artificial intelligence

Incorporated with the Google Suite

products as well

the tech world has entered an AI arms

race

but with such an explosive advancement

in technology seemingly overnight

Educators across the globe have entered

a state of panic of course there are the

typical concerns about AI taking over

the world courtesy of too many movies

and TV shows like Terminator and

Westworld

but for educators the concern lies more

with their students

post-pandemic Educators have noticed

severe declines in students ability to

think critically and problem solve at

the most basic levels but now with AI

able to do the thinking for them

educators are Awash in worry not merely

for their jobs but for the development

of their students

but as author and writing instructor

John Warner points out

the reason the appearance of this Tech

is so shocking is because it forces us

to confront what we value rather than

letting the status quo churn along

unexamined

there is no doubt that AI is going to

transform the landscape of Education as

we know it after all we've seen this

type of transformation before and for

most of us it happened within our

lifetimes the widespread proliferation

of the internet just a few decades ago

completely transformed how schools and

our global economy functioned isn't it

safe to assume that a new technological

leap might do the same

hard work of this leap is going to fall

to educators

generative AI systems will force

Educators and educational institutions

to re-evaluate what they teach and why

and how they teach it

do students really need to know how to

write a five paragraph rigorously

structured essay

or do they need to understand how to

approach a concept break it down and

organize it into bite-sized pieces

since the dawn of time teachers have

been posed to question by students when

will I use this in real life

well now is the time to come up with a

concrete answer to that question because

the truth is many of the assignments

given in the classroom really don't

prepare students for real life when are

students going to need to know how to

diagram a compound complex sentence

unless you end up an English teacher

Chances Are Never

if students feel as though what they are

learning in the classroom will benefit

them in the long run they will become

invested in the learning and won't be

looking for shortcuts to Simply get the

work done

but instead of embracing and learning

from this new technology

many schools across the country

responded to the public release of chat

GPT by immediately blocking it and other

AI applications on all School sanctioned

devices

but is it beneficial to restrict student

use of a technology that businesses

around the world are using or should we

instead teach our students how to

interact with AI safely and productively

anyone that has been around teenagers

for any length of time understands All

Too Well the implications of reverse

psychology even adults fall prey to this

trap if I tell you not to think of an

elephant like whatever you do don't

think about an elephant

yeah we're all thinking about an

elephant right now if you tell a teacher

a teenager not to do something you can

bet they'll be itching to try it out as

soon as your back is turned blocking

chat GPT and similar AI applications

won't work it will only make the

programs more intriguing for students

who wouldn't want to explore the secrets

this technology holds that has caused

such an adverse reaction amongst their

teachers

plus we can't control what students do

outside of their classrooms and school

buildings it's all too easy for students

to pull up this program on their phone

when they go to the bathroom or simply

access it on a different device when

they're completing their schoolwork at

home

and once Microsoft and Google integrate

this technology into their office suite

products unless we want to regress to

the pre-internet age of paper and pencil

we won't be able to avoid AI in the

classroom we will never be able to truly

and fully block it instead we have to

find ways to work with and around it

in order to implement effective use of

AI in the classroom teachers may need to

re-evaluate how they are teaching the

material and assessing student learning

What If instead of assigning worksheets

and essays we encouraged more

collaboration in the classroom

project-based and student directive

learning have always been my go-to's as

an educator

as an English teacher my students were

constantly creating posters and

participating in debates in order to

analyze various aspects of literary work

they would work on group projects and

presentations as their end of unit

assessment and we would use gameplay to

review material such as participating in

an escape room or a competitive game of

Jeopardy

even if my students were able to access

AI in my classroom it wouldn't have

provided them with much help beyond the

ability to be a sounding board for their

ideas

and what would be so wrong with that

I think most Educators would agree that

the goal of education is to help our

students learn how to think critically

and problem solve AI technology can be

incorporated into the classroom in ways

that actually engage students in

critical thinking math students could

create their own math problems and then

use AI to test the results

social studies students could use chat

GPT to write alternative realities to

history and then discuss the results as

a class

science students could use the chat bot

to adopt the voice of a famous scientist

and then engage in a stimulating

conversation about their discoveries

students can also utilize AI to help

edit their Writing Practice vocabulary

terms provide individualized tutoring

and edit their ideas and research

and these are just a few of the

unlimited applications from the student

perspective

but it also has abilities that can

benefit teachers

almost immediately after my school

blocked AI on all of our student devices

my co-workers began using it to help

them do their jobs more effectively

they use chat GPT to write lesson plans

come up with discussion prompts and

create tests and quizzes

and I actually used it to help me write

a final exam for my students a process

that normally takes me hours

took only 30 minutes with the assistance

of AI

not only does AI have the ability to

Save hours of preparation time for

teachers but it can also take a piece of

writing and adapt it in any way the user

asks which can help make learning and

reading more accessible to students of

all abilities

for example we could ask chat GPT to

take a complex text and transform it

into something a fourth grader could

read

or we could have it transform

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet into a

modern day Telenovela

possibilities are only as limited as the

user's imagination

we are living in a digitally Progressive

world

shouldn't our schools reflect that

as Matt Miller from ditch that textbook

said

this version of chat GPT is the weakest

most rudimentary artificial intelligence

of its kind our students will ever use

if we are blocking technology in our

schools that are being used in

businesses across the country and around

the world we aren't adequately preparing

our students to enter the 21st century

Workforce

our students need to be trained how to

interact with the world around them via

the technology at their disposal and how

to do so safely

and who will teach them these skills if

teachers don't

but if we also need to give students the

benefit of the doubt just like Educators

do with other classroom technology

teachers can establish times to utilize

Ai and times to not

when one educator gave the option for

his students to use chat GPT on an

assignment

only four actually took him up on the

offer

many students are just as nervous as

their adult counterparts are about this

new technology they too worry about the

impact that it will have on their

ability to problem solve and become

functioning adults who are able to make

a positive contribution to the world

in fact

there are many students who don't know

about this new technology

of course this will change in the coming

months and years

but for now we have time

and we need to use this time to adapt

accordingly

just as the internet did before it AI is

going to weave its way into every facet

of Our Lives the process is already

started we're already carrying around

little AI machines in our pockets and

purses and while Chad GPT and gpt4 are

far more advanced than Siri or Alexa

they too will eventually become a staple

in our everyday routines

large language model generative AI is

going to change the landscape of the

world's economy and launch us into a new

era of Education

schools need to start teaching their

students how to use AI safely and

effectively and teachers need to begin

reevaluating and redesigning their

curriculum so that next year we're not

sitting around a table in shock as our

co-worker shares how they just caught a

student cheating using whatever form of

AI is coming next

thank you

[Applause]