After 3 months of scrutiny, it seems like interest in AI writing models is waning somewhat. And that's fine. It's also natural; there are plenty of other distractions out there; most people don't write on a daily or even weekly basis. I have been reading about what some teachers are using it for, as well as professionals such as lawyers or marketers.
This doesn't mean people aren't still trying to cash in. I've seen a few wild claims about killer apps and offers to train people...for a fee of course. Once the novelty wears off for anything, it's a little easier to see its quirks and flaws and realize it's not going to solve all our problems...maybe a few in the immediate future, but even then, probably not without some trade-offs. Given that one of those "problems" is homework, it's clear that AI writer-bots are probably going to join the other forces of plagiarism out there (free essay sites, bad paraphrasing tricks, your friend's brother, etc.) I haven't experimented with generating text with/for students just yet, but I am wading into it before too long. The idea is to give them something to critique and a chance to reflect on how they can still surpass machines.
This week I'm back on to AI writing in the classroom. Maybe there will be some more sparks flying next week, but it's been a taxing semester and I'm game for something low-key. (And for spring break.)
"Teachers and students warm up to ChatGPT," Jennifer A. Kingson for Axios, March 7, 2023
This bulleted-list-heavy piece parses out some data from a recent survey. Among the findings is teachers' habit of using it to generate lesson plan ideas-- not just to copy them, but for a bit of inspiration. That's a great use.
"Teachers use ChatGPT more than students, a study finds,"Mark Sullivan for Fast Company, March 3, 2023
This refers to the same survey. But I'm a fan of two takes on the same topic for breadth of coverage, and each of the articles covers a few different findings. Given what both say, I've had two revelations. 1) It is TOO HARD to use the internet at large-- Google's results are ad-heavy, and so are too many sites it returns. 2) People want to know stuff and come up with stuff, and they will use different media to get what they want.
"This professor asked his students to use ChatGPT. The results were surprising," Sabrina Ortiz for ZDNet, February 22, 2023
Full disclosure: I have not yet demo'd ChatGPT with my students. We've talked about it briefly, but I need to find the right situation. I liked the guide this professor provided because it dispels that 'conversational' feeling that many of us have had when using AI writer-bots. Getting students to be more and more specific leads to better thinking.
"Microsoft, Google-Backed Group Wants to Boost AI Education in Low-Income Schools," Dina Bass for Bloomberg, March 7, 2023
You can't have a discussion about education or technology without considering access, or a lack of it. Should we embrace about teaching AI? I don't see how we can't.
"How AI Could Transform Email," Reece Rogers for Wired, March 1, 2023
Mostly we just want to know if AI-spawned email will reply-all. So out of the box.
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