Teaching Writing With AI

Writing teachers will be interested in this piece because it explores how ChatGPT, one of the world's most advanced machine learning and language processing models, can be used as a tool in the classroom to enhance teaching and learning. The article emphasizes that education is more than just the correct answers or perfect essays and that AI will create opportunities that were unimaginable a year ago. The article suggests five ways classroom teachers can use ChatGPT, including   using it as a starting point for discussions and deeper analysis,  generating articles at different reading levels,  suggesting activities and lesson plans,  focusing on the process instead of the final product, and  providing project-based learning scenarios.  The article also recommends the use of a Flipped classroom model to offload instructional videos as homework and free up in-class time for discussion and performance assessments. Ultimately, the article encourages teachers to...

According to a March 6, 2023 opinion piece in the Chronicle of Higher Education by Beth McMurtrie, while some academics are concerned that generative AI like ChatGPT will encourage students to take shortcuts and present the work of AI as their own.  Others see potential for ChatGPT to help students and professors brainstorm,  to kick-start an essay,  to explain a confusing idea, and  to smooth out awkward first drafts.  McMurtrie points out that institutions must consider how to address academic integrity concerns posed by the use of AI tools, such as detecting cheating and preserving academic integrity. To respond to these concerns, colleges are creating campus-wide committees, teaching centers are rolling out workshops, and some professors are producing newsletters, creating explainer videos, and crowdsourcing resources and classroom policies.  Academic-integrity experts suggest that educators teach students about the potential of AI tools and their ethi...

Noam Chomsky's 3/8/23 NYT op-ed discusses the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and how machine learning programs like OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Bard, and Microsoft's Sydney can generate human-like language and thought. While these programs are helpful in narrow domains, they differ significantly from how humans reason and use language. This, in turn, limits their ability to replicate the capabilities of the human mind, including intellectual insight and creativity.   Chomsky argues that the hype surrounding AI is misguided and that investments should focus on understanding human language and knowledge instead. He suggests that the current state of AI is both comic and tragic, with significant attention and money concentrated on something trivial compared to the human mind's infinite capabilities. Citation:  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/08/opinion/noam-chomsky-chatgpt-ai.html

The article mentions Donnie Piercey, a fifth-grade teacher in Kentucky, who has embraced the artificial intelligence tool, ChatGPT, as a teaching tool. Many educators are concerned about the potential for cheating and plagiarism. Piercey, however, believes it is his job to prepare students for a world where knowledge of AI will be required.  One exercise Piercey uses -- Students are pitted against ChatGPT in a writing game. Students summarize a text about a topic and then try to guess which summary was written by the chatbot.  Piercey says that he is less concerned about cheating and plagiarism than high school teachers. However, many educators around the country say districts need time to evaluate and figure out the chatbot but also acknowledge the futility of a ban that today’s tech-savvy students can work around. The chatbot quickly became a global phenomenon after its November launch, and rival companies including Google are racing to release their own versions...

Dubey and Shen point out how Canadian teachers and professors are introducing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in their classrooms, with some embracing AI chatbot ChatGPT. One educator, Brendan Benson, who teaches English at Pickering College in Newmarket, Ontario, has used ChatGPT to help students write essays.  Students were asked to submit transcripts of their conversations with ChatGPT and explain what they learned about the writing process.  Meanwhile, Patrick Parra Pennefather, an assistant professor in the department of theatre and film at the University of British Columbia, used ChatGPT to help students write a play in the style of William Shakespeare.   However, some educators remain wary of the ethical risks, such as intellectual property and plagiarism, raised by using AI in the classroom. Citation: Dubey, Ritika, and Nono Shen. “ChatGPT in the Classroom: Why Some Canadian Teachers, Professors Are Embracing AI .” Global News , 4 Mar. 2023, http...

Ohio University's Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment is exploring the potential benefits and risks of using ChatGPT, an AI-based chatbot, in higher education teaching and learning.  ChatGPT was lauded for its ability to generate high-quality text,  to assist with personalized study materials,  to support language learning, creative writing prompts, and research projects. However, ChatGPT's potential for misuse in terms of academic integrity, lack of originality, reduced critical thinking, dependence on technology, ethical concerns, inadequate feedback, privacy concerns, and lack of human interaction in the classroom has also been highlighted. The Center is inviting faculty to participate in the development of resources on this technology, including attending panels and faculty learning communities, sharing teaching tips, and participating in conferences. Citation: “ChatGPT and Teaching and Learning.” Ohio University , Mar. 2023, ohio.edu/center-teac...