HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — Brittany LeMay is wrapping up her school year teaching high school biology and environmental science in Hampton Roads.
“Most teachers are ending their final units around now,” LeMay said. “They're really getting into review mode.”
At the same time, she's caught wind of new AI (artificial intelligence) technology that’s catching the attention of her students: ChatGPT.
It’s a tool that can create text on demand for users.
News 3 asked LeMay what she thought of the tool.
“I think, whenever there's new technology, there's a predisposition of people to have a little bit of panic about morality,” she said.
The tool has spurred concerns about cheating.
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According to the online learning platform Study.com, as of February 2023, individual school districts in six states, including Virginia, have banned ChatGPT.
In Virginia, at least one school district, Fairfax County Public Schools, has banned the tool from devices.
ChatGPT was also a talking point at Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s CNN Town Hall back in March, where he said he believes more school districts in the Commonwealth should ban it.
“I think we should just be clear about what our goal of education is, which is to make sure that our kids can think,” Youngkin said. “If a machine is thinking for them, then we're not accomplishing our goal.”
The National Education Association (NEA) shared data from a recent survey by Study.com showing 43 percent of educators feel the program will make their jobs more difficult.
The survey also found 33 percent of teachers believe ChatGPT should be banned in all schools, and 26 percent of teachers have caught a student cheating using the tool.
Gregg Tennefoss, the IT Dept. Chair at Tidewater Community College, has been keeping tabs on AI technology.
“It's a really good tool to use to cheat,” Tennefoss said.
He believes concerns over ChatGPT don't necessarily revolve around testing, but rather written assignments.
“It's like writing CliffsNotes to write a paper,” Tennefoss said. “You've just got the quick summary, so the student is not getting the learning experience of doing the research and making their own opinions and that type of thing. They're getting the opinion of a computer.”
Both LeMay and Tennefoss said there are resources to help spot red flags, like Turnitin.com, which has AI writing detection capabilities.
According to Turnitin, they only flag something as AI-written when they’re 98 percent sure it is written by a machine.
“We have lots of resources to determine if it was written by some sort of bot versus a child,” LeMay said.
Meanwhile, the same Study.com survey showed some teachers believe ChatGPT could help students improve skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and data analysis.
“I think this is not the end of authentic learning,” LeMay said.
LeMay hasn’t seen ChatGPT used in her classroom yet, but she believes it can be an asset for students and teachers.
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“This is not a huge crisis, but rather, this is an opportunity,” LeMay said. “Maybe we put more emphasis on the pre-writing process. Maybe we put more emphasis on handwritten notes and showing us an outline... and if you're going to put it into that program, let's revise what they write us. Let's look at what has been given to us, and maybe let's see what errors this AI has provided for us.”
Meanwhile, the Associated Press published a statement from OpenAI earlier this year stating, "We don't want ChatGPT to be used for misleading purposes in schools or anywhere else, so we're already developing mitigations to help anyone identify text generated by that system."
For Tennefoss, he believes educators and families should be cautious.
“It is a good tool,” Tennefoss said. “You just have to use it properly.”
LeMay is looking forward to how it can help in the future.
“I would just challenge you to find one fun way to use it in a low-risk situation, and just see, is it awful or is it not? Because no one is going to believe it unless they experience it firsthand,” LeMay said.
News 3 reached out to all school districts in the Seven Cities about how they’re handling ChatGPT in their high schools.
A spokesperson for Hampton City School sent News 3 the following statement:
“While Hampton City Schools has not blocked access to OpenAI, we continue to monitor its use and the developments in the AI industry specifically in regards to academia, potential AI misuse, and possible opportunities for teaching students how to use such technology responsibly. Our division’s digital literacy instruction covers a wide spectrum of proper uses and potential misuse of technology, evaluation of sources and the like, and will continue to evolve to meet the challenges and engage the benefits of AI in academia. In order to protect the systems we have in place, HCS cannot share specifics regarding tools that are capable of detecting plagiarism. However, we can share that we work closely within our industry and with our peers to keep abreast of the latest developments. We are also aware that more and more industries are using AI and are looking for students who are prepared to use it ethically and effectively. We are therefore considering how to give students the opportunities to explore appropriate use cases with AI, such as ChatGPT.”
A spokesperson for Virginia Beach City Public Schools told News 3 the district is not ready to speak to us about ChatGPT since it hasn’t been discussed with their board yet.
News 3 also asked ChatGPT if the technology should be used in high schools.
The following is a response by ChatGPT:
“The decision to use ChatGPT or any similar AI technology in high schools should be carefully considered, taking into account various factors. Here are some points to consider:
Educational Objectives: Determine whether the use of ChatGPT aligns with the educational goals and objectives of the high school. Assess whether it can enhance student learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Ethical Considerations: Consider the ethical implications of using AI in high schools. Ensure that the technology respects privacy, protects student data, and avoids biases or discrimination.
Pedagogical Integration: Explore how ChatGPT can be integrated into the curriculum effectively. It should complement existing teaching methods and enhance student engagement and understanding, rather than replace human instruction entirely.
Teacher Training and Support: Provide adequate training and support to teachers to effectively use ChatGPT in the classroom. Teachers should understand the limitations, strengths, and potential risks of the technology to guide and facilitate student interactions.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Establish mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating the impact of ChatGPT on student learning outcomes. Regular assessment can help identify areas for improvement and ensure that the technology is being used appropriately.
Balanced Approach: Maintain a balanced approach by utilizing ChatGPT as a tool rather than a complete replacement for human interaction. It can be valuable for certain tasks, such as research, information retrieval, or language practice, but should not overshadow the importance of human connection and mentorship.
Student Well-being: Consider the potential impact on students' social and emotional well-being. Ensure that the use of ChatGPT does not isolate students or hinder their ability to develop interpersonal skills and empathy.
Ultimately, the decision to use ChatGPT in high schools should involve a thorough evaluation of its benefits, limitations, and potential risks, while keeping student well-being and educational objectives at the forefront.”
