Chat GPT has become widely used by students to complete their work for classes.

What’s new: ChatGPT is an AI chatbot created by OpenAI. It was designed to be a simulated Chatbot for customer service but people have discovered that it can do much more than just customer service.  

Why it matters: GS Professors are aware of this Chatbot and the student use of it. 

• “It is possible to find alternative assessments less prone to cheating, including some rudimentary ways like giving students pen/paper or even oral exams,” said Dr. Mete Akcaoglu, ​​Associate professor of Instructional Technology. “For example, ChatGPT can be a great brainstorming companion, if such support is unavailable in a learning environment.”
• “I haven’t done anything to limit the use of Chat GPT,” said Dr. Holly Cowart, a Multimedia Journalism professor. “As far as I know, the department hasn’t either. I have used it, so I would better understand it.”
• “Faculty have told me that because it seems more robotic, it’s easy to tell when students have used it,” said Dr. Melissa Plew, Principal Lecturer for the Department of Communication Arts. “At this point, I haven’t changed anything about my classes.  A lot of the work I assign is more personal.”

What’s next: “The critical point here is that as educators we hope students develop key thinking skills, and if relying on the AI tools will disable a student from achieving so, then there is a great negative impact to be expected,” said Akcaoglu.