ChatGPT in the Classroom: Educational Tool or the End of English Class?

What Is ChatGPT and How Is It Used in Education? 

Recently, online AI (artificial intelligence) art generators dominated headlines. In January, Getty Images filed a lawsuit against Stability AI, who own the AI art generator Stable Diffusion. The lawsuit claims that Stability AI scanned copyrighted material licensed by Getty Images. Three artists also sued Stability AI, as well as Midjourney and DeviantArt, for their use of Stable Diffusion in January. Now, with ChatGPT, AI generators turn to text. But ChatGPT doesn’t just pose dangers for writers and copyright laws. Many educators believe that AI text generators are dangerous for education too. Is there room for AI tools like ChatGPT in the classroom? Or do such apps signal the end of English education altogether?

ChatGPT in the Classroom

In a recent Education Week article, Mark Lieberman surveys the changes ChatGPT has already made on the educational landscape. Though ChatGPT is far from infallible – Lieberman mentions mathematical errors and incorrect wording – it’s already used for numerous applications, from “legal contract writing and search engine optimization to Alzheimer’s research.” Lieberman quotes a teacher as saying ChatGPT could soon be “as ubiquitous as Wikipedia and calculators” in the classroom. However, Lieberman states that many educators worry the app will stunt student motivation in English classes. Also, it goes without saying that ChatGPT greatly complicates the issues of plagiarism and cheating. In fact, New York City schools now prohibit both teachers and students from using ChatGPT in the classroom. The Today Show recently aired a segment featuring concerns about ChatGPT and cheating.

LearnSafe Helps Students Learn Safely

Whether you welcome ChatGPT in the classroom or think it has no place there, it’s easy to agree that students should be safe online. That’s especially important with apps like ChatGPT, as its filters do not always catch inappropriate content. While content filters on school computers do keep students from accessing content that may be harmful, they are easily bypassed. Screen monitoring software like LearnSafe detects these risks, working hand-in-hand with content filters to keep students safe.