ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – Technology is constantly changing. In recent years, advancements in artificial intelligence are making AI accessible at our fingertips.
This easy access is finding its way into Rochester Public Schools (RPS) classrooms.
Educators said when ChatGPT, a common AI service, was introduced at the end of 2022, some feared the service, but now it’s being looked at as a tool and resource for students.
“So, I want to say that it started a little bit more in that sort of hysteria, place of panic of what will this look like?” Stefanie Whitney, RPS humanities instructional facilitator said. “How will I stop the use of this? And then it shifted more into what could this do to help benefit my myself, as a teacher ,and also my students in the classroom?”
Teachers weren’t the only ones hesitant about this new technology.
“I found maybe more interesting about that process was when I started introducing it with students was their hesitation,” Marian Holtorf, RPS humanities high school teacher said.
ChatGPT can generate answers to questions, compose essays, emails and even write computer code. Some teachers in RPS classrooms are looking to embrace the high-tech tool.
“A lot of teachers working with essay writing, and they would have ChatGPT just populate an essay based on a prompt,” Whitney said. “And then have students critically think about it’s just a strong essay. What’s good about this essay? What could be improved upon?”
Teachers explained they are finding additional ways to use AI to help students focus more on their learning.
“I think it’s going to allow us as educators to zero in on some of the most meaningful learning and let some of the AI tools out there take off the tedious work that really doesn’t have anything to do with learning,” Holtorf said. “But we still got to do some of those things.”
One teacher emphasized this ChatGPT tool can be seen as assistance to students who don’t have access to a tutor or help from their parents.
Another benefit, the basic version of the app is free to use.
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