ChatGPT became my new friend when it was released in November 2022. This chatbot has helped me a ton, making even the most challenging homework assignments manageable and providing insights across a range of subjects. I have been using ChatGPT since its release and its quick evolution has surprised me. Within a year, ChatGPT has become capable of handling more and more complicated tasks such as generating pictures, diagrams, and programming code.

However, since ChatGPT’s release, professors and teachers have accused AI of being a homework machine for students. They worry that this chatbot will be a disaster for education. This sparked a debate about whether teachers should allow students to use ChatGPT as an educational tool. Even though some educators believe that this chatbot is a cheat code for students, they should also see ChatGPT’s potential as a tool for enhancing learning.

In other words, students should be allowed to use ChatGPT as a learning tool.

Advantages of ChatGPT

Personalized assistance

ChatGPT offers personalized assistance to each student for their own complicated problems. This is valuable in big classrooms where teachers don’t have enough time to give individual attention to each student every day. For example, ChatGPT provides instant clarification on questions students may have and can link to other resources. Moreover, thanks to ChatGPT’s large database and advanced algorithm, AI can analyze a student’s learning history to identify areas where the student may be struggling, and then offer tailored advice.

AI is tireless

One advantage of AI over humans is that it doesn’t experience emotions or fatigue. You can criticize ChatGPT all you want, and it will remain ready and willing to help. Unlike a human tutor, ChatGPT doesn’t get frustrated when asked the same question repeatedly or asked to explain a concept multiple times in different ways. It simply generates a response based on the prompt, no matter how often it’s asked. With this tireless, 24/7 chatbot available, students can get as much help as they need, any time of day.

Boosts creativity and critical thinking

ChatGPT also acts as a brainstorming partner. Its ability to process vast amounts of information allows it to suggest new and varied approaches to a single topic or problem. This diversity is valuable when students are stuck with ideas or face challenges.

One friend of mine got stuck writing a report about climate change so he sought help from ChatGPT. After reading his current report, ChatGPT linked some sources such as the ICCP report and NASA’s climate site. ChatGPT then generated a brief outline of my friend’s report and showed how it could be more in depth. After that, this AI chatbot advised my friend to explore the economic impacts of climate policies and provided additional sources for research. By reframing my friends’ problems and linking useful sources, ChatGPT helped him dive deeper into his report.

Risk of misuse and exploitation

Since ChatGPT’s debut, teachers have worried that students will rely on ChatGPT to complete assignments without learning what they are supposed to.

Solution:

ChatGPT is not the only resource students could exploit—Google and social media are also places where students commonly steal others’ work.
Banning ChatGPT would not eliminate the problem of cheating or plagiarism. Crafty students would turn to other shortcuts for their assignments, causing an endless game of hide and seek.

To address this, educators should establish clear policies on acceptable and unacceptable uses of ChatGPT. For example, students could use ChatGPT for brainstorming ideas or seeking clarification but be prohibited from submitting AI-generated work as their own.

Englist, for example, established a plagiarism and AI use policy, setting up clear regulations for students on using AI as a tool. This not only prevents students from copying work from AI, but also teaches students how to work with AI more responsibly.

Inaccuracy of AI responses

While ChatGPT is powerful, it is not infallible. It can generate incorrect or misleading information, especially on controversial topics.

Solution:

Teachers should teach students the limitations of AI and how to correctly use it. Students must understand that ChatGPT can’t do everything and that if they try to use it incorrectly, they will face problems. ChatGPT is, after all, a language model, so it is not a good idea to feed it complex math questions.

Furthermore, this AI chatbot is not capable of having its own opinions. When considering contentious topics such as abortion or human cloning, ChatGPT is only going to analyze the pros and cons of these issues. Students must learn to identify some AI’s misleading content. This not only highlights the limitations of AI but also pushes students to develop critical thinking, an essential skill for navigating any resource.

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AI is not coming, AI is here.

Teachers can no longer stop students from using AI, so teaching students on how to use AI responsibly is the only way to stop it from being exploited.
One thing AI lacks is the “human touch”– empathy, encouragement, and the ability to connect with students on a personal level, which is why ChatGPT will never replace teachers.

However, students can use GPT to enhance their learning. Instead of banning ChatGPT, teachers should focus on helping students develop literacy, critical thinking, and tech skills to evaluate information from AI and other sources. Educators can also establish guidelines to ensure students use ChatGPT responsibly and effectively. By doing so, students can unlock the benefits of AI and have fun learning interactively.