To Use or Not to Use: ChatGPT as a Teaching Tool

Believe it or not I first heard about Chat GPT from students. It came about as I was giving feedback and was in the process of praising a particularly well-written assignment.  The other students began protesting and claimed that the writer  had cheated using Chat GPT. They found it unfair that he was getting credit for something they claimed he didn't do.

Later that day, I broached the topic of AI use  with colleagues and was surprised to find that not only had they known about ChatGPT (and other AI) but had been using it themselves in their teaching practice. Many of them had even found themselves in a similar situation as well. 

Over the next few weeks I explored ChatGPT and different AI. I found out that ChatGPT is a conversational AI that can generate human-like text responses based on the input it receives. What I had found was a tool that could revolutionize Language education.

This was months ago and I was like a child with a new toy. It's made things so easy! I've used it for Language practice, literary analysis like generating questions, prompts and discussion starters and as a writing assistant. Its use in creating  personalized learning experiences has been a game changer. I could definitely understand my students' excitement in getting their work done in the snap of a finger.

But there was always a seed of discomfort and conscience in my own use of GHAT GPT. I felt like it was dishonest. It didn't take me long to put my finger on the problem, as my frustration grew with students who ignored the lessons I had taught and the effort we had both put in.  This dilemma reached its peak when  I gave independent work and gradually released responsibility to them only for them to ignore it all and blatantly turn to Chat GPT.

So instead of trying to beat them, I joined them in embracing ChatGPT. I included ChatGPT in my teaching, using it as a teaching tool in my lessons. My initial lessons focused on the sparking discussions about critical thinking, plagiarism. 

The lessons were well received although many students (I later realized) saw it as a clever way to ‘outsmart’ teachers. These lessons provided the opportunity to spark discussions about the ethical use of AI and the issue of plagiarism. They also provided opportunities for engaging in debates and honing persuasive techniques.

Many colleagues were of the mind that if they did not know about it, why show them and create problems for ourselves?  Others, like myself, were of the mind that if the tool was already out there being used by them why not meet them where they were? Why not equip them to ethically navigate a world flooded with technology?

Teachers are no longer gatekeepers of knowledge. Our duties now include ensuring that our students are able to ethically use the tools available to them and to help them discern facts and critically think about all the information they have to navigate on a daily basis.

Copyright © Lana. S. 2024