The launch of ChatGPT in December 2022, has led to a divisive debate about its impact in the education context. This will continue to be a topic of hot debate as the technology rapidly evolves and throws up both new challenges and opportunities. In this blog post, we discuss how we have approached the emergence of generative AI in the classroom at Wellington College.

In January of this year, a Guardian article reported that schools in New York had banned the AI chatbot, ChatGPT. Artificial Intelligence refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are programmed to think and act like humans. ChatGPT had been banned across all devices and networks in public schools in New York over ‘concerns about negative impacts on learning’, specifically that the tool might encourage students to plagiarise. As the article reported, the issue has been divisive among educators, with some decrying the end of original thought and creativity, while others look to the opportunities for efficiency inherent in generative AI. The use of these technologies in school settings continues to be a hot topic of debate and will continue to be as the technology rapidly evolves and throws up both new challenges and opportunities

The Ministry of Education recognises that AI is ‘likely’ to have an increasing impact on education systems over the coming years and is developing policies and advice to ensure that New Zealand schools are ‘well prepared’. In the interim, schools are having to navigate this rapidly evolving landscape and figure out a response that best suits their context. We are always keen to be ahead of the curve at Wellington College and have been proactive and open-minded in our response to generative AI.

As staff gathered for the start of the new academic year in late January, our Specialist Classroom Teacher spoke to us about the recent release of ChatGPT and what we might expect in its use by our students. Given the heavy internal assessment component of NCEA, concerns were raised about the potential for plagiarism, which despite AI detection tools, is difficult to confirm. Our assessment policies did include processes for how we approach incidents of plagiarism - primarily taking the form of unattributed content from internet sources - but AI technologies brought a new and worrying layer of complexity.

Our main advice to teachers in January was to experiment with ChatGPT to understand its capabilities and how our students might use it. As the year progressed, it was apparent that this initial response to ChatGPT did not provide consistency across the Kura - some teachers were positively exploring the possibilities, while others fervently banned its use in their classroom, and some chose to ignore the existence of the technology. Where the use of AI was being detected in assessment, when questioned, it was mostly apparent that students were quite naive to the use of the generated content in their work. They were using ChatGPT as a research tool and then blurring the generated content and ideas with their own when writing up an assessment.

The Teaching and Learning team realised that a reset and common response was needed. We asked for volunteers to join a working group, to create a user booklet that framed our approach to the use of AI technologies like ChatGPT for staff.

As part of this process, we talked to teachers who were exploring the benefits of ChatGPT. One of those was an English teacher whose students had been using ChatGPT to develop their writing skills and make progress on their writing. We interviewed three of the Year 13 students in this class. These were their responses:

How have you been using ChatGPT to help you with your writing?

‘(I) ask it to act as a writing tutor in some type of way, and ask it for feedback and help…it makes a difference and writing is quicker and easier’. (I’m) starting to use ChatGPT in this way in other classes. (I’m) finding that teachers are beginning to understand it.’

‘I get a blank mind trying to bring up ideas - so use it (ChatGPT) to generate ideas - it presents me with ideas, which are a kick start for more research’.

‘I ask it for ideas and get another perspective for what I’m writing about - ChatGPT gives a good summary and is a good starting point.’

What role does your brain play in your writing and what role has ChatGPT played?

‘It is like having notes that I can go back to - I switch between the two but don’t copy - I don’t find it difficult going between ChatGPT and my thinking.’

‘I like having originality in my writing. There is a chance of copying, but I take ideas it has (generated) and complement my ideas - (I’m) conscious of not blurring the two’. (the teacher) has been teaching us how to use it to help writing and not do it, so taking ideas and using them in other subjects.'

‘(I) Look at ChatGPT at the start to get my ideas - what it gives you is short - I get it right in my head, before writing.’

‘(I’m) starting to use it in other subjects - teachers are mixed on using it’

What are some challenges you've faced with your writing?

‘ChatGPT has helped with grammar checks and proofreading - I need to double check things.’

‘Stuck for ideas but when I get going I find it easier - coming up with the ideas is the challenge.’

‘Holding the same viewpoint, maintaining the argument, the relevance of discussion - ChatGPT helps with this’.

It was obvious that in this class, with an openness about the technology and guidance as to how to use it constructively, ChatGPT was having a positive impact. We were of course not blind to the other side of the coin, which was the content generated by GPT and the student’s work in an assessment submission, inadvertently or intentionally being blurred. We were cognisant of this conflict as we explored the issue.

The result of the working group’s mahi is the WC Guide to Using AI in the Classroom booklet. This booklet is available as a download with the blog post. Other schools should feel free to use it and or adapt it. We are happy to share the template with any interested schools.

Three principles underpinned the booklet and our common approach to the use of AI:

1. Be comfortable talking about AI

2. Be transparent about how AI is used

3. Explore the opportunities in the classroom

To foster a positive response to AI technology and tools like ChatGPT, we needed to clarify to teachers why we might use AI in the classroom. The ‘why’ included the fact that it was a reality and we have to adapt to the changing landscape. Students will be using AI, and we need to support them to be AI literate. With a growth mindset, we also need to harness the transformative power of this technology, and as teachers, use it to support our planning. Teachers and schools have a key role in helping students interpret, and evaluate the content that AI tools like ChatGPT so easily and quickly generate. Equally, we have to explain to young people that the generated content may carry bias and that they need to check for accuracy, relevance, and meaning.

This is not to say that we should not be mindful of the negative uses of ChatGPT by our students. As you will see in the booklet, we suggest several ways that teachers can ensure authenticity in an AI world; the key being that we need to teach students how to use ChatGPT and other generative AI tools. AI checkers do exist, but these are not without limitations, and as such, thinking about how we structure assessment tasks is important. Knowing our students and their writing abilities also provides a baseline by which to establish initial suspicions about authenticity, which opens the way to a dialogue.

Moreover, there are a host of ways for teachers to mitigate the misuse of AI. Students could be asked to submit plans and draft materials, or oral questioning might be undertaken to check understanding. Using formative assessment tasks and different modes of assessment are also helpful, which fits well with our changes to Year 9-11 learning programmes next year, in which formative assessment takes centre stage. While Level 2 and 3 NCEA will continue to be based on high-stakes summative assessments, in the mode of internally assessed tasks, we can apply these strategies here.

This is a rapidly evolving landscape, and while the booklet we created and shared with our staff provides a common framework by which to respond to generative AI, we need to be agile and responsive as new challenges and opportunities arise. As we encourage openness and transparency in the dialogue about AI at school, we think it equally important that parents and whānau are talking about this at home.

We leave you with the words of Loren Weisman, a messaging and optics strategist and author, which frames our open and positive, but also mindful, approach to an AI world - ‘To me, artificial intelligence like ChatGPT used by those with wisdom, knowledge, and experience, can authentically enhance the distribution of intelligence and information in a positive way.’