I’m honored to sit on a panel of experts as they discuss artificial intelligence and how it can impact our future. This event is facilitated by the College of Education and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. This is facilitated by Detra Price-Dennis and I’m joined by Ana-Paula Correia, Karen French, and Sean Hickey.

I took some time to reflect and write about the prompts for the session. My ideas are listed below.

Q1: What are the top 3 ideas about Generative AI that people in education should know? 

Generative AI uses algorithms and systems to create unique content (e.g., images, videos, text) from existing data. In education, it is essential to understand its potential to revolutionize learning. Generative AI can personalize instruction to cater to individual student needs and interests, automate tedious tasks like grading, and enhance creativity and innovation with new tools. This enables teachers to focus on higher-value tasks, like designing engaging and relevant content.

• Generative AI can create realistic learning materials: Generative AI models can create realistic images, videos, and text so realistic they appear to be made by humans. This technology can be utilized to create more engaging, interactive, and personalized learning materials. For instance, virtual learning environments with simulations of real-world scenarios can be generated with generative AI, allowing for easier comprehension of complex topics.
• Generative AI can automate routine tasks: Generative AI can automate mundane tasks, like grading assignments, creating quizzes and personalizing learning plans. This not only frees up teacher’s time but allows them to focus on giving meaningful feedback and mentoring students.
• Generative AI requires careful ethical consideration: Generative AI poses ethical considerations that must be addressed. Its models can be affected by biased data, leading to potential biases and inequality. Ethical development and deployment of generative AI models in education is imperative to prevent this. Data used to train the models must be broad and representative of all learners; the models must also be transparent, explainable, and accountable.

Q2: What are the top 3 questions you have or believe educators should be asking about Generative AI? If there is a specific platform, like ChatGPT, please let us know.

As generative AI continues to develop and be implemented in education, it’s important for educators to ask critical questions to ensure that the technology is used in ways that benefit learners and do not cause harm.

To ensure AI’s beneficial implementation in education, educators should ask three critical questions: What are the potential harms of generative AI? How can generative AI be used to benefit learners? How can potential harms be mitigated?

Here are three important areas that educators should be asking about generative AI:

1. How can we ensure that generative AI is used ethically and responsibly in education? To use generative AI ethically and responsibly in education, its potential for perpetuating biases and inequalities must be kept in mind. Educators must ensure AI models are developed and used in a way that is transparent, accountable, and equitable for all learners.
2. How can we use generative AI to enhance student learning and engagement? Generative AI can be a powerful tool to make student learning more engaging and personalized. Educators should consider how it can be used to complement and enhance their teaching, not replace them. They should ask how to effectively integrate generative AI into their practices to boost student learning.
3. How can we ensure that generative AI is accessible to all learners? To ensure generative AI is available to all learners, regardless of socio-economic background, location and ability, educators must consider how to reduce the risk of widening the digital divide. This would involve providing resources and technology to those who do not have access to them.

Q3: What affordances do you think Generative AI programs like ChatGPT have in the field of education?

Generative AI programs like ChatGPT have several (positive and negative) affordances in the field of education. Here are a few:

• Personalization: One of the key affordances of generative AI programs like ChatGPT is their ability to personalize learning experiences. By using natural language processing and machine learning algorithms, ChatGPT can interact with individual learners in a way that feels natural and tailored to their specific needs and learning styles.
• Accessibility: Generative AI programs like ChatGPT can provide access to education for learners who may not have access to traditional educational resources or support. For example, learners in remote or underserved areas can access ChatGPT to ask questions or receive feedback on their work.
• Automation: ChatGPT can be used to automate routine tasks such as grading assignments or answering common questions, freeing up educators’ time to focus on more valuable tasks such as providing personalized feedback and mentoring students.
• Creativity: Generative AI programs like ChatGPT can also be used to inspire creativity and enhance critical thinking skills. For example, students can use ChatGPT to generate writing prompts, brainstorm ideas, or simulate conversations with historical figures.
• Multimodal learning: Generative AI programs like ChatGPT can create multimodal learning experiences that combine text, images, and videos. This can make learning more engaging and interactive for learners, as they can explore complex concepts in a variety of ways.

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Photo by Gertrūda Valasevičiūtė on Unsplash