With the introduction of the GPT3.5 AI to the world, the debate surrounding its integration in education has resurfaced, particularly in the K-12 segment. Reports suggest schools in various countries are banning the AI en masse, but a recent letter sent to parents by the Heritage International Xperiential School in Gurugram shows that schools in India’s megacities are rethinking the use of generative AI in the classroom. Educators are concerned about students using AI tools to complete assignments, leading to questions about cheating and distinguishing student-generated work from that of an AI tool. Some of the concerns raised include the impact on student learning and whether using AI means the end of the teacher’s role in the classroom.
While many schools are thinking of reaching out to their respective state or central boards to discuss introducing the technology, there is still a need for a regulatory framework to guide actions. The headmistress at a school in Hyderabad suggests appealing to the school boards to come up with a plan on which aspects of school work should be allowed AI assistance and how frequently, how to detect and regulate the use of tools like ChatGPT in assignments, and how to introduce these tools to students. Biswajit Saha, director of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), says that while ChatGPT has considerable application as a learning tool, the focus should be on students providing citations for the information it uses to generate answers. Furthermore, the tool can be used as a pedagogical aid for brainstorming alternative opinions rather than creating responses themselves.
While generative AI tools offer benefits such as reducing teacher workload and offering personalized learning opportunities to students, there is the danger of learners losing core skills, scoring marks without understanding concepts, and the need to keep up with those who are more tech-savvy. To mitigate these risks, industry insiders, such as Jaspreet Bindra, visiting faculty at the Department of Entrepreneurship at Ashoka University, believe that generative AI tools will help in the smooth integration of skill development courses at the K-12 level under the New Education Policy 2020. Consequently, schools need to adopt generative AI and adapt to keep pace with learners who have already moved past ChatGPT to more advanced alternatives such as ChatSonic, Jasper, and Notion AI.
In conclusion, schools need to embrace generative AI, and the need to evolve urgently necessitates a comprehensive plan of action by schools’ regulatory frameworks. The focus should be on building training modules that will educate teachers and students alike on the potential applications, limitations, and risks of tools like ChatGPT. This approach, coupled with ethical guidelines and policies, will ensure optimal usage of generative AI tools in educational contexts, improve human potential, and usher in a new era of learning.
