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What's All the Chatter about ChatGPT

Steve Freedman
ChatGPT is a language processing tool that uses artificial intelligence to generate responses to input (prompts). It has been proposed that ChatGPT should be banned from schools due to concerns about its potential negative impact on children's learning and development. However, there are several reasons why ChatGPT should not be banned from schools and how it can actually enhance a child's learning.

First and foremost, ChatGPT can be a valuable educational tool.  It can serve as a valuable tool for language learning and language practice. As a language model, ChatGPT is able to generate human-like text and can be used to help students improve their language skills. This can be especially useful for children learning a second language, as they can use ChatGPT to practice their language skills in a conversational setting.

It can be used to facilitate learning by providing personalized, real-time feedback to students. For example, a student who is struggling with a particular concept can use ChatGPT to receive immediate clarification and assistance. This can be especially helpful for students who may not feel comfortable asking for help in front of their peers or who may not have access to a teacher at all times.

In addition, ChatGPT can be used to supplement traditional teaching methods. It can provide students with additional resources and information that may not be covered in the classroom. This can help students to delve deeper into a subject and to explore topics that interest them. Furthermore, ChatGPT can help to develop critical thinking skills in students. By interacting with the tool, students must analyze and evaluate the responses they receive. This can encourage them to think more deeply about a topic and to consider multiple perspectives.

While it is important for students to be aware of the limitations and biases of language models like ChatGPT, using the tool can also help students develop the skills necessary to critically evaluate the information they encounter online. By engaging with ChatGPT and learning how to ask questions and evaluate its responses, students can learn how to apply these skills to other online sources as well.

Finally, ChatGPT can be used to facilitate collaboration and teamwork. Students can work together to use ChatGPT to generate ideas, plan projects, or complete assignments. This can foster teamwork and collaboration skills that are essential for success in the 21st century.

The benefits of using ChatGPT in a school setting far outweigh the potential risks. By promoting language learning, critical thinking, and collaboration, ChatGPT can enhance a child's learning and prepare them for success in the digital age.

Interestingly enough, the above seven paragraphs are a blend of two versions of the same prompt that I asked ChatGPT to write. The exact prompt was, “Write an essay on why ChatGPT should not be banned from schools and how it can enhance a child's learning.”

After it wrote the first essay, I asked it to regenerate the essay, and another version was written.  Then, with very little editing, I blended the two essays, but I did not edit its structure, grammar or word choice. The whole process took under ten minutes.

This exercise demonstrates the potential power AI has for content writing. However, it doesn’t capture my voice or writing style. Since the purpose here is to illustrate the use of the tool and its power, I did not rewrite it. However, if I were to use it to support my efforts in writing blogs, I would only use it as a first draft.  It would require me to edit it in my voice, check the accuracy of the content, and when appropriate, add my opinions, and Jewish perspectives. 

While I think ChatGPT generated some valid reasons not to ban it in schools, I do think educators and parents need to take the time to thoughtfully consider how it could be used as described above and how to educate our students to use this tool ethically and appropriately. We have been down this road before.  First with calculators, which initially were not received well in schools either, and then with the Internet.  We can all agree that these tools have many more benefits than they do negatives, but in each case we have had to learn to use them wisely, and as it pertains to the Internet and social media, we still have a lot to get right.

At Schechter Bergen we have begun these conversations about ChatGPT and we look forward to sharing our response to the use of ChatGPT with our students and community once we decide on how to use it responsibly so it benefits our children. Because even ChatGPT acknowledges its own limitations, admitting in its own words that “it is important to recognize the limitations of ChatGPT and other chatbots, and to consider how these technologies can be used ethically and responsibly.”
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Comments

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  • Limor Hakimian
    If you can't beat them, join them This is the future And I agree with you that the best way is to teach them to use it in the right way
  • Howard Rosenberg
    Michael Allen make good points for ChatGPT use as a technical tool. Certainly, it could have a place. Still, beyond its goals for technical/occupational development, "Education" is best served when it encourages creativity. Generally, creativity is difficult = the result of a long and dedicated commitment to work. ChatGPT is a tool. It is no better nor is it worse than the manner with which it is used.
  • renee Van Naarden
    Well, well, well very interesting points you make.
  • Michael Allen
    Thank You! As a technologist I truly appreciate your take on this. Your approach of seeing new technology through the lens of how it can be helpful instead of how it can be abused is truly refreshing. While the potpourri of social media platforms (FaceBook, TikTok, Instagram etc.) and their toxic effects on children and adults alike seem to be all too often ignored by parent's, ChatGPT's countless use cases offer tremendous potential in wide areas of education ranging from writing to coding to art.
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