I must confess that as a teacher I find the new Chat GPT fascinating and useful (if you haven't tried it yet, go for it right now and continue reading later!). The Internet is full of mixed opinions regarding this new tool in education, because students could cheat blatantly in their essays. But... should they?
At first, Chat GPT brought back some childhood memories. Back in the day there was an MS-DOS chatbot called Herbie and, for the 10 year old kid with no knowledge of computers I was, Herbie was impressive and fun. At first I would chat as if there was a real person at the other side, but my curiosity made me try to find out how it really worked. I'd make mistakes on purpose, I would try paraphrasing to see whether the response would be similar and, once I felt confident, I decided to get into the code in an attempt to figure out how it really worked. Of course that path didn't take me further than opening the .exe as a .txt and go whoah dude. However, there was indeed a .txt with a list of phrases and expressions Herbie would use to interact with the user and, as I supposed, the program would link them to other sets of words based on its interactions. And of course, the eureka moment came when I confirmed that this .txt file would grow in size whenever there were interactions, which meant I could edit it, adding vast amounts of words and expressions. Although it didn't exactly work as I expected...
So back to Chat GPT, after asking it several questions about my TFM and feeling amazed at how great it was to receive a full-page, perfectly written essay on one particular aspect of my paper, I started wondering where its limits were. Herbie's memories gave me the clue: paraphrasing!
So I asked the same question with different words, and the answer was always practically the same (note: color-coded content):
Me: Could memes be used in education?
Chat: Yes, memes can potentially be used in education as a way to engage students and make learning more enjoyable. Memes are often humorous and relatable, which can help students connect with the material and retain information more effectively. Additionally, memes can be a useful tool for making abstract concepts more concrete and understandable. Of course, it's important to use memes responsibly and make sure they align with your educational goals. You should also consider the age and maturity level of your students when using memes in the classroom.
Me: Are memes a good tool for education?
Chat: Whether or not memes are a good tool for education will depend on several factors, including the specific educational goals you are trying to achieve and the age and maturity level of your students. In general, memes can be a useful tool for engaging students and making learning more enjoyable. They can also help students connect with the material and retain information more effectively. However, it's important to use memes responsibly and make sure they align with your educational goals. You should also consider the potential downsides of using memes in the classroom, such as the risk of offending some students or distracting from the lesson at hand.
Me: Why should I use memes in education?
Chat: There are several reasons why you might want to use memes in education. First and foremost, memes can be a great way to engage students and make learning more enjoyable. They are often humorous and relatable, which can help students connect with the material and retain information more effectively. Additionally, memes can be a useful tool for making abstract concepts more concrete and understandable. For example, you could use a meme to illustrate a complex idea or provide a real-world example of a concept that might be difficult for students to grasp. Finally, using memes in the classroom can help to foster a positive and inclusive learning environment, as long as they are used responsibly and in line with your educational goals.
What we can infer from this is that Chat GPT has a programmed syntax that allows it to structure sentences and add connectors, so all it has to do is to find the target bits of information from its sources and form a message. Sounds simple, but it's surely not.
However, as a teacher this is a huge relief, because the fear I read about on the Internet of how our students are going to use this to cheat on essays and exercises just goes away. How so? Well, say you have 30 students and they all have to write an essay on one particular subject. If only two of them asked Chat GPT a "similar" question, both of their essays would contain (most probably) at least one sentence in common. And when I say two students, I mean: me as a teacher and only one student out of 30, you don't need more than that. So I'd inform my students, first of all, that one sentence in common will be enough to fail the subject.
On the other hand, Spanish teenagers don't write like Chat GPT and so receiving a perfectly written and structured text like this would sound all the alarms of any teacher who pays attention to their students' work.
What Chat GPT is an incredible tool for is explaining concepts. Each new question can offer new bits of information and it can be applied to practically every subject. For example:
Me: C++ code for an Arduino project on how to make a theremin.
Chat: Here is some sample C++ code for an Arduino project on how to make a theremin:
const int pitchPin = A0; // pin for pitch control
const int volumePin = A1; // pin for volume control
void setup() {
// initialize the pitch and volume pins as inputs:pinMode(pitchPin, INPUT);
pinMode(volumePin, INPUT);
// initialize the serial port:
Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop() {
// read the pitch and volume inputs:
int pitch = analogRead(pitchPin);
int volume = analogRead(volumePin);
// map the pitch and volume values to the appropriate range for the theremin:
pitch = map(pitch, 0, 1023, 200, 800);
volume = map(volume, 0, 1023, 0, 100);
// output the pitch and volume values to the serial port:
Serial.print("Pitch: ");
Serial.print(pitch);
Serial.print(" Volume: ");
Serial.println(volume);
// use the pitch and volume values to control the theremin:// (implementation details will depend on your specific theremin design)
}
This code reads the pitch and volume inputs from two potentiometers connected to the Arduino, maps the input values to the appropriate range for the theremin, and then outputs the values to the serial port. You can use this information to control the theremin in any way you like (e.g. using piezo speakers, LED lighting, etc.). Keep in mind that this is just a sample code, and you will need to adapt it to your specific theremin design.
Isn't this extremely awesome? It's even worth trying to figure out whether the code really works (a possible Christmas project!).
So... should I worry as a language teacher? 100% not. It's quite easy to find cheaters out. Would I encourage my students to use this tool? 100% yes, just not to cheat. It's a great tool to gather information and it can speed up the work process incredibly.
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