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Students and Teachers will be STUNNED by ChatGPT – Part 1

By Dr. Jonathan Cooley

As the world becomes increasingly digital, it's no secret that technology has had a significant impact on education. See my 2023 blog post How Technology is Revolutionizing Remote & International Teaching (https://wrinkledworld.com/technology-revolutionizing-remote-international-teaching/ ).

What is ChatGPT? Does it have weaknesses?

ChatGPT is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) language model developed by OpenAI. It has the ability to generate human-like answers to various questions.

 

Firstly, it's essential to understand what Chat GPT is and how it works.

 Briefly, Chat GPT is powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and can respond to user questions on a wide range of topics. It's designed to simulate a normal conversation and can provide insights into questions. 

 

It's important to remember that ChatGPT is not perfect and must be checked through supporting information. While it can be helpful in answering straightforward queries and providing background information, it's not a replacement for Critical Thinking skills or secondary and academic research. Therefore, it's crucial to use Chat GPT as a supplementary tool rather than a primary source of information.

 

According to a study published in the Journal of Information Science, some Chatbot users tend to view the Chatbot as an authoritative source of information and rely heavily on it [1,2,3]. This can lead to a lack of Critical Thinking as users may not question the accuracy or biases of the information provided by the Chatbot.

 

Chatbots use only their training database. A training database is all the information fed into the Chatbot during its machine-learning period. It needs this data for two reasons: i) to know what users are asking or saying, and ii) to know what to reply. To be effective, this requires a massive amount of information to understand user requests automatically. Therefore, Chatbots are only as good as the training they are given. That’s one reason it cannot provide current information. It relies on the large body of predefined internet text and other sources provided during its training. When asking for current articles or research results, I often find the most recent available information is two years old or older.

 

ChatGPT may not be able to distinguish between fact and fiction. While ChatGPT can generate plausible answers to questions, its limitations are that it is only as good as the data it is trained on. This data may include inaccuracies or biases which are then reflected in its answers. Its data is human-generated and it may also contain hidden biases. For example, if a user asks "Is the earth flat?" ChatGPT would provide an answer based on the training data, rather than considering the scientific evidence that proves that the earth is not flat.

 

Another limitation of ChatGPT is that it cannot understand context. It may give irrelevant answers or provide inappropriate responses in certain situations. This highlights the importance of Critical Thinking in evaluating the relevance and appropriateness of the answers generated by ChatGPT.

 

Students and Teachers should also consider the reliability and credibility of the sources provided by ChatGPT and cross-check the information with other sources. Therefore, users should not rely solely on ChatGPT for information. Instead, they should use it as a tool to aid their Critical Thinking and research skills.

ChatGPT Cannot Replace Critical Thinking (Yet!)

 

Critical thinking is a skill that can be developed through practice and education. Critical thinking is the ability to think rationally and objectively, and then evaluate various arguments, attitudes, perspectives, and evidence. It involves analyzing evidence, questioning the assumptions, and drawing logical conclusions. From those conclusions, the situation may require recommendations after considering alternative solutions, expected outcomes, and potential unexpected consequences of implementing the recommendation.

 

While ChatGPT is an impressive technology, it should not be considered as a substitute for Critical Thinking…at least NOT YET! But version 5 is slated to be released to developers in the fall of 2023, and all reports indicate it is much more powerful.

 

So how can students use Chat GPT responsibly?

 

The key is to integrate it into the study routine in a way that supports your learning without compromising your academic integrity.

Tips for Students and Writers

Here are some tips for students using Chat GPT ethically

 

1. Use it for Background Research: Chat GPT (https://chat.openai.com/ ) can be a helpful tool to use when you're trying to get a grasp of a new topic or concept. By asking Chat GPT some basic questions, you can quickly get an overview of the subject and identify key areas for further research. However, it's important to keep in mind that any information you get from Chat GPT should be verified through other sources. When working on research with ChatGPT, I always ask for the sources. This is very helpful to cross-check information.

 

For example, when writing a blog on US Debt, I asked, “How much was the cost of US Social Security in 2011? Can you provide sources?” This gave me helpful data as well as sources to confirm the research.

 

2. Ask Specific Questions: To get the most from any Chatbot or Chat GPT, it's best to ask specific questions that require thoughtful answers. Avoid vague or general queries that may yield incomplete or irrelevant information. You will then get more detailed and specific answers that can help deepen your understanding of a topic.

 

For example, when writing an article on technology and remote teaching, I asked, “What are five downsides of Technology Revolutionizing International Teaching?” It gave me a list of five to pursue further.

 

3. Do Your Own Critical Thinking: Don't rely on Chat GPT as a replacement for Critical Thinking. While ChatGPT can provide helpful information, it's not a substitute for the Critical Thinking process. It's important to use your own analytical skills when assessing the information you receive and consider alternative viewpoints before reaching a conclusion or recommendations.

 

4. Improve Your Writing Skills:  Similar to using the Grammarly tool (www.grammarly.com ) to improve writing and clarity, Chat GPT can also be a helpful tool for improving your writing skills. By inputting a question or prompt into Chat GPT, you can get a sense of how a well-written response might be structured. However, it's crucial to avoid copying any responses directly as this would be considered plagiarism.

 

For example, when putting together a course, I asked, “Create an outline for a six week course on Critical Thinking. Include assessment measurements each week and provide reading resources and video samples. Can you provide sources for these?” The outline gave me a great starting point and helped me organize my thoughts and potential content.

 

5. Keep Notes and Citations: When using Chat GPT, it's essential to keep detailed notes and citations of any information you obtain. This will make it easier to verify your sources later on and ensure you're not inadvertently plagiarizing. At the end of a question, ask “Can you provide sources for this information?” It will, but be sure to check those references. I have often found they are no longer accessible and may be from offline web archives.

 

Tips for Teachers and Educators

 

1. Educate students about plagiarism: What is plagiarism, why it is wrong, and how to avoid it.
2. Educate students to legitimate use of writing tools: An educated student is a better student. We all use tools like calculators, spreadsheets, and application software. These aren’t cheating, they are empowering. Writing tools like Grammarly (www.grammarly.com ) and ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/ ) can be viewed the same. Even the most successful writers edit their work or have editors to help them. These are not cheating – they provide the necessary review, value and improvements a teacher should hope students will learn.
3. Use plagiarism detection software: Software such as Turnitin (www.turnitin.com ) and Grammarly can detect plagiarism from existing sources. CopyLeaks software (https://copyleaks.com/ai-content-detector ) and other software applications can detect plagiarism from Chatbot and AI generated text and let the students know these tools will be used!
4. Check for students’ understanding: This is perhaps the most difficult part. How we assess students is a large, highly debated issue. Teachers can ask students to explain or present their work. Requiring students to identify their sources (if not just free creative writing) whether to academic citation standards or just a simple list can help ensure that the student didn't simply copy and paste.
5. Consider the expectation: If this is a creative writing course or one requiring academic rigor, one would want perhaps want stringent attention to plagiarism. If this is a business plan writing course, however, the ideas, concepts and supporting content is much more important than plagiarized sections.

 

Is plagiarism OK? If so, when? If not, Why Not?

 

I have written many business plans, raised money to start or buy a few companies, and advised clients to improve their businesses or raise funds through investors. The ideas, concepts and communication for these were much more important than any potential plagiarism. In fact, plagiarizing excellent content may have been better than trying to create my own original material. It was certainly faster! And cogent logic, arguments, and presentations were key.

 

I remember, however, being on a beach in Kauai, Hawaii and getting a call from my professor in one of my first Doctoral classes after my working many years in business. He asked, “What did you do when you wrote this paper?” I described my process of researching the topic, organizing the information, then copy-pasting some sections together, creating linking sentences, and doing a final edit so it would read smoothly.

 

He said, “I should flunk you for this or have you expelled for cheating! It is 60% plagiarized. Whatever you’re doing – stop it!” Once he understood my background, however, he let me rewrite the academic paper WITHOUT plagiarism. It was a real education.

 

I thoroughly understood business writing and consulting. Concepts, ideas, and selling the deal were more important than original content.  I just didn’t understand academic writing and no one had educated me to the differences.

 

Summary and Conclusion

 

Ultimately, using Chat GPT responsibly comes down to integrating it into a student’s study routine in a way that supports academic goals. Teachers should recognize that new technologies are here to stay and teach students how to use these powerful tools. Today, a house is designed and engineered with computers and built with tools. Errors are reduced. Work is more productive. These aids do not detract from the final structure; they facilitate a strong, useful, and safe house.

 

By using ChatGPT as a supplementary tool rather than a primary source of information and writing, it can get the most out of Chat GPT without compromising academic integrity. As the world continues to embrace technology in education, it's essential that students learn how to use resources like Chat GPT ethically and responsibly.

 

Chat GPT can be a valuable tool for students in universities who want to learn more about a topic and enhance their writing content and skills. Like Google and Baidu, it's crucial to utilize it without relying on it as a primary source of information. By following these tips, students and teachers can use ChatGPT to complement their learning and deepen their understanding of their subject matter without appearing to cheat or plagiarize.