The recent introduction of large language models (LLMs) like chatGPT has been met with confusion, excitement, and fear.
Much of this is linked to uncertainty regarding what exactly these tools can do, how useful or risky they are, how they may infringe on our privacy – whether they threaten norms in education, whether they will be banned or restricted, and if they will somehow overrule humans.
In the miasma of confusion we as educators are facing regarding large language models, we can be fairly certain of one thing: these tools will be a part of our current students’ working lives.
Decades of educational research have indicated what educators should be doing, including co-constructing our curriculum and knowledge with our students (students as partners); reconsidering our assessments to be more ‘authentic’, with significance beyond the classroom; and anticipating change rather than shying away from it.
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We can encourage students to use these tools in our classroom activities, and then lead a discussion on the information that was provided, its reliability and accuracy, and whether they can identify likely sources of information.
