Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become such an integral part of our daily lives that it can be difficult to recall what life was like before its widespread presence. In just the last few minutes, we’ve likely interacted with AI through various means, such as facial recognition, text editing, autocorrect, map navigation, social media, and e-payments, to name a few.

Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about ChatGPT, discussing its advantages and potential drawbacks. ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence language model that is designed to respond to users prompts and questions in a human-like conversational manner. It’s likely ChatGPT and other AIs similar to this will soon become a component of our daily lives.  

At ISY, we are very aware of the transformative potential AI brings. As a result, our teachers have been actively exploring innovative ways to harness the capabilities of ChatGPT. Below are some concrete examples of how ISY teachers have recently used ChatGPT and other AI tools to enhance the quality of their lessons.

2. Customized Learning with Mr. Nixon: Mr. Nixon, one of our third-grade teachers, used ChatGPT and DALL·E to craft a book aligned with the social studies unit incorporating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He provided ChatGPT with specific criteria and created a book tailored to students’ reading levels, with targeted vocabulary and ideal length. He also used DALL.E, another AI platform, to create the illustrations.

The teachers at ISY are actively engaged in a continuous learning journey, attending workshops both in-school and online to deepen their understanding of AI. These workshops provide valuable insights and strategies for educating our students about the world of AI. As we immerse ourselves in this realm, we are also in the process of developing a structured approach to integrate AI into our educational practices. This approach aims to equip our teachers to educate our students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate and utilize AI effectively and ethically as it becomes a more dominant presence in the world. 

ISY has developed a pragmatic approach to integrating ChatGPT and similar technologies into student learning, summarized by the acronym ISY LEARNs

• Limitations: ISY acknowledges that all technology, including ChatGPT, has limitations. While ChatGPT can be utilized in various ways to enhance student learning, such as personalized learning experiences and language skill improvement, it lacks human common sense and emotional intelligence. It may generate inaccurate or biased information, and it should not be considered a replacement for human intelligence.
• Expectations: ISY maintains a commitment to academic integrity and expects students to produce genuine and authentic work. We recognize the potential for technology like ChatGPT to facilitate cheating, so we employ anti-cheating software and emphasize teaching students about academic honesty and the consequences of plagiarism. Building trusting relationships and providing feedback during the learning process reduces the temptation and opportunity to cheat.
• Assistance: ISY teachers evaluate whether the technology assists in producing genuine and authentic work. ISY teachers carefully consider when and how to integrate technology into the learning process, ensuring that it enhances rather than replaces students’ skills development. For instance, ChatGPT can be used to generate ideas and provide feedback to support the development of writing skills. However, it cannot be used to replace the skill of writing.
• Responsibility: ISY places a strong emphasis on using technology responsibly and ethically. We are aware of the potential biases in ChatGPT’s responses and aim to identify and counteract these biases. ISY teachers teach objective research skills to evaluate the credibility and relevance of information, promoting responsible and ethical use of technology.
• New Knowledge: ISY recognizes the potential of ChatGPT and similar technologies to be used as tools for acquiring new knowledge and skills. ISY believes that educational technology should ultimately help students learn and acquire new knowledge, and this alone determines whether it should be integrated into the learning process.

ISY LEARNs underscores the importance of leveraging technology for educational purposes while being mindful of its limitations, ensuring academic integrity, and promoting responsible and ethical use to help students learn and acquire new knowledge and skills.

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