Today we looked at artificial intelligence (AI) in more depth than previously discussed. We started with GenType, a program created by Google Labs that uses AI image generation to create every letter of the alphabet based on user prompts. For the above prompt, I entered “Bubbles underwater,” and it created an alphabet based on that description. This can be a really fun thing to add to your slides or documents as a teacher, as it can easily match whichever lesson it’s used for.
We also discussed how AI is implemented into everyday life, such as algorithms on social media, recommendations on sites like YouTube and Netflix, suggestions in search engines such as Google, routes to take on Google Maps, and much more. These are examples of predictive AI.
We got the chance to play around with ChatGPT as well, and we discussed some of the reasons why AI is not favoured by many. My cohort spans from people who are highly optimistic about AI, such as myself, to people who are avidly against it. I have my own concerns about certain aspects of AI, such as how image generation uses any given artist’s work without their permission, however I also understand that it’s here to stay and it is something we cannot ignore in our classrooms based on our personal biases. It is incredibly important that we educate our students on safe and responsible use of programs such as ChatGPT and other text and image generators. This could involve bringing a professional into our classroom, discussing the subtle biases in these programs, informing about it’s detrimental environmental misuse, being mindful of our reliance on it, and explaining how it works to students who are otherwise unaware of these points.
As teachers, it is very possible that we will one day face being presented with an assignment that was completed by AI. As students, it is also possible that we’ll one day be accused of using AI on an assignment when we have not. These are situations very new to our society as AI this intelligent has only been available to the public for a few years now. One way to get around this, as a student, is you can show your document in history in Word and Google Docs. As a teacher, we can make the learning assessment based more around their process rather than their outcome. This may be one way we can get around students sneakily using AI and we can ask them unique questions about their own personal learning that is other unanswerable by something like ChatGPT.
I’ve included a video below about a school in Newark, New Jersey that has brought AI into their classroom. Here they can teach students about AI in a safe environment, where if any misconduct is done with the AI by a student, an alert is sent to the teacher. While I would still want to be the one in control of my student’s learning, I believe programs like this will become more and more commonplace around school districts in the future.
CBS News. (2024, February 22). AI education tools are helping students learn, grow and gain confidence [Video file]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIPZyXuD5XM