Since its release last November, ChatGPT has found its way into the daily routines of educators and students across the globe. At Rio Americano, while some teachers have a strict no-AI policy, others have incorporated it into their classrooms.

AI chatbots such as ChatGPT have a variety of uses for students and teachers. Students can use them to write essays and complete homework, but may also utilize their ability to generate practice prompts and questions for studying. Teachers have been using them to create lesson plans and even give students feedback on their work.

English and AP Language and Composition teacher Adam Bearson assumes that all of his students use ChatGPT. Since his courses feature in-class essays and writing assignments that make up most of the students’ grade, Bearson doesn’t worry about if anything his students turn in for homework was generated by AI.

This year, Bearson is experimenting with using ChatGPT in the classroom.

“I wanted to let parents and students know that this year I will be experimenting with using ChatGPT to help give feedback on student writing,” Bearson said.

Although he understands concerns that students and parents may have, Bearson believes that it is very important to explore the unfamiliar territory of ChatGPT use in education.

“Part of this experiment is to begin the discussion about the role this technology should or should not have in our education system,” Bearson said.

Other teachers, such as AP World History and former geography teacher Eric Kenyon, have focused on both the positive and negative values of chatbots. 

“I noticed quickly that some students had used it to write entire essays,” Kenyon said. “I addressed how it’s very flawed, and has issues when they use it just to copy and paste.” 

However, Kenyon still believes that there are plenty of useful aspects of ChatGPT for students. 

“It can be used in ‘right’ ways,” Kenyon said. “It can be good to give yourself feedback on the quality of your writing.”

As for using it as a tool, Kenyon says that he hasn’t yet begun to experiment with ChatGPT. 

“I feel like I should,” Kenyon said. “That’s one of the ways you can use it the right way. It can give ideas for lecture plans and notes, and it’s good for creating model texts of what students should or shouldn’t do.”

Many teachers have concerns about their students using chatbots on their assignments. However, a new report by The 74 shows that while just 42% of students utilize ChatGPT, 63% of teachers have used it for their jobs.

This statistic changes the conversation between students and teachers about the use of AI like ChatGPT in the classroom. Instead of teachers worrying about their students cheating, students instead are beginning to discuss their feelings on teachers using AI in class. 

“I think I feel a little wary of it because of how AI has been portrayed in movies,” junior Charlotte Ponder said. “But I think it’s been useful in class.”

Ponder, a current student of Bearson and former student of Kenyon, feels as though their teachers’ use of ChatGPT has been helpful in developing their own voice in writing.

“Because AI only uses other people’s writing, it’s full of cliches, so it’s made me more aware of that in my own writing,” Ponder said. “And I appreciate getting feedback on my work sooner.”