From polishing grammar to creating study aids, ChatGPT has become a common fixture in many classrooms and homes. This popular tool, with its ability to mimic human writing and solve tough math problems, has reshaped how people write and learn.
San Francisco-based startup OpenAI launched ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence chatbot, in late 2022. Educators initially greeted ChatGPT with skepticism and concern. For example, in January 2023, New York City Public Schools banned the use of ChatGPT, only to reverse its policy several months later, acknowledging generative AI’s growing presence in the workforce and the wider world.
“We’ve seen both excitement and apprehension,” says Harrison Parker, executive vice president at Linewize, an education technology company focused on student online safety. While some educators worry that AI could fuel plagiarism and other academic dishonesty, others see its potential to enrich learning and are incorporating it into their teaching, experts say.
Use of generative AI tools for schoolwork is increasing among high school students, rising from 79% in January 2023 to 84% in May, according to College Board research. As educators across the U.S. weigh how ChatGPT fits into learning, here’s what students and families should keep in mind.
### What Is Different About ChatGPT?
Unlike digital writing support tools like spellcheckers and Grammarly, ChatGPT goes far beyond grammar correction. It can answer questions, draft essays, explain math problems, simulate dialogue, and summarize or analyze entire books.
“In the past, we’ve used tools like Google Search, Grammarly, and Alexa in tandem to help find, polish, and respond to information,” Parker says. “ChatGPT, on the other hand, synthesizes all of these functions and produces entirely new text.”
In this sense, ChatGPT is “more like an intellectual partner or collaborator than a search tool,” says Erik Guzik, assistant clinical professor of management and entrepreneurship at the University of Montana’s College of Business.
ChatGPT differs from prior technologies because it has “an interface that accommodates the human, and the appearance of nearly limitless knowledge and understanding,” explains Corey Brady, associate professor and associate dean for research and outreach in the department of teaching and learning at Southern Methodist University’s Simmons School of Education and Human Development in Texas.
The tool is trained on massive volumes of text and can identify patterns across all kinds of language, giving it “an impression of encyclopedic knowledge and even wisdom,” Brady adds. For example, ChatGPT can provide chapter-by-chapter summaries, character arcs, and major plot developments in Jane Austen’s *Pride and Prejudice* within seconds.
“For educators, it introduces a new dynamic where students can produce seemingly original work that may or may not reflect their actual understanding,” Parker notes.
### Concerns About ChatGPT
Concerns about ChatGPT include how it might be misused by students, such as to cheat on tests, complete homework, or write research papers. “Some students have used ChatGPT to offload schoolwork they find tedious or too difficult,” Brady says. “There has been a great deal of concern among teachers and administrators about whether they can detect essays written by generative AI.”
Having transparency and clear, intentional direction is key, Guzik advises. Schools should teach students how to responsibly use ChatGPT “as a tool to support and develop human thinking, not a shortcut or replacement.”
Even with all of its capabilities, ChatGPT has limitations. It can be wrong since it doesn’t know facts but predicts likely responses based on its semantic training, Guzik explains. “It can also miss context, show bias, or invent information. It’s powerful, but it needs human oversight and evaluation. So, we return once again to the importance of critical thinking by us humans.”
There are also privacy concerns. “Privacy and data protection can’t be an afterthought,” Parker warns. “Many AI tools collect significant user data. Educators should prioritize tools that are transparent about data use, comply with student privacy laws, and allow schools to maintain control over information.”
ChatGPT’s terms of use state that users must be 13 years or older, and those under 18 need permission from a parent or legal guardian. However, this doesn’t prevent younger children from using ChatGPT. Experts say the best practice is for parents to monitor usage.
### How Teachers and Students Are Using ChatGPT
Despite ongoing debate over ChatGPT in classrooms, both teachers and students are finding ways to use it productively.
“Because of ChatGPT’s ability to generate information quickly, educators are now focused on teaching students to be responsible task stewards, emphasizing how to prompt AI thoughtfully and use it as a tool for problem-solving rather than a shortcut to the answer,” Parker says.
Teachers are also incorporating ChatGPT into lessons where students can brainstorm or explore topics in different ways, while others are reworking assignments to focus on the process—having students share drafts, reflections, and reasoning rather than just a final product.
“Grading, too, is evolving,” Parker adds. “Educators are increasingly prioritizing demonstrations of critical thinking and personal insight over memorization or simple accuracy.”
Students are also discovering effective ways to use ChatGPT, such as having it generate custom practice questions and quizzes from their class notes to help with studying. ChatGPT can serve as a mock or simulated evaluator for their writing, Brady says, and students can use it to critique essay drafts or formulate counterclaims against an argument.
The most productive use for students is when ChatGPT “is treated as a tool for exploration,” Parker says. “Ultimately, AI tools have the opportunity to become both a tool and a threat, which is why it’s vital to educate young learners on responsible use.”
Despite widespread concern about cheating, many students are thoughtfully considering the ethics of using ChatGPT and “are reasoning in rather sophisticated ways about responsible use,” Brady notes. This is one reason many academics advocate for including students in discussions of academic uses of generative AI.
“AI isn’t going away,” Parker concludes. “It will become part of the educational fabric much like calculators or the internet did decades ago. The real challenge isn’t stopping students from using it—it’s teaching them to use it wisely.”
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