In an exciting new webinar Redesigning Assessment for an Ever-Changing World, hosted by United Kingdom-based PebblePad, leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) expert Dr Stefan Popenici of Charles Darwin University (CDU) discusses the drawbacks and advantages of using ChatGPT in education.
Dr Popenici has more than 30 years’ experience in higher education and in November 2022, published his book Artificial Intelligence and Learning Futures: Critical Narratives of Technology and Imagination in Higher Education, where he describes AI in education as ‘a global crisis’ that threatens the foundations and integrity of learning institutions around the world.
In his webinar presentation, Dr Popenici discusses ChatGPT, its impact in education and training, as well as its hype, limitations, and ways that it can be used to society’s benefit.
According to Dr Popenici, the continuous hype of ChatGPT has been distracting students, teachers, and schools from the risks it poses to academic integrity and critical thinking, which he is concerned could have irreversible effects on education.
In his book, he identified a growing lack of interest in learning, originality and creativity among students as one of the most significant tragedies spurred by AI.
“The capacity for this technology to change what we’re doing in every sector is immense. Nobody is safe and the next sector to be profoundly changed is education,” Dr Popenici said.
“I don’t see this being analysed with intellectual rigor. We are dealing with something that comes with a lot of risk. It can be used to our advantage, but I don’t see enough concern or serious analysis. We can do a lot of damage and when we realise what we’ve done, it may be too late.”
Dr Popenici was thrilled with the opportunity to speak about AI in education and hoped viewers would take away how this technology could be used to society’s advantage in schooling and training.
“It’s important to have informed conversations and in-depth analysis,” he said. “ChatGPT and AI were not developed for education. It is our duty to see how it is possible to use this technology to our advantage rather than be disrupted and confused by it.”
To view the recording, visit Redesigning Assessment for an Ever-Changing World
Further Reading:
- Educating students for a changing technological future
- Power of AI to be harnessed in Victorian secondary schools
