AI Will be the Death of School As We Know It

The Van Beck family has a tradition of participating in “table talks” where anyone in the family can bring a topic to the table for discussion. Topics range from politics to climate change to cheating – yes, that’s right, cheating.

Specifically cheating at school. Is group work cheating? Allowing a student to take an open note test? Is that cheating?

We have six members of our nuclear family, and it’s safe to say our opinions about what is cheating when it comes to learning and what’s not runs the continuum of possibility.

So you can imagine my interest when came across an article written before Christmas for The 74. The article focuses on ChatGPT, a new, easy-to-use AI tool – a tool that could upend the way students learn about writing and self-expression.

The article begins,

“ChatGPT, an AI-powered ‘large language’ model, is poised to change the way high school English teachers do their jobs. With the ability to understand and respond to natural language, ChatGPT is a valuable tool for educators looking to provide personalized instruction and feedback to their students.”

“O.K., you’ve probably figured out by now that ChatGPT wrote that self-congratulatory opening. But it raises a question: If AI can produce a journalistic lead on command, what mischief could it unleash in high school English?”

“Actually, the chatbot, unveiled last month by the San Francisco-based R&D company Open AI, is not intended to make high school English teachers obsolete. Instead, it is designed to assist teachers in their work and help them to provide better instruction and support to their students.”

“O.K., ChatGPT wrote most of that too. But you see the problem here, right?”

“English teachers, whose job is to get young students to read and think deeply and write clearly, are this winter coming up against a formidable, free-to-use foe that can do it all: With just a short prompt, it writes essays, poems, business letters, song lyrics, short stories, legal documents, computer code, even outlines and analyses of other writings.”

“One user asked it to write a letter to her son explaining that ‘Santa isn’t real and we make up stories out of love.’ In five trim paragraphs, it broke the bad news from Santa himself and told the boy, ‘I want you to know that the love and care that your parents have for you is real. They have created special memories and traditions for you out of love and a desire to make your childhood special.’”

“One TikToker noted recently that users can upload a podcast, lecture, or YouTube video transcript and ask ChatGPT to take complete notes.”

“Many educators are alarmed. One high school computer science teacher confessed last week, ‘I am having an existential crisis.’ Many of those who have played with the tool over the past few weeks fear it could tempt millions of students to outsource their assignments and basically give up on learning to listen, think, read, or write.”

“Others, however, see potential in the new tool. Upon ChatGPT’s release. The 74 queried high school teachers and other educators, as well as thinker in the tech and AI fields, to help us make sense of this development.”

Here are seven ideas this group came up with regarding ChatGPT’s potential:

1. “By its own admission, it messes up.”
2. “It’s going to force teachers to rethink their practice – whether they like it or not.”
3. “It’s going to refocus teachers on helping students find their authentic voice.”
4. “It could upend more than just classroom practice, calling into question everything from Advanced Placement assignments to college essays.”
5. “Students: Your teachers may already be able to spot AI-assisted writing.”
6. “Like most technological breakthroughs, ChatGPT should be understood, not limited or banned – but that takes commitment.”
7. “Underestimate it at your peril.”

The article concludes with a haiku written by ChatGPT:

              “Artificial intelligence”

              “Powerful and dangerous”

              “Beware, for I am here”

If you’ve read any of my columns over the past months, I don’t think it would be hard to guess where I am on whether the use of AI and other learning supports constitute cheating. I’m the dad who is ready to blow up the traditional system, including the way teachers define and have defined cheating over the years.

ChatGPT and other AI creations offer a real and present threat to the traditional school system.

Here’s guessing that the traditional system won’t be able to figure out how to use these powerful tools when it comes to classroom practice.

In order for ChatGPT and other AI inventions to thrive, it will be necessary to take learning out of the classroom and out of the school.

This is inevitable.

Til tomorrow. SVB