ChatGPT in the Classroom: A Lexington Teacher’s Journey
Amidst the vibrant energy of Lexington, Kentucky, a fifth-grade classroom buzzes with anticipation. Donnie Piercey, a dedicated educator, embarks on an extraordinary educational odyssey, transforming his classroom into an arena of intellectual jousting. His 23 students, armed with their wit and determination, confront a formidable adversary: ChatGPT, an enigmatic artificial intelligence (AI) capable of generating essays, poetry, and term papers in a matter of seconds.
Embracing AI as a Transformative Teaching Tool
While many educators succumb to panic at the prospect of AI disrupting traditional teaching methods and fueling rampant cheating, Piercey boldly embraces ChatGPT as a transformative teaching tool. He recognizes the profound significance of preparing his students for a world where proficiency in AI is paramount. “This is the future,” Piercey asserts, acknowledging that ChatGPT is merely the latest technological advancement to raise concerns about academic integrity, following in the footsteps of calculators, spellcheck, Google, Wikipedia, and YouTube.
Within the confines of his classroom, Piercey orchestrates an engaging writing game, pitting his students against the AI in a lively challenge dubbed “Find the Bot.” With meticulous precision, each student summarizes a text detailing the life of Muhammad Ali, Kentucky’s iconic boxing legend, and then endeavors to discern which summary bears the stamp of the chatbot’s creation.
Confronting the Challenge of AI in Elementary Education
At the elementary school level, Piercey expresses lesser concern about cheating and plagiarism compared to his high school counterparts. His district has taken proactive measures, blocking student access to ChatGPT while granting supervised usage to teachers. However, many educators across the nation recognize the futility of a complete ban, acknowledging that tech-savvy students can effortlessly circumvent such restrictions.
Steve Darlow, a technology trainer at Florida’s Santa Rosa County District Schools, voices his apprehension towards AI platforms, describing them as both “revolutionary and disruptive” to the educational landscape. Darlow envisions a future where teachers harness ChatGPT to craft captivating lesson plans and seek assistance in grading papers. He emphasizes the transformative potential of AI, asserting that it can provide a significant advantage in life, business, and education.
The Rise of AI Chatbots and the Future of Education
ChatGPT’s meteoric rise to global prominence following its November launch ignites a fierce race among rival companies, including Google, to develop their own versions of AI-powered chatbots. The topic of AI platforms and their impact on education draws hundreds of educators to conference rooms at the Future of Education Technology Conference in New Orleans. Among them is Texas math teacher Heather Brantley, a passionate advocate for the integration of AI into the classroom.
Brantley marvels at ChatGPT’s ability to enhance her sixth-grade math lessons, making them more creative and relatable to everyday life. She enthusiastically shares how she utilizes ChatGPT to generate real-world examples, transforming abstract concepts into tangible experiences for her students. For instance, when teaching slope, the chatbot suggests building ramps out of cardboard and measuring their angles. Similarly, for surface area, it highlights the practical application of the concept in gift wrapping and constructing cardboard boxes.
Brantley passionately urges districts to embrace AI platforms and train staff to harness their potential in stimulating student creativity and problem-solving skills. She emphasizes the opportunity to guide students in utilizing this transformative technology that will inevitably shape their lives. Rather than shunning AI, she advocates for embracing it and guiding students in its responsible use.
Student Perspectives on Working with ChatGPT
Piercey’s students mirror Brantley’s sentiments, expressing their delight in working with the chatbot. They find the novelty of interacting with AI engaging and fun. After several rounds of “Find the Bot,” Piercey prompts his class to reflect on the skills they have honed through the exercise. Eager hands shoot up, with students citing improvements in summarizing, capitalization, and comma usage. A lively discussion ensues, focusing on the importance of developing a distinct writing voice and identifying areas where the chatbot’s responses lack flair or sound mechanical.
Trevor James Medley, an 11-year-old student, eloquently articulates his preference for human-generated sentences, describing them as possessing “more feeling, backbone, and flavor.” The class then transitions to playwriting, embarking on a creative journey to craft short plays with three scenes, each featuring a problem that requires resolution. Piercey skillfully guides his students in brainstorming characters and plot elements, which he then feeds into ChatGPT.
The AI responds with fully formed scripts, which the students eagerly edit, rehearse, and ultimately perform. One play centers around a class computer that escapes, leading the students on a captivating adventure involving time travel. The young actors giggle with delight as they discover unexpected plot twists introduced by the chatbot. Olivia Laksi, a 10-year-old protagonist, expresses her admiration for ChatGPT’s creativity but also appreciates the opportunity to revise and refine the script to their liking. She sees ChatGPT as a valuable starting point and a catalyst for generating fresh ideas.
Laksi and her classmate Katherine McCormick, also 10 years old, recognize the dual nature of working with chatbots. They acknowledge the potential of AI to alleviate writer’s block and assist students struggling to articulate their thoughts on paper. They also marvel at the boundless creativity it can bring to classwork. Remarkably, these fifth graders remain largely oblivious to the hype and controversy surrounding ChatGPT.
For them, the approach is simple: utilize ChatGPT for suggestions and inspiration, but ultimately create their own original work. They understand the importance of preserving their own intellectual efforts and avoiding the temptation to rely solely on AI-generated content. McCormick succinctly summarizes their stance, stating, “You shouldn’t take advantage of it. You’re not learning anything if you type in what you want, and then it gives you the answer.”
Conclusion: AI and the Future of Education
Piercey’s innovative approach to integrating ChatGPT into his fifth-grade classroom serves as a testament to the transformative potential of AI in education. By embracing this technology as a teaching tool, Piercey empowers his students to navigate the complexities of a rapidly changing world, where knowledge of AI is essential for success. The enthusiasm and engagement displayed by his students underscore the immense possibilities that lie at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human creativity. As AI continues to evolve, it is imperative for educators to embrace its potential and guide students in harnessing its power responsibly and ethically.