Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1500904
W H E N S O M E S C H O O L D I S T R I C T S across the state banned the use of ChatGPT shortly after its release in late-2022, there were widespread fears of the impact on educa- tion. Only eight months later, many educators are lauding its applications in the classroom and encouraging colleagues to accept and embrace generative artificial intelligence (AI) as a teaching and learning tool. ChatGPT, which stands for Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer, is an artificial intel- ligence chatbot that is not only able to have a (semi-) human conversation with users, it can write and debug computer programs, compose music, write essays, answer test questions and translate and summarize text, among other appli- cations. Calling it the "Industrial Revolution of Education," instructional coach Brenda Richards says the technology will redefine how education looks and feels. "ere is no going back to a pre-ChatGPT time," says Richards, a member of El Centro Secondary Teachers Association. "I think we truly need to embrace 'how are we going to prepare students for the future?'" A 31-year veteran educator, Richards sup- ports fellow educators in her current role and is excited about generative AI's potential as a tool to help teachers. While she understands the valid concerns about ChatGPT being used by students to cut corners or cheat, Richards says many educators are using the emerging technol- ogy to redefine teacher productivity, utilizing generative AI to perform tasks that don't fill their cups so there's more time for those that do — AI for self-care, she says. "A lot of teachers are concerned AI will replace them as an educator, but you can't replace human interaction with a machine," Richards says. "It's important that we invest in learning more about AI and how to use it." AI saves teachers ' time So far, Richards has enlisted the help of ChatGPT to write learning targets in student-friendly language, create assessment questions, pro- vide examples and non-examples of concepts, and other applications that allow educators to focus on the relational aspects of teaching. She's eager to see educators build professional learn- ing groups and networks about generative AI to share, inform and support each other in learning how to use this technology to support students. "Some of our best learning occurs when we teach each other," she says. San Jose high school governm ent t each er Jayson Chang is also focused on ChatGPT's use in professional development and teacher retention. He says the chatbot is a powerful tool for getting ideas about topics or lessons, and the potential applications ChatGPT in the Classroom By Julian Peeples The Future of Education? "There is no going back to a pre - ChatGPT time. We truly need to embrace 'how are we going to prepare students for the future?'" —BRENDA RICHARDS, El Centro Secondary Teachers Association 15 J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 3 Feature