Is it Ethical to Use ChatGPT for School?
In a digital world where technology constantly reshapes our lives, it’s natural to question the implications of new tools on education. Specifically, when we mention ChatGPT, the AI language model that exploded onto the scene in November 2022, the chatter about whether its use in schools crosses ethical boundaries becomes louder. Is it ethical to use ChatGPT for school? This question has garnered perspectives from educators, students, and institutions alike, and it demands a careful exploration.
The Rise of ChatGPT in Education
OpenAI launched ChatGPT with little fanfare regarding its potential and limitations, but it quickly became a phenomenon—especially among students. Usage statistics reveal a marked increase during term times, suggesting that ChatGPT has become a go-to tool for students seeking assistance with homework, projects, and more (Carr, 2023).
Teachers have mixed feelings. They appreciate the efficiencies it brings to administrative tasks, but there is a lingering suspicion that when students use the technology, they might be « cheating. » The International Baccalaureate (IB) has voiced its thoughts on this matter, likening the use of ChatGPT to referencing a traditional source, such as a website or book. However, they maintain that passing off the AI output as one’s original work is unethical (Glanville, 2023).
The crux of the matter lies in understanding how to adapt to this new educational landscape without sacrificing integrity. It’s clear that while students might use ChatGPT as a tool to sip from the fountain of knowledge, they must engage thoughtfully with it, lest they find themselves standing in a pool of questionable ethics.
Understanding the Ethical Dilemma
To dig deeper into the ethical conundrum of using ChatGPT for schoolwork, let’s first examine the IB’s stance. According to their guidelines, using ChatGPT does not inherently constitute cheating, provided students do not present its responses as their own. The distinction here is crucial. While any information derived from ChatGPT can serve as a reference point—just like a book does—there remains an expectation for originality and critical engagement with the content (Peter Merrick, 2024).
But here’s where it gets more complicated: ChatGPT is not an author in the traditional sense. It doesn’t create original thoughts, but assembles text based on probabilities and prior knowledge. This means that if students use AI-generated content without acknowledgment, they’re indeed passing off borrowed knowledge as their own. This situation draws a thin line between educational aid and academic dishonesty. Students must navigate this labyrinth carefully to uphold academic integrity.
The Role of Educators: Guiding Ethical Use
As tempting as it may be to pinpoint students as potential cheaters, the onus also lies on educators to set the tone for ethical AI usage in schools. Teachers must create an environment that encourages students to embrace the available technology as a means to augment their learning experiences. Instilling critical thinking skills is paramount. This involves not just consuming information, but evaluating, questioning, and applying it in unique ways.
Teachers can model effective usage by employing ChatGPT as a resource in their lesson plans—demonstrating the importance of reference, acknowledgment, and critical engagement with outputs. The idea isn’t to eliminate the technology from the classroom, but to integrate it responsibly. Imagine classes where a discussion revolves around AI-generated text, critiquing its logic, and using it as a springboard for further inquiry. If students learn to dissect and refine the information ChatGPT provides, they cultivate invaluable skills for their academic journeys.
When Engagement Meets Ineffective Use
Let’s face it: using ChatGPT effectively means having productive interactions with it. When students simply select the first response the AI provides without any further investigation or critical thought, that’s where the line of ethical use begins to blur. Engagement should be a dynamic conversation—a back-and-forth exchange where students prompt the AI, ask follow-up questions, and refine their understanding over time. This dialogic approach enhances learning and fosters genuine exploration.
The path to meaningful engagement with ChatGPT can be likened to a character arc in a film. A character’s journey carries weight because of the lessons learned, challenges faced, and growth experienced. Thus, the student’s journey should be less about reaching a final answer and more about navigating a process of inquiry and exploration. In this context, students can submit their threads of interaction with ChatGPT as part of their coursework, demonstrating not just their conclusions but the pathway they took to arrive at them. This thread encapsulates their engagement with the material, serving as an artifact of learning.
The New Frontier of Assessment
As education adapts to the rise of AI, so too must assessment methods. It’s increasingly clear that evaluating merely by the quality of writing—something ChatGPT excels at—is insufficient. How can we assess students effectively when their writing might not even be their own? Instead, assessments should focus on the reasoning behind the arguments presented.
To put it plainly: logic is an imperative skill that can’t be overlooked. ChatGPT can sometimes produce misleading information or “hallucinations,” which means that students must be diligent in fact-checking and cross-referencing. By emphasizing the importance of intellectual engagement and verification, educators can guide students to build robust, logical arguments rather than relying solely on the AI’s outputs. This shift in focus effectively transforms education from a destination into a journey of exploration.
A Work of Reflection: Show Your Work
One incredibly practical method to adapt assessments is to encourage students to “show their work.” This mantra from mathematics can easily translate into all subjects. Students would be rewarded not just for the conclusion they reach but for the thought process that gets them there. Allowing students to include their entire engagement thread as part of their submission provides a more holistic view of their learning journey.
Threads created in ChatGPT cannot be tampered with or altered, establishing an authentic learning artifact—something traditional essays often lack. This aspect makes assessment transparent and verifiable, ensuring that the learning journey is adequately captured. Besides, students can edit their threads to remove any irrelevant tangents or overly long responses, showcasing their ability to curate information and reflect critically. Skilled reflection becomes a valuable assessment criterion.
Conclusion: Embracing the Future Without Fear
The ethical implications surrounding the use of ChatGPT in educational settings needn’t be a source of anxiety. Instead, we can reframe the conversation. Students will undoubtedly use ChatGPT; our challenge as educators is to model how to use it wisely and effectively. The ultimate goal is to cultivate students’ critical thinking and logical reasoning abilities—not to vilify technology as some inevitable force of cheating.
While ChatGPT can serve as an excellent starting point for intellectual inquiry, it should never be regarded as an infallible source of truth. Continuous engagement, questioning, and the pursuit of answers amplify the educational experience. As we navigate this brave new world of AI, it’s important to align our methodologies and ethics to empower a generation of learners who can leverage technology to foster curiosity, exploration, and integrity in all their academic endeavors.