AI is the second big sell. It depends on the earlier one, so successful that it is almost unrecognized: that education is the acquisition and expansion of a Stack o’ Facts, and that creation is reshuffling and redealing a Stack o’ Facts.
Never been a fan of AI or used it. I think perfectly fine on my own. And I also keep tabs on my checkbook register including my debit card use. Frankly, remembering how to add and subtract is a vital resource. Not everything that makes life easier, is better.
As a teacher Susan, are resources available to you to detect AI use in a student paper? I know universities used to have software to detect plagiarism. Just for fun, ask it to write something for you, and then ask it to write the same thing as a 5th grader, as Audre Lorde, as a certain imbecilic president…or as a college student (10 times smarter than the aforementioned), and it’s kind of fascinating to hear AI capture different voices. I’m exploring it because it’s there, but not using it except for emails that involve layouts and lists, and for photo editing. I’m going to do some writing about the latter, but trust I’ll use my words, not ChatGPT for that. I think to be a teacher now with AI out there able to be trained to sound like you, must be a nightmare. It takes cheating (and not thinking) to a whole new level. Guess we’ll see a return to blue book writing assignments w/o access to phones. That might be the only way to truly evaluate.
We have the technology to detect AI as we have the technology to detect plagiarism. I had a situation just this past semester that went all the way to a dean. The student was naughty, tried to cover it up, and ended up dancing dangerously close to academic dismissal.
I use ChatGPT at work to polish up letters, emails, or social media posts. I give it what I’m trying to say, and it spits it out in a way that I think “that’s it!”. This has always been a problem for me (I think so anyway) and it puts it in the right order, or maybe just confirms my thoughts and makes it pretty. I’m 65, I deserve a break!
Students are short-circuiting their cognitive development and that, of course, is precisely what the research is demonstrating, but there is also a problem for older adults--like me. I'm 71. What's that expression?: Use it or lose it. Cognitive short-cuts are very tempting (a temptation to which I succumb with some regularity), but using one's brain has been demonstrated to slow cognitive decline. I really hate numbers, and am not at all good with them, but I make a point to do basic calculations in my head. Where one draws the line is what we all need to consider and, as Susan says, not judge the choices of others.
I agree. The polishing piece around simple tasks is pretty amazing. I’m still exploring its uses but for what you’re describing…pretty amazing and harmless.
Thank you thank you thank you! AI chatbots drive me nuts. Having instructed humans of various ages I’m able to simplify things so that different learning capabilities and styles may easily grasp complex concepts. Not so with chatbot. I truly believe that my pets have a better grasp of language than chatbots. Our problem is employers are replacing HR humans, insurance customer service agents etc with ai. AI makes employee work schedule and assignments with no regard for human capabilities or training. It’s “cheaper and easier” but not for us …
I've thought more and more than AI is taking precedence because people have become too damn stupid and have lost the ability to think, research, and reason.
I haven't spent more than 50 years honing my writing skills to be supplanted by ARTIFICIAL intelligence.
As a teacher of MANY years, I remain skeptical of AI and have my expressed concerns often. Sadly, I fear Pandora has already left the box. What’s more, “The question is, do we really want to allow a few powerful tech companies to manage these problems [caused by AI]?”
When ChatGPT was shiny new and available to the public, I tried it by giving it a few facts and asked for a story about those facts. I was amazed at the speed at which it responded, but one thing that it couldn’t do was sound like me and the way I speak. I’m guessing a teacher would be able to tell the difference, as well.
There will always be ‘that student’ that gets someone else to write their essay or do their homework, but ChatGPT makes it so much easier for kids to do it themselves. I concur that consistent use of this latest tech miracle could make a brain lazy and sluggish. It scares the hell out of me and I fear for the future of education if there isn’t a way to reign in its use.
To be honest, I don’t need the technology to spot the use of AI, for the most part. I rather quickly learn a student’s writing style so using AI is dumb.
But the challenge will be increasing. Many years ago when I taught, one of my C students turned in the draft of an A plus speech for a contest. I knew he didn’t write it. The principal read it and said “his brother wrote this. He’s a Yale grad who is a speechwriter on the staff of Senator xxxxx.” SO we brought in the parents insisted that their 10th grader wrote it. Ultimately the boy was allowed to make the speech at the contest and I was very happy when a kid from another high school won.
I do not envy teachers having to deal with papers written by AI and parents who will defend the use of same or that their kid wrote the paper on his own.
Agreed. If you know your student's "voice", you'll notice an immediate difference. I also had conferences with students regularly during inquiry paper/project assignments to discuss their work - AI can't help them in discussions.
Another thought. Before my husband retired from the feds, he was a part of hiring and read what prospective employees wrote (and the newly hired) in their job samples. It was shocking how badly they skewered the English language! Adults writing like grade school children. He had to make corrections in their reports. It was ridiculous. And this was before AI. It is sad.
Good to know, and definitely relevant. Who would want our bifurcated educational system (rich/poor, science-based/religious-based) to make people less capable of critical reasoning and independent thought?
I'm right there with you. And I despair as I see my university administration embracing it, and even a fair number of colleagues who should know better. It's gotten me really depressed and eager for retirement.
AI is the second big sell. It depends on the earlier one, so successful that it is almost unrecognized: that education is the acquisition and expansion of a Stack o’ Facts, and that creation is reshuffling and redealing a Stack o’ Facts.
Stack o’ Facts. Stealing that.
Never been a fan of AI or used it. I think perfectly fine on my own. And I also keep tabs on my checkbook register including my debit card use. Frankly, remembering how to add and subtract is a vital resource. Not everything that makes life easier, is better.
Amen. Just because we CAN do something isn’t an indication that we should.
Meanwhile book banning continues....SMFH!
Go figure.
Funny, I was just about to send you this link about AI's threat to the national power grid.
https://streetstocker.com/ai-data-center-electricity-demand/
Oh wow. Hadn’t seen that and thank you.
As a teacher Susan, are resources available to you to detect AI use in a student paper? I know universities used to have software to detect plagiarism. Just for fun, ask it to write something for you, and then ask it to write the same thing as a 5th grader, as Audre Lorde, as a certain imbecilic president…or as a college student (10 times smarter than the aforementioned), and it’s kind of fascinating to hear AI capture different voices. I’m exploring it because it’s there, but not using it except for emails that involve layouts and lists, and for photo editing. I’m going to do some writing about the latter, but trust I’ll use my words, not ChatGPT for that. I think to be a teacher now with AI out there able to be trained to sound like you, must be a nightmare. It takes cheating (and not thinking) to a whole new level. Guess we’ll see a return to blue book writing assignments w/o access to phones. That might be the only way to truly evaluate.
We have the technology to detect AI as we have the technology to detect plagiarism. I had a situation just this past semester that went all the way to a dean. The student was naughty, tried to cover it up, and ended up dancing dangerously close to academic dismissal.
I use ChatGPT at work to polish up letters, emails, or social media posts. I give it what I’m trying to say, and it spits it out in a way that I think “that’s it!”. This has always been a problem for me (I think so anyway) and it puts it in the right order, or maybe just confirms my thoughts and makes it pretty. I’m 65, I deserve a break!
I’m sitting over here not-judging. But the use of AI for schoolwork still bothers me.
Oh definitely!
Students are short-circuiting their cognitive development and that, of course, is precisely what the research is demonstrating, but there is also a problem for older adults--like me. I'm 71. What's that expression?: Use it or lose it. Cognitive short-cuts are very tempting (a temptation to which I succumb with some regularity), but using one's brain has been demonstrated to slow cognitive decline. I really hate numbers, and am not at all good with them, but I make a point to do basic calculations in my head. Where one draws the line is what we all need to consider and, as Susan says, not judge the choices of others.
This is an excellent point. Those of us who are a bit older need to be working that brain like a muscle.
That’s where a daily dose of the New York Times’ games come in for me!
I agree. The polishing piece around simple tasks is pretty amazing. I’m still exploring its uses but for what you’re describing…pretty amazing and harmless.
Thank you thank you thank you! AI chatbots drive me nuts. Having instructed humans of various ages I’m able to simplify things so that different learning capabilities and styles may easily grasp complex concepts. Not so with chatbot. I truly believe that my pets have a better grasp of language than chatbots. Our problem is employers are replacing HR humans, insurance customer service agents etc with ai. AI makes employee work schedule and assignments with no regard for human capabilities or training. It’s “cheaper and easier” but not for us …
Where did I read an article about a person went to a job interview and that was conducted by AI? That’s just freaky.
Seriously?? I would be out of there in a New York minute!
I've thought more and more than AI is taking precedence because people have become too damn stupid and have lost the ability to think, research, and reason.
I haven't spent more than 50 years honing my writing skills to be supplanted by ARTIFICIAL intelligence.
Exactly. I write better than a computer.
Brainless is as brainless does. Forrest Gump, riffed. 😎
As a teacher of MANY years, I remain skeptical of AI and have my expressed concerns often. Sadly, I fear Pandora has already left the box. What’s more, “The question is, do we really want to allow a few powerful tech companies to manage these problems [caused by AI]?”
https://ctnewsjunkie.com/2023/05/15/op-ed-has-artificial-intelligence-escaped-pandoras-box/
Excellent link and thank you.
When ChatGPT was shiny new and available to the public, I tried it by giving it a few facts and asked for a story about those facts. I was amazed at the speed at which it responded, but one thing that it couldn’t do was sound like me and the way I speak. I’m guessing a teacher would be able to tell the difference, as well.
There will always be ‘that student’ that gets someone else to write their essay or do their homework, but ChatGPT makes it so much easier for kids to do it themselves. I concur that consistent use of this latest tech miracle could make a brain lazy and sluggish. It scares the hell out of me and I fear for the future of education if there isn’t a way to reign in its use.
To be honest, I don’t need the technology to spot the use of AI, for the most part. I rather quickly learn a student’s writing style so using AI is dumb.
But the challenge will be increasing. Many years ago when I taught, one of my C students turned in the draft of an A plus speech for a contest. I knew he didn’t write it. The principal read it and said “his brother wrote this. He’s a Yale grad who is a speechwriter on the staff of Senator xxxxx.” SO we brought in the parents insisted that their 10th grader wrote it. Ultimately the boy was allowed to make the speech at the contest and I was very happy when a kid from another high school won.
I do not envy teachers having to deal with papers written by AI and parents who will defend the use of same or that their kid wrote the paper on his own.
It isn’t fun but come ON. Shortcuts often don’t work out.
Agreed. If you know your student's "voice", you'll notice an immediate difference. I also had conferences with students regularly during inquiry paper/project assignments to discuss their work - AI can't help them in discussions.
That’s what I figured. But that won’t stop them from trying the easy way out.
Another thought. Before my husband retired from the feds, he was a part of hiring and read what prospective employees wrote (and the newly hired) in their job samples. It was shocking how badly they skewered the English language! Adults writing like grade school children. He had to make corrections in their reports. It was ridiculous. And this was before AI. It is sad.
That’s sad. Writing is strictly another way to communicate and we should be emphasizing it more.
Good to know, and definitely relevant. Who would want our bifurcated educational system (rich/poor, science-based/religious-based) to make people less capable of critical reasoning and independent thought?
I'm right there with you. And I despair as I see my university administration embracing it, and even a fair number of colleagues who should know better. It's gotten me really depressed and eager for retirement.