The emergence of ChatGPT, an advanced artificial intelligence language model, has been the subject of discussion, excitement, and alarm among educators. Staying up to date on the latest developments in AI and education can be challenging, but it is essential to be sure that students are prepared for the rapidly changing world they will inherit when they graduate. Here are a few things to consider as you make decisions about how to incorporate ChatGPT and other new technologies into your school.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool driven by AI technology that can “chat” or generate language responses in a way that makes sense in context. Users can also ask ChatGPT questions, which it can answer based on the vast amount of text that it was trained on—huge datasets of texts, including books, articles, and web pages. This training allows ChatGPT to understand the relationships between words and the context in which they are used. When you chat with ChatGPT, it uses this knowledge to try and understand what you’re saying and respond accordingly. It can answer questions and assist users with tasks like composing emails, essays, and code.

ChatGPT in Schools

Concerns over cheating, plagiarism, and the potential for biased responses have caused many schools and districts to consider banning the tool. While many educators are beginning to address concerns over ChatGPT and other AI programs, others see great potential. Much is still emerging about ChatGPT, and although it hasn’t been around long enough for comprehensive studies on its use in the classroom, the thinking is that ChatGPT has the potential to provide students with on-demand support. For example, if a student is struggling with a particular concept, they can ask ChatGPT for help, and the chatbot can provide relevant information and resources. ChatGPT also could help students become more self-directed learners, help teachers provide personalized feedback to students, and support teachers’ professional development by providing instant access to relevant resources and information.

As with any significant event or change, schools can work with their teams to ensure both educators and administrators are aligned on how to stay current, pivot when needed, and incorporate new information as it emerges.

Given that ChatGPT is here to stay, here are a few of the currently recommended best practices for schools when it comes to ChatGPT:

1. Find and Offer Training and Support

To ensure that ChatGPT is used effectively, educators can provide training and support to students and teachers on how to use the tool—and how to do so ethically. Teachers can benefit from being trained on how to detect the use of ChatGPT, monitor student interactions with it, and provide support when needed.

2. Address Bias

Chatbots can be prone to bias. Schools can take steps to ensure that the tool is not perpetuating harmful biases or stereotypes by auditing the responses provided by ChatGPT, being sure to identify and address any instances of bias.

3. Ensure Data Privacy

As with any technology, it is important to protect student data. Schools can be transparent with students and parents about how ChatGPT collects, stores, and uses data, and take steps to ensure that student privacy is protected.

4. Conduct Ongoing Evaluation

To ensure that ChatGPT is meeting its intended goals and not causing harm, it is important to conduct an ongoing evaluation of its use. This may involve gathering feedback from students and teachers and making choices about how—or if—ChatGPT should be used within your school.

To learn more about the concerns and best practices surrounding the use of chatbots in education, check out these recent articles:

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