ChatGPT and AI will have a lot of impact in the education sector

Students on computers in a research lab. ChatGPT is equipped to provide valuable guidance and support. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

The issue of Artificial Intelligent (AI) evokes different reactions around the world. We are aware that Germany has become the latest country to launch a probe into its use, citing security issues.

Earlier, Italy became the first Western country to ban the chatbot. Globally, there have been increasing calls to regulate AI. Will this really stop its use? Let’s take time and think of its impact.

An Indian Express article on technology says that within five days after its launch, ChatGPT hit the one million users’ mark. It took Netflix three and a half years and Spotify five months to reach that mark. According to the latest available data, ChatGPT had 173 million users by April 2023.

The question many people have about ChatGPT is why it matters in education sector. What is ChatGPT? According to a report by Fedewa J, 2023; ChatGPT is an advanced language model powered by the GPT-3.5 architecture developed by OpenAI. It represents a significant leap forward in natural language processing and understanding. ChatGPT has been trained on a vast amount of data, encompassing diverse sources such as books, articles, and websites up until September 2021.

This extensive training has enabled ChatGPT to grasp a wide range of topics and generate human-like responses in conversational settings. With its ability to comprehend context, ChatGPT excels in understanding and generating coherent and relevant text. It can engage in dialogue, answer questions, provide explanations, and even offer creative suggestions. Its proficiency in multiple languages allows it to communicate effectively with users from different linguistic backgrounds.

Accurate responses

A virtual meeting organised by COL in Namibia on June 22, 2023 affirmed the importance of the use of AI and ChatGPT in education. It has the ability to understand and generate human-like text, making it useful in a variety of conversational scenarios. Secondly, ChatGPT can provide quick and accurate responses, assisting users with information, answering questions, and engaging in meaningful conversations. With ChatGPT, users can access information and receive assistance without the need for human intervention.

This saves time and resources. For example, ChatGPT in customer care services support can handle a high volume of inquiries simultaneously. It should be noted that ChatGPT has its share of disadvantages.

The responses of ChatGPT solely rely on the data it has been trained on, and it may occasionally provide incorrect or misleading information. It lacks the ability to critically analyse or fact-check the information it generates, which can lead to inaccuracies or propagate biased content. It can sometimes produce irrelevant or nonsensical responses, requiring users to rephrase their questions or provide additional context.

This limitation can hinder effective communication and frustrate users seeking specific or complex information. Ethical concerns also arise with the use of ChatGPT. As a language model, it can be manipulated to generate harmful content, misinformation, or engage in malicious activities such as phishing attempts or spreading hate speech.

The use of ChatGPT in education is immense. As an advanced language model, it can greatly assist students with their homework. Whether it's a complex math problem, a challenging essay prompt, or a confusing concept in science, ChatGPT is equipped to provide valuable guidance and support.

Students can simply ask questions or seek explanations, and ChatGPT can generate detailed explanations. It should also be noted here that ChatGPT can work as a virtual tutor, giving explanations, responding to inquiries, and giving advice on numerous topics.

Students can communicate with Chat GPT to ask questions, get answers, or solve problems. A good example was demonstration by BBC News that showed how students switched to AI to learn languages. ChatGPT can offer study advice, help with homework, and provide personalised learning recommendations.

To complete academic tasks, students and researchers need to find pertinent and trustworthy material, which can comfortably be provided by Chat GPT. Lesson plans, tests, and other forms of educational content creation are all things that ChatGPT can help educators and teachers with.

It can provide suggestions, model questions, and feedback on the effectiveness or structuring of the information. With ChatGPT, students can receive support by receiving advice on sensitive personal issues. It can participate in discussions, pay attention to complaints, and offer options for mental health care.

ChatGPT, however, has its share of risks. These include; over reliance on technology, temptation of students to use ChatGPT to answer questions without reference to the authors, leading to academic dishonesty, security and privacy issues among others.

To establish good mitigation measures, there is a need to establish clear standards and teach educators and students how to use ChatGPT successfully, and supplement AI-based interactions with human help and oversight.

According to studies, over the next five to 10 years, AI in education is projected to experience tremendous expansion. By allowing teachers to focus on social and emotional learning with more time freed up by AI advancements, educational institutions might be transformed and made more egalitarian.

These advancements would see education focus on personalised learning, intelligent tutoring, adaptive assessments, and enhanced content development. It is essential that in the process of incorporating generative artificial intelligence in educational spaces, we ensure responsible use of such technologies.

The writer is CEO of Kenya School of TVET

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