ChatGPT, a written language software tool powered by artificial intelligence, is causing quite a stir everywhere, especially in higher education. Able to write poetry, essays, draft emails, and answer homework questions, many in higher education believe that students may use technology for assistance in writing essays and other course assignments.
“As an AI text generation tool, ChatGPT reflects an evolving and sophisticated technology that users describe as quite good and that will likely continue to develop,” says Jeffrey Duerk, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Miami. Duerk has encouraged faculty members to explore ChatGPT for themselves and understand its software capabilities and how it might be used in and outside of the classroom.
Professor Steven Moran, who teaches the Data Science of Language and Culture course in the Department of Anthropology, says that only a few students had heard of or used ChatGPT at the beginning of the semester.
“That changed very quickly given its hype, so I decided to explain how large language models work, how they can be useful, but also how they are flawed,” he says.
Disruptive technology—an innovation that significantly alters the way consumers and others operate—was perceived as a threat at first, such as calculators, CliffsNotes, and spellcheck.
“We all already use, and benefit from, many writing aids, such as spelling and grammar checkers,” says Moran. “More and more software incorporates text suggestions and auto-completion technology, and many students and faculty use products such as Grammarly to help make their writing more concise.”
Moran says professors at UM are likely to react to ChatGPT in different ways. “I think it will depend on the faculty and their approach to teaching,” he adds. “Some are finding innovative ways to incorporate it into their classes, while others are not.”
AI technology is growing at a rapid pace and although ChatGPT is currently the most popular chatbot, Moran says there are many other large language models out there, or in development.
“Regardless of how ChatGPT affects the classroom environment, it’s a powerful tool for understanding programming code, so I encourage its use for learning but also warn my students to use it with caution,” Moran says.
