Chatbots with artificial intelligence are becoming a trend in teaching and learning
In recent years, new artificial intelligence (AI) techniques have flourished that are used to generate content in various formats, such as images, short animations, and voice clips. We now have an AI-based text content generator, Chat GPT – a language model developed by OpenAI – in the spotlight as the AI ​​buzzword that will go viral on social media in 2023.
What is ChatGPT?
The acronym GPT stands for “generative pre-trained transformer” with content generated through user-machine chats, forming the name of the AI ​​language model. OpenAI developed ChatGPT in 2018, and the current model (GPT-3) can successfully generate human text for use in various applications such as chatbots, language translation, text summarization, and dialog generation.
In addition, ChatGPT can make inferences about the user’s emotions based on the text provided, words expressing feelings of frustration, sadness, happiness, etc. Conversely, if emotions are expressed using figurative language or in an implicit way, it is difficult to detect them. The use of artificial intelligence and natural language processing (NLP) has grown rapidly in recent years and has the potential to revolutionize the way languages ​​are taught and learned. Their ability to generate human text and understand context makes them a valuable tool for a wide range of applications.
How can ChatGPT be used for teaching and learning?
1. Content generation
ChatGPT can be used to generate content such as summaries, reviews and essays. It is also ripe for use as a virtual assistant for students to help them develop content for assignments; they just enter the keywords of the request or topic and within a minute the content is easily generated, similar to searching for information online. This represents a significant shift from the current Google era to a GPT-based era in the near future.
2. Virtual tutoring
ChatGPT can act as a virtual tutor, providing one-on-one tutoring to students and answering their questions in real time. The chatbot responds and is dedicated to only one user as a personalized text prompt, with no waiting and quick response with accurate feedback. For example, students who ask a math question can receive immediate and thorough answers/solutions from the virtual teacher.
3. Teaching languages
ChatGPT can also be used to help students learn a new language. For example, when providing translations, the tool can provide definitions of new words, create sentences, offer practice exercises, or even engage in conversation with students. It can also check student essays for grammar, vocabulary, and coherence.
Potential challenges in teaching and learning
1. Independent thinking
If we rely too much on technology, there is the potential to compromise students’ ability to think. With the tool’s rapid text generation and the ease of getting answers just by typing questions into the chatbot, this is potentially detrimental to one’s ability to think. It can also suppress a person’s ability to formulate answers independently. Thus, creative and critical thinking skills can be weakened if students become too dependent on a chatbot to provide them with answers. They can become passive learners in the sense that they “actively” get answers from the chatbot.
In addition, students may lack the ability to critically evaluate information provided by chatbots and instead simply accept and use potentially inaccurate information. This will cause problems in the learning environment if students are too dependent on the tool for learning purposes.
2. Copyright and plagiarism
The ubiquity of the Internet makes plagiarism a serious problem in the educational environment. The best way to solve this problem is to use detection software such as Turnitin, Grammarly, Quetext, etc. While the ChatGPT text is considered a “derivative work” of the data it was trained on, the copyright still belongs to the original author. Therefore, it is important that users run each content through plagiarism detection software before publishing to avoid the risk of copyright infringement.
If students submit assignments generated using ChatGPT, is this considered ethical? How should teachers assess students’ knowledge? Can content created by ChatGPT be distinguished from works created using only the human brain? These questions are worth pondering for every educator.
3. Misused or improperly processed data
There is no doubt that ChatGPT can be used to generate a lot of data. However, the impacts associated with the misuse or mishandling of this technology can have a number of significant consequences for our community and society as a whole. This includes text used to create fake news, propaganda or impersonate a political party. Therefore, users must take full responsibility for the content and use the application wisely and ethically.
Conclusion
We live in a world created by data and content. With the availability of AI chatbots, we can generate a lot of them with just a few keystrokes. ChatGPT is an undeniably powerful and versatile language model with the potential to revolutionize how we learn and interact with machines. As the Chinese idiom says, “Water can carry a ship, but it can also capsize it.” This expression is a reminder that everything has pros and cons, so it is important to be aware of the potential risks and take the necessary precautions. With this in mind, it is of utmost importance to use this tool in a responsible and ethical manner to ensure that the output is consistent with the desired use cases.
