Robots are taking over the world. Not in the way that most think. Not in a science fiction, robots are thinking for themselves, kind of way, but in revolutionizing technology to be a tool and create a more efficient society.
While there are drawbacks to any new technology, there are many benefits as well. In education, artificial intelligence and specifically ChatGPT are tools that students can learn from and use in order to gain knowledge.
Before we consider how to utilize AI, we should consider what the purpose of education is. Throughout history, education has been shaped by a multitude of different factors. It has played a tremendous role in advancing society and is constantly evolving and changing to help students.
From learning through apprenticeships centuries ago to AI today, the purpose of education has been to help students learn more about themselves and their values, as well as provide them with the skills needed to collaborate, think for themselves, and innovate.
One of the values of our society that education helps us achieve is seeing the world from diverse perspectives. All students have different goals when it comes to learning, and school should be a place to explore that. Students should put themselves in the position to gain perspectives and not allow themselves to get trapped in one mindset.
Because ChatGPT generates a unique response to the questions asked, this can help students see a perspective they hadn’t thought of before. For example, when we come across parts of texts or teachings that we don’t understand or don’t agree with, AI can begin to answer those questions. It can create a starting point for us to think for ourselves about why things are the way they are. It broadens the horizon of understanding.
Beyond different perspectives, ChatGPT can allow students to learn at their own pace. In “AI Will Transform Teaching and Learning. Let’s Get it Right,” an article from Stanford University, the following is proposed: “AI has the potential to support a single teacher who is trying to generate 35 unique conversations with each student.”
The article goes on to say that “AI has the potential to quickly determine a learner’s skills, recommend solutions to fill the gaps, and match them with roles that actually require those skills.” This suggests that AI aids in the support of diversity and the learning paces of different students.
Many may argue that ChatGPT isn’t always 100% accurate, so why should we trust it? Perhaps, but there are positives that outweigh these potential inaccuracies. When humans question, we create a healthy dose of skepticism. A healthy amount of skepticism makes humans think and develop curiosities.
Curiosity is such an important quality that should be developed because it is a gateway to new knowledge, open mindedness, and improvement in so many areas of life. So, in the end, the inaccuracies in ChatGPT force students to think more about whether or not they agree with the information, if it’s reliable, and continue searching for information on their own that supports their findings
As the Stanford University article explained, “AI may actually raise the bar. The models won’t be doing the thinking for the students; rather students will now have to edit and curate, forcing them to engage deeper than they have previously.” So AI can help us become deeper thinkers.
In the end, AI has the potential to change the world of education. We use technology on a daily basis, and while sometimes this can be scary, it also opens up new possibilities. It brings diverse perspectives, efficiency in learning and encourages curiosity. We are able to use AI — not let it use us.
Ella Navarro is a junior at High Tech High in Chula Vista. Her op-ed was selected from seven submitted from her class following discussions about ChatGPT and artificial intelligence.
