ChatGPT has professors mentioning in their syllabus that using AI in the classroom is unacceptable. This raises the question of whether creativity is dying. Another question it raises is whether students are lacking in classroom environments. It is easy for a student to ask ChatGPT to write an essay or solve a problem by simply adding it to the chat box; in an instant, it has an answer for you. It is scary to think about, but I’m sure other benefits come from this, and I will be taking a closer look at how it affects students.
It’s important to think about how easy ChatGPT is to use; it is free to access, but other platforms ask users to pay. It makes one wonder that students have a lot of advantages these days, but that’s not always the case. Some students may be using it as a resource, and I started on the path to finding students who have used ChatGPT as a source of guidance.
I spoke to a student who has used the ChatGPT algorithm, which proves that not everyone cheats:
Q: How often do you use ChatGPT?
A: “I would say at least five times, depending on how much homework I get.”
Q: Would you say it’s helpful? If so, how?
A: “Yes, but sometimes it’s wrong. Even ChatGPT wrote that it was terrible. I was like, what the heck, but definitely look over it.”
Q: Do you think it’s affecting students?
A: “Just like every other website that gives you an answer, like, for example, Chegg, if it is used to get help, that’s fine, but if it starts being copying on the whole thing, then yes, it’ll be a problem. You can’t learn if you are copying everything.”
Q: Could ChatGPT take over one day?
A: “I wouldn’t say ChatGPT, but AI, there’s a higher possibility. In a way that feeding more information to it then it could get dangerous. It is Artificial Intelligence at the end of the day, just like movies have shown us that it took over their society. One of the things that freaks me out is the Tesla Robots, now that it is scary.”
In this way, one positive outcome is using ChatGPT as a tool and genuinely understanding it. However, I know cases where students have been using ChatGPT for their homework. In these situations, the real question we should be asking is why? Were there any other factors that led to this outcome? I’m not saying that using ChatGPT to do your work is correct, but instead of looking down badly on the students, their voices should be heard.
As I researched to interview someone who used it for their work, I came across a student. Here is what they have to say:
Q: How often do you use ChatGPT?
A: “At least every time I have homework.”
Q: Is it helpful for you?
A: “I think it is. ChatGPT should be used as a resource regarding examples or test practice. It does help me study and with my homework.”
Q: Have you ever used it to do your exams before?
A: “Yes, I did on my essay, which resulted in me getting a zero on my midterm. My professor was very compassionate and understood why I used it, and he was very patient. He mentioned how this has happened to other students, and I came clean about it when he asked me if I used ChatGPT to write my essay. I simply said yes. He said that other students were denying that they used it. Students kept saying, “That’s how I just write.”
Q: Why did you choose to do it in your essay?
A: “I didn’t make the time for it to write this essay, and the prompt was confusing. I was going through a long depressive episode, and I couldn’t bring myself to write it. The due date was coming up. As a last resort, I went over to ChatGPT. I felt terrible about doing this. I respect my brilliant professor, who worked hard for his degree. It got me thinking like I’m over here cheating. I knew this was bad. It’s not that using ChatGPT was terrible, but the essay itself was bad.”
Q: What advice would you give to students struggling or even tempted to use ChatGPT?
A: “Use it as a resource, not a quick fix. It’s better to get some points than no points on an assignment.”
Hearing from both sides positively and negatively impacts my perception of ChatGPT. Just like all social media, it has pros and cons. Ultimately, it depends on how we use it. Are you using it as a tool, or are you copying it? That’s for society to decide among themselves because it will affect you.
We must remember that the ethical use of ChatGPT and AI in education is crucial. We must use these tools responsibly and ensure they enhance learning rather than hinder it.