Will you allow ChatGPT? Considerations.
Many instructors are surprised by the capabilities of a new artificial intelligence text generator – ChatGPT – that was released in November, 2022. Try it out .
Many are asking what the right thing to do is in terms of allowing or disallowing its use.
In the short-term,
it is reasonable to be contemplating whether to “ban” use of ChatGPT for course assessments.
In the long-term,
these tools will become even better and more pervasive and our assessment practices will surely need to change. In fact, opportunities to incorporate this tool and those like them are set to inspire all kinds of exciting changes in higher education and the world beyond.
Considerations for now,
with either approach, are suggested below in terms of how you will:
-
- Explain your reasons for permitting or prohibiting the use of ChatGPT
- Redesign assessment to match your decision
- Make expectations crystal clear
- Be prepared to follow up
| Permitting ChatGPT | Prohibiting ChatGPT |
|
Explain your reasoning |
|
| – How does the tool support or assist learning? | – How does the tool damage or circumvent learning? |
| – Why is now a good time to learn to use it? | – Why is now not a good time to learn to use it? |
| – Identify any other tools or forms of assistance that you prohibit for similar reasons. | |
|
Redesign assessment |
|
| – Make specific and appropriate use of the tool, including requiring students to describe their ChatGPT process and to evaluate what it produced critically | – Create more personalized and more authentic assessments AND relate them to in-class activities and discussions so that ChatGPT has less to offer |
| -Teach about the limitations of the tool and expectations you have for students’ thinking | -Teach the skills that help students to avoid the temptation of the tool (e.g., writing skills, time management) |
| – Set up supervised pen and paper assessments | |
|
Make expectations crystal clear |
|
| – Model the way, including appropriate acknowledgements, attribution, or referencing you want to see | – Provide detailed examples of unpermitted use you are concerned about |
|
Prepare to follow-up |
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| – Monitor student use | – Provide details about detection* strategies you will use |
| – Ask students for feedback | – Set aside time for follow up and procedures for suspect cases |
(*Detection tools are being developed, according to various media outlets. It is unclear how effective or definitive these tools are at this time. Instructors are advised not to submit student work to third parties without permission.)