Conversational AI has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about education. For example, at Noodle Factory, we use conversational AI in our Walter platform to provide AI-powered teaching and learning assistants to teachers, trainers, and students. These assistants perform a variety of tasks: consolidate course content, create lesson plans, create knowledge bases, offer personalized tutoring, provide online course assistance, moderate virtual study groups, and more.
One of the significant benefits of using conversational intelligence in education is that it can be tailored to the unique needs of individual students and better match individual learning style preferences. This personalized approach to teaching can significantly improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the learning process.
Another benefit of using conversational AI in education is that it can be available 24/7, allowing students to get help and support when needed. This is especially useful for students taking online courses or who may not have access to traditional teaching resources.
Conversational AI in education is certainly NOT without controversy or concerns. For example, some schools and school districts, such as the New York and Los Angeles school districts, have banned the use of ChatGPT on their networks. While I understand this type of reaction, many metaphors come to mind. the genie is out of the bottle, Pandora’s box is opened, the ghost is out of the car. it may be a better strategy to manage the use of these tools than to ban them altogether. In fact, this is a conversation I had with an investor today when I was explaining our approach to using conversational AI-specifically GPT-3 powered tools in the structured environment that Noodle Factory’s Walter platform provides, not just leaving the students to their own devices. encounter correct information and/or answers “in the wild”.
Think of previous innovations that were originally seen as the “beginning of the end” for learning: the calculator, the personal computer, the spreadsheet, the Internet, and search engines (particularly Google, to name a few).
When the calculator was first introduced, it was seen as a potential threat to traditional methods of teaching and learning mathematics, particularly in relation to the use of the slide rule. The slide rule was a mechanical calculating tool widely used in schools and universities to perform mathematical calculations, including multiplication, division, and root extraction. It was seen as an important tool for students and professionals in a wide range of fields, including engineering, science and mathematics.
However, when the calculator was invented, it was quickly found to be much faster and more accurate than the slide rule for performing various mathematical calculations. This has led some people to worry that the widespread adoption of the calculator will lead to a decline in the use of the slide rule and other traditional methods of teaching and learning mathematics. They argued that the calculator would make it too easy for students to perform complex calculations, leading to a decline in their ability to understand and apply mathematical concepts. However, over time the calculator became widely accepted as a valuable tool for teaching and learning mathematics, and it is now a standard part of the educational landscape. The calculator has also helped make complex mathematical calculations more accessible to a wider range of people and has played a role in advancing the study and application of mathematics in various fields.
Personal computers were initially considered a potential threat to education because they offered a wide range of new capabilities and tools that would almost certainly disrupt traditional methods of teaching and learning. For example, computers have made it possible to deliver educational content in new and innovative ways, such as through online courses and multimedia resources. This has led some to worry that the widespread use of computers will lead to a decline in more traditional methods of teaching and learning, such as lectures and textbooks.
When spreadsheets were introduced, they were also seen as a potential threat to traditional teaching and learning methods, especially on business and financial topics. Spreadsheets, in particular, were seen as a powerful tool for organizing, analyzing, and presenting data. However, some educators worried that their widespread adoption would lead to a decline in understanding of the basic business, financial, and mathematical concepts that underlie the experience of using accounting books and financial statements.
Overall, the introduction of spreadsheets and personal computers significantly changed the teaching and learning of business and finance subjects, and they had a lasting impact on education more broadly. However, these technologies have also had many positive effects on education, such as making it easier for students and teachers to access and share information, and enabling more personalized and interactive learning experiences.
The advent of the Internet and search engines like Google significantly affected education, and a number of concerns and fears accompanied their widespread adoption. One concern was that the Internet and search engines would make it too easy for students to access information, which could lead to a decline in their ability to think critically and independently. Some argued that the Internet and search engines would create a “culture of laziness” where students would rely on them to do their thinking, rather than develop their own knowledge and skills.
Another concern was that the Internet and search engines would make it easier for students to plagiarize or cheat on assignments and tests. With the vast amount of information online, some people worried that it would be difficult for teachers to make sure students were using their own ideas and words rather than copying from online sources. This led to fears that the Internet and search engines would undermine the integrity of the education system and the value of academic degrees.
Overall, the Internet and search engines have had a complex and multifaceted impact on education. While they have made it easier for students and teachers to access and share information, they continue to raise a number of concerns and challenges regarding critical thinking, plagiarism, and the role of technology in education.
TurnItIn and other plagiarism detection tools have helped encourage academic integrity in education by empowering teachers and instructors to identify and address instances of plagiarism in their classrooms. Using these tools, teachers can check the originality of students’ work and make sure they are using their own ideas and words, rather than copying from online sources or other sources of information.
Additionally, using TurnItIn and other plagiarism detection tools can help educate students about the importance of academic honesty and the consequences of plagiarism. Using these tools, teachers can help students understand the value of using their own ideas and words and encourage them to develop their own original work.
As with the advent of tools like TurnItIn, over time, conversational AI tools can be used as valuable tools in education to encourage academic integrity, prevent the spread of false information, and limit the spread of harmful information by providing students with resources to help them. check information for accuracy, detect instances of plagiarism, and participate in online discussions in a responsible and respectful manner.
Here are three possible examples.
- Prevention of plagiarismConversational AI tools can be used to detect instances of plagiarism in student work. For example, a chatbot or virtual assistant can be programmed to analyze the content of a document and compare it to a database from other sources to detect instances of copied content.
- Fact checkingConversational AI tools can help students verify the accuracy of information they encounter online. For example, a chatbot or virtual assistant can be programmed to provide students with reliable sources of information on a particular topic or to help them verify the accuracy of a particular claim.
- ModerationConversational AI tools can help moderate online discussions and prevent the spread of false or harmful information. For example, a chatbot or virtual assistant can be programmed to monitor online conversations and flag comments that contain inaccurate or harmful information or provide students with resources to help them assess the credibility of information.
The use of artificial intelligence in education should not simply be accepted “as is” or uncritically. As with anything new or not well understood in an educational context, we need to ask tough questions about the use of conversational AI in teaching and learning. However, as with other technological innovations of the past century, we must aim to realize the potential of these tools by protecting them from misuse or harm.
Overall, the future of conversational AI in education looks bright, and it has the potential to significantly improve the way we teach and learn. If we can adequately manage the way out of the genie bottle, the contents of Pandora’s box, the ghost out of the car, or whatever your favorite analogy is, then our teachers and students are the ones who will benefit if we let them. :
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We hope you enjoyed our series on GPT-3. If you did, be sure to tag us and share the post on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
Read the third post in this series here. GPT-3 and I. Opportunities and Risks of Artificial Intelligence in Education (Part III)
We are also excited to announce that we will be adding GPT-3 capabilities to our award-winning AI learning platform, Walter. Join our waiting list! to get early access when it launches.