Squatter 27 - ChatGPT Has You

 There's been a TON of posts and information hitting the internet about ChatGPT lately, especially as it pertains to education.

I've seen so many people taking the Chicken Little approach to AI in the classroom. You know, "The Sky Is Falling!!" Students will be cheating, and we'll never be able to know. Students won't learn any more, they'll just use AI to complete the assignments for the grade. Students won't be able to think or learn any more!

Those are definitely thoughts. I understand why you might have those thoughts. Let's try to be a little more pro-active here.

FYI - by pro-active, I definitely do NOT mean to have your IT department block ChatGPT.

I mean get ahead of this thing.

1. Yes, students will try to use this technology to cheat. AI "detectors" came online almost as quickly as we found out about ChatGPT. They're not reliable enough for a student to be written up. When it comes right down to it, you should know your students' writing styles. When you get something that doesn't sound like it was written by a student, it probably wasn't That's the time to have a conversation with them about it.

2. Yes, students will use ChatGPT just to get the grade... if they're taught the grade is more valuable than the learning. This is a much larger discussion to have about the state of education right now, but we do value grades and test scores more than learning. Want proof? What does it take to get into top tier colleges? That's right, grades and test scores. When you build a system like this, don't be surprised when students play the "game" of education by the rules and prioritize grades and test scores over learning. Don't want them to do that? Find creative ways to incorporate ChatGPT in your lessons. Have students use ChatGPT as a starting point for more creative works. There are tons of ways to do this. Google it.

3. Maybe they won't be able to think or learn or create on their own anymore... unless they're taught to. ChatGPT can be used as a tool in the creative process. In the same way that one idea can spark others, ChatGPT can provide one idea that leads to other ideas.

Anyway, the text of Squatter 27 is mostly created by ChatGPT. Yes, I had the Chat Bot do my homework for me, and I think it turned out pretty good. It doesn't sound like me, but (spoiler alert) ChatGPT is not me.