Artificial intelligence (AI) and the emergence of ChatGPT pose both opportunities and challenges for assessment in education, according to Prof Michael le Cordeur, Vice-Dean of Teaching and Learning in the Faculty of Education. In an article for the Daily Maverick, Prof le Cordeur discusses the potential of ChatGPT, a user-friendly AI chatbot that can read, write essays and poems, solve math problems, and point out errors in calculations.
Prof le Cordeur’s Afrikaans class tested ChatGPT by asking it to write a poem about load shedding. While the poem initially appeared to be a good attempt, closer examination revealed language and poetic errors, raising suspicions about its authorship. ChatGPT operates based on data supplied by its human creator and can only provide answers based on the information it receives. This means that incorrect data can lead to incorrect responses presented as facts.
AI is not new to education, with various AI technologies already in use in educational tools such as SUNLearn and Turnitin. However, the introduction of AI and ChatGPT presents new challenges and opportunities for assessment, particularly in non-invigilated assessments done at home. Traditional approaches to invigilated assessments or developing software to trace ChatGPT are not sustainable solutions due to the rapid development of AI. Instead, Prof le Cordeur suggests adapting teaching, learning, and assessment practices to AI.
To protect academic integrity, Prof le Cordeur proposes creative alternatives such as incorporating outdoor activities and multimedia projects into the assessment process. For example, his class created cellphone videos to illustrate poems, which served as oral assessments and demonstrated students’ teaching abilities. This approach sparked enthusiasm among students and received positive feedback.
Prof le Cordeur emphasizes the need for a paradigm shift in education to keep up with AI’s rapid development. Rather than discouraging students from using AI tools like ChatGPT, it is crucial to equip them with critical thinking skills to use such tools responsibly. Furthermore, he highlights that ChatGPT is here to stay but will never replace human intervention and decision-making.
Overall, the integration of AI and ChatGPT in education presents both challenges and exciting opportunities for assessment practices. Adapting to this new technological landscape requires innovative thinking, creative alternatives, and a focus on developing critical thinking skills for the responsible use of AI tools.
