On November 30, 2022, an invention was released that would completely alter the way humans write and communicate forever: ChatGPT. For the past year, colleges and schools worldwide have been struggling to cope with the invention of essay-generating AI. Westminster is not exempt from the list of schools that have needed to face the new reality brought on by ChatGPT and as a result fear and anxiety have spread throughout the community.
“It’s very tempting for students to use when they’re stressed to cut corners which can undermine critical thinking and learning the writing process,” said Gina Rosenberg, Upper School English and Drama teacher when questioned about her thoughts on the entrance of ChatGPT into the Westminster community.
It’s no secret that Westminster is an academically rigorous school. Students get loaded with tons of homework assignments every night and it’s understandable that it would be very tempting to take the easy way out on a tedious task like writing an essay. In light of students’ temptation to use ChatGPT, teachers have had to adapt their methods by which they assess their students’ writing capabilities.
“So ultimately what’s ended up happening over the course of last spring is that we will end up doing a lot more in class essays.” said Cherie Johnson, a high school English teacher at Westminster Christian Academy.
This unfortunate change in essay writing has not only led to increased test anxiety among the general student body, but it’s also tanked the grades of students who struggle with writing on demandand need time to process their thoughts before putting them down on paper.
Although the invention of ChatGPT has clearly had a negative impact on the process of developing critical thinking and writing skills, it can also be a helpful tool in the classroom that makes it easier for teachers to manage their classrooms.
“Personally, I’m pro-ChatGPT when it comes to small things. I think that it can be a very helpful tool when it’s used for miniscule tasks, ” relates Mrs. Rosenberg.
Despite its negative effects, perhaps ChatGPT can still find a place as a helpful tool in the classroom. Many teachers in the Westminster community have already begun to pioneer ways to use ChatGPT practically, such as for planning events, as Mrs. Rosenberg did with the staff Christmas party last winter. Furthermore, there are other applications of the AI tool in the classroom that have yet to be explored, such as lesson-planning, creating examples for projects, and perhaps even paper grading some time in the near future.
The hard truth is that this AI has been introduced to the world, and now that its usage has become widespread in highschools across America, there’s no going back. Although AI has garnered a bad reputation over time, perhaps it can actually have a positive impact on our world. One thing is for sure, AI technology will continue to advance in the coming years, and the further it advances, the further it will change the education system and the world as we know it.
