Nadine Barrett-Maitland | Implications of AI models for education

Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly with releases such as ChatGPT, BingAI and CaktusAI, give the impression that educators can be replaced. In fact, one Internet survey showed that 64 per cent of respondents believe educators will eventually be replaced by AI. This is neither likely nor desirable. But, rather than treat AI as a threat, we should embrace the opportunities it brings and create a policy-driven framework to manage its inclusion in how we teach and learn.

The educational process involves deliberately choosing methods and activities aimed at unearthing ideas that are suppressed in the mind. Education improves knowledge and aims to develop the whole man. The result of education is intelligence, which The Oxford Dictionary defines as “the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills”. Today, developers of AI systems try to mimic human thoughts and behaviours. Yet, it is difficult, if not impossible, to assign a value to represent human values and choices. The biological processes that inform human intelligence still set us apart from machines.

The role of educators goes beyond knowledge acquisition. Good educators are mentors, motivators, counsellors, friends and cheerleaders. They not only share knowledge but inspire and encourage their students. Most of us remember that teacher who significantly impacted our lives. For the most part, these individuals planted seeds within us that motivated us to be the best version of ourselves. Can a software program replace that personal touch?

The ChatGPT chatbot uses the Internet crude or big data to deliver knowledge based on machine learning techniques. ChatGPT can provide responses for questions for all levels of the Bloom’ s taxonomy. It can write essays, solve equations and write codes. This latest development in AI has sparked many debates in the education domain. ChatGPT can be a useful tool for students and educators, it provides a wide range of information across various disciplines. It offers various suggestions and will provide comparisons and analyses for these viewpoints. The language model can write computer codes and even derive logical solutions using proofs /theorems . Students and facilitators can use this tool to expand knowledge and get explanations that can broaden their understanding. However, responsible use of this resource is most important.

POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS

ChatGPT can produce incorrect results. The developers acknowledge this drawback. Another limitation is that the information it has is only current up to 2021. Additionally, the information generated by the language tools includes pre-existing biases. Demographic, ethnic and racial biases are just a few that have been discovered.

ChatGPT is not all-knowing and there are mixed results from the use of the model. Reports indicate that ChatGPT scored between a B- and a B on a Wharton MBA exam, and provided “excellent” responses. Conversely, it created a puzzle game called Sumplete but investigation by Digital Trends revealed that the game was not new.

Overdependence on AI models/systems can reduce critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The application of knowledge and skills is an important variable in the education process. This highlights concerns by the neo-luddites who suggest that technology allows humans to shirk responsibility for their actions. Instead, they allow computers to think for them and rely on computer systems over human judgement.

Overuse of AI models can have far-reaching negative impacts on the quality of our graduates. We will be graduating ‘human robots’ who are just able to regurgitate knowledge but have not developed the capacity to use this knowledge effectively. This will be reflected in their ability to reason and solve problems independently. The overuse of technology has been proven to cause social awkwardness and antisocial behaviours. Technological advancements in the last decade have changed how humans interact. For many digital natives, working with computers seems more natural than interpersonal interactions. Mark Bauerlein, in his article in the Wall Street Journal titled ‘The Dumbest Generation’, claims young people in the digital age are less likely to develop the silent fluency which comes from face-to-face interaction, because of the time spent online.

The switch to remote learning during the recent pandemic saw a significant rise in plagiarism. Students used sites such as Chegg and CaktusAI, along with many other soft bots, to complete mathematical and English-based assessments. AI language tools have added more avenues for academic dishonesty. There are intellectual property issues with the use of some of these tools. The responses generated by the ChatGPT model do not provide citations. When the model is used with BingAI, it is difficult to find the references to the original sources using the links that are created. There is fear in the academic research domain that references may be fabricated, leading to several scientific journals banning or restricting the use of ChatGPT and similar tools in the writing of academic papers.

ADOPTION TO DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT

Regardless of the challenges, AI is here to stay. Though some universities have banned the use of ChatGPT, the appropriate response is to encourage responsible use. The Ministry of Education and academic institutions in Jamaica need to articulate clear guidelines on how these tools should be used. Additionally, a framework that stipulates what percentage of the work can be taken from these language models may help. Policies similar to those used in turning it in, that outline what percentage of similar work is acceptable, can be a starting point. Students should be encouraged to include proper citations for submitted work. And let us not forget that these tools are also available to academics and teachers. The need for policies outlining how these tools can be ethically used to support instruction and testing is clear. We should not remain silent on this matter and be reactive to this development.

Nadine Barrett-Maitland, PhD, is a senior lecturer at the School of Computing and Information Technology, University of Technology, Jamaica. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com