Educators at the Sam Sharpe Teachers‘ College in Jamaica are advocating for the use of AI and ChatGPT, a newly-developed chatbot, in the classroom. The lecturers discussed the pros and cons of these technologies during a symposium titled ChatGPT & AI: The Sharp Argument, which attracted over 150 online participants, faculty, and students.
During the symposium, Head of the Mathematics Department, Konor Peters, outlined the purpose and development of artificial intelligence, predicting how it would develop in Jamaica. Peters said AI would be like a psychic to humanity helping to write reports and speeches and providing facts. He also posited that AI would disrupt some industries, but not fully paralyze them, leading to paradigm shifts in education, entertainment, tourism, design, and engineering.
Kerry-Ann Kerr-Williams, a research officer, stated that overuse of AI tools could interfere with the development of brain cells, but teachers could create guidelines for the use of AI in the classroom. Lecturer Leroy Fearon showcased the advantages of using ChatGPT as a tool for creating content and brainstorming on new ways to disseminate information. Fearon implored educators not to run from technology but to embrace it.
Ricardo Bennett, the Principal of Sam Sharpe Teachers‘ College, commended the symposium’s conversation and commented on how important it is to begin talking about what the future of education will look like and how technology will influence the way teachers train future generations. Bennett stated that they must embrace the available technology to serve students better.
In conclusion, Sam Sharpe Teachers‘ College is embracing the use of technology to improve education practices, which according to the Principal, will contribute to ensuring that the educators provide students with the best possible education, create more efficient classrooms, and innovative teaching techniques.
