International School Parent Magazine - Autumn 2023

AI and
ChatGPT
in the
classroom
The real question is not whether machines
think but whether men do – B.F Skinner.
WRITTEN BY CIAN TAYLOR AND IOANNES GIANNAKOPOULOS
JOHN F. KENNEDY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Great skepticism on AI abounds,
and many see it as a threat.
Already, studies in universities are
finding how technology may be disruptive
in ways not intended: respondents note a
rise in student plagiarism, cheating and
distractibility, which they attribute to easy
and ready access to mobile technologies.
We are at a junction in time where the
scholarly world and its attempts to curb
plagiarism are not keeping up with the
rapidly improving technology of the time.
Therefore, should schools simply ban the
use of AI tools, and trust that the students
will work independently?
Changing Times
Marshall Mcluhan witnessed a contrast and
a divide in education and technology, even
as far back as the 1960s. He was observing
that schools simply were not keeping
up with rapidly growing technological
mediums for educational purposes, and
that traditional teaching methods could not
coexist with new technologies, and therefore
had to limit student access to mediums, as
opposed to encouraging them to utilize all
tools available to them in order to emerge
with full understanding into a rapidly
changing world. Technology has continued
its rapid advancements, and now schools
are far behind.
American Political Scientist Simon A.
Herbert famously commented on the
changing world of information: ‘In an
information-rich world, the wealth of
information means a death of something
else: a scarcity of whatever it is that
information consumes’. The multitude
of new mediums that now exist for any
student with internet access to engage
with, what information consumes is rather
obvious: it consumes the attention of its
recipients. Hence a wealth of information
creates a poverty of attention. Students
must understand the cost of information
to properly develop their own learning
strategies.
ChatGPT in the classroom:
revolutionising education or an
imminent threat to the learning process?
In recent years, the integration of artificial
intelligence (AI) models like ChatGPT in
educational settings has gained significant
attention. ChatGPT, based on the GPT-3.5
architecture developed by OpenAI, has the
potential to enhance classroom interactions
and revolutionise education. However,
it is crucial to recognise and address
the potential dangers associated with its
usage. This article explores the benefits of
incorporating ChatGPT in the classroom
while highlighting the need for caution and
understanding the potential risks involved.
Enhanced Learning Experience
One of the main advantages of using
ChatGPT in the classroom is the potential
for an enhanced learning experience.
Students can engage in interactive
conversations with ChatGPT, ask questions,
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and receive immediate responses, fostering a
deeper understanding of the subject matter.
ChatGPT can also provide personalised
feedback and explanations, catering to
individual students’ needs and promoting
self-directed learning. These benefits
have the potential to improve academic
performance and make learning more
engaging and accessible.
Ethical Concerns and Bias
As with any AI model, ChatGPT presents
ethical concerns and risks of bias. The
language model learns from vast amounts
of data, including text from the internet,
which can introduce biases present in the
training data. This bias can perpetuate
stereotypes, reinforce discrimination, or
present inaccurate information. Educators
must be vigilant and critically evaluate the
responses generated by ChatGPT to ensure
accuracy, fairness, and inclusivity. Proper
oversight and continuous monitoring are