ChatGPT and critical thinking: Transforming student learning [Students, School, & Chatbots]

There's no gentle way to say this: Over the past year, in my roles as Adjunct Faculty and Academic Coach, I have seen students use A.I. not only to find quick answers to homework questions but also to tackle take-home exams, often submitting answers without fully grasping them.

We live in an age where students can swiftly obtain solutions to complex math and science questions by simply feeding an image of the problem to A.I. The educational landscape is shifting. Industries are evolving. And as A.I. takes on more complicated tasks such as coding, it becomes increasingly vital to teach students how to use A.I. to improve their learning and develop critical thinking skills. 

Those who can think critically, ask insightful questions, and analyze answers will be well-prepared to succeed in a world where A.I. handles implementation.

Consider Roxanne's journey. In her high school psychology class, she embarked on a project investigating short-term memory among her classmates, aiming to assess the number of words they could remember in an allotted time. Utilizing Excel, she created bar graphs to visualize her findings. Roxanne's curiosity was piqued, and she sought to expand her research further. Lacking the necessary tools for in-depth data analysis, she turned to me for guidance. Through coaching, I introduced her to using ChatGPT as a tool to answer the questions driving her research. ChatGPT served as her agent, generating Python code while she directed the process, asked questions, and evaluated the results. This collaborative approach enabled Roxanne to expand her class project significantly and showcase her abilities in her college applications. Today, she is a freshman at a University of California school, pursuing her passion for psychology.

Roxanne’s story highlights the importance of teaching responsible A.I. usage in the classroom, as well as emphasizing its benefits and limitations. With A.I. as a tool, students can explore deeper, asking questions and uncovering insights across various fields such as sports, business, and healthcare. 

Let's embrace A.I. in education and empower students to unlock its full potential with wisdom and wonder.