Jennifer Goodnow, an ESL instructor based in New York, employs ChatGPT to modify intricate readings for various student proficiency levels, crafting adaptations for both advanced and beginner learners alongside customized questions. Amanda Bickerstaff, a previous educator and CEO of AI for Education, underscores that instructors have historically required improved planning resources and now have AI to aid them.
Students with individualized education plans (IEPs), particularly those facing reading or processing challenges, stand to gain from AI. Educators may utilize it to streamline text, emphasize essential vocabulary, or segment information into digestible portions. Certain AI applications even provide visual or audio formats to enhance content accessibility.
Language arts instructors like Chamberlain, Johnson, and Goodnow perceive AI as advantageous yet demanding. Conversely, math instructors remain doubtful. Bickerstaff points out that large language models encounter difficulties with computation, and her team recommends against their use for math teaching. Instead, AI is applied for tasks such as creating slideshows and reinforcing vocabulary without resolving math problems directly.
Teachers are also leveraging AI to stay one step ahead of students’ engagement with the technology. Three years post the release of ChatGPT, educators acknowledge its incorporation into students’ submissions. Johnson recalls a scenario where a student misinterpreted an assignment, underscoring the importance of teacher vigilance.
Rather than prohibiting AI, educators are adjusting. Johnson has pupils compose essays in Google Docs, utilizing version history to monitor their progress. Chamberlain mandates planning documents alongside final submissions, while Goodnow contemplates having learners critique essays generated by AI.
Identifying AI usage poses a challenge, as plagiarism detection tools are inconsistent, and regulations are struggling to keep pace with technological advancements. There’s an agreement that students require AI literacy, which is presently deficient. Goodnow emphasizes the necessity for AI education and ethical discussions.
Established in 2023, AI for Education collaborates with US school districts to provide guidance and training regarding AI, concentrating on tool utilization rather than critical comprehension. Students can produce responses but often find it hard to evaluate their accuracy, bias, or genuineness. Johnson is crafting lessons focused on AI hallucinations to promote skepticism.
As AI applications advance, they reach younger audiences, raising apprehensions about their capacity to differentiate between fact and fiction. Bickerstaff cautions that excessive dependence on generative tools could impact children’s growth and perception of reality. Some students utilize AI not merely for assignments but as cognitive support, blurring the distinction between tool and tutor.
Educators view this fall as a pivotal moment, with innovative products and more astute students. Teachers are establishing guidelines before technology begins to dominate. Bickerstaff highlights the significance of equipping students for a future where AI plays an integral role.
Educators like Johnson and Goodnow are tackling this challenge, one prompt and one student at a time.
