ChatGPT: Is it a problem for schools or a learning aid for students?

REALIA

3 years ago

ChatGPT-Is It a Problem for Schools or a Learning Aid for Students?

Try ChatGPT, listen to an interview, and say what you think while learning English.

Learn English while listening to REAL programs, stories, news, audiobooks, and podcasts. This listening segment, “How to stop worrying and love (or at least live with) ChatGPT, ” comes to us from the program, “All Things Considered” on NPR.

What is this story about?

ChatGPT is a computer program that can answer questions, write papers, take exams, and make up original stories. Does it sound too good to be true? Well, since it first launched, opinions have been mixed. Some people are very enthusiastic about the benefits of ChatGPT in education, healthcare, and business. However, people are also asking if it will create problems, especially in schools where students could use it to cheat on assignments. Let’s listen to what Ethan Mollick from the University of Pennsylvania has to say about using ChatGPT in the classroom.

Before you listen…

Take a few minutes to explore ChatGPT with Open AI!

Try Chat GPT!

Here are some questions you can ask while exploring ChatGPT:

What are the best ways to learn English?
How can I improve my listening skills in English?
What’s the best way to pass the TOEFL exam?
Give me an example of a speaking question on the TOEFL exam.
Write a poem about someone who is studying English.

Now, after trying it, what did you think? Answer the questions below about ChatGPT. This will help you prepare for the listening by thinking about the topic while learning new vocabulary words.

<section><h2><h2><strong>Chat GPT warm-up Agree or disagree</strong></h2></h2></section><section><h2><h2><strong>You are a ChatGPT enthusiast.</strong></h2></h2><p>You see this new technology as being useful in many situations. You think that it gave good answers to your questions and that it could have other benefits in the future. Even if you are a little worried about negative consequences, you are still excited about the possibilities of this computer program and how it can be used in positive ways. You know that some students might use it to cheat, but you hope they can think of a way to minimize student cheating.</p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>You are worried about the use of ChatGPT. </strong></h2></h3><p>You think that this computer program could have negative consequences. It may not have answered your questions as clearly as you would have liked, and you think schools should ban access to this technology. You are worried that students will cheat on assignments, and you’re not sure what the future will bring with ChatGPT.</p></section><section><h2><h2><strong>I think there could be many benefits to using ChatGPT.</strong></h2></h2></section><section><h3><h2><strong>I think it answered my questions better than a Google search.</strong></h2></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>In my opinion, many students will try to <span data-amp-original-style="text-decoration:underline;" class="amp-wp-69ded7c">cheat</span> by using it.</strong></h2></h3><p> </p><p>**Cheat- not being honest. For example, a student who turns in a paper that they didn’t write is cheating.</p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>It seems like a good resource to help language learners.</strong></h2></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>I think schools should <span data-amp-original-style="text-decoration:underline;" class="amp-wp-69ded7c">ban</span> access to this technology. </strong></h2></h3><p> </p><p>**Ban- prohibit or not allow</p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>It makes me worried that it could be used negatively in the future. </strong></h2></h3></section>

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Listen to the interview about ChatGPT…

Study Tips!

Listen to the audio. You may want to take notes if it doesn’t interfere with your comprehension. In general, focus on the main ideas and key points of the listening segment.
Are there questions you missed or parts you didn’t understand? Go back and listen to where each question is located in the audio (see quiz below) and/or click on the button below to read the transcript.

Listen and then take the quiz.

Transcript

Take the quiz…

<section><h2><h2><strong>Chat GPT- Listening questions</strong></h2></h2></section><section><h2><h2><strong>What does this interview mainly discuss?</strong></h2></h2></section><section><h3><h2>Which of the following is true, according to the speaker?</h2></h3><p> </p><p><em>(Tip- Find this answer at :17 seconds on the audio)</em></p></section><section><h3><h2>Why does the speaker think that ChatGPT is going well in his course?</h2></h3><p> </p><p><em>(Tip- Find this answer at 1:06 on the audio)</em></p></section><section><h3><h2></h2></h3><p>What does the speaker mean when he says he alternates between enthusiasm and anxiety? </p><p> </p><p><em>(Tip- Find this answer at 1:43 on the audio)</em></p></section><section><h3><h2>What important point does the speaker make about non native speakers in the classroom?</h2></h3><p> </p><p><em>(Tip- Find this answer at 2:26 on the audio)</em></p></section><section><h3><h2>What is the speaker’s purpose in talking about different types of writing?</h2></h3><p> </p><p><em>(Tip- Find this answer at 3:18 on the audio)</em></p></section><section><h3><h2>According to the listening segment, what does the speaker think about cheating?</h2></h3><p> </p><p><em>(Tip- Find this answer at 4:03 on the audio)</em></p></section><section><h2><h2><h2><strong>Great job! You took the first step just by DOING it! :blush:</strong></h2></h2></h2><p></p><h2>If you did well, give yourself a pat on the back! Even if you didn’t do as well as you would have like; don’t worry, just by listening and interacting with English, you are acquiring new words, sentence structures, and sounds that you didn’t know before.</h2><h2><br></h2><h2>By listening to English regularly, you’ll understand more and more and be able to USE it faster than you think!! You can’t go wrong with that 😉</h2><p> </p><p> </p><p>*Give yourself a pat on the back- Congratulate yourself for doing a good job!</p><p> </p><h2>Tips for further learning:</h2><p> </p><h2>1) Practice the Grammar and Vocabulary found in this listening in the “Grammar Flash” and Word Corner” below.</h2><h2>2) Continue the conversation and practice sharing your opinion in English and interacting with others.</h2><h2>3) Go back through the answers, and listen to where each answer is located.</h2><h2>4) Read the transcript.</h2></section><section><h3></h3></section>

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Continue Learning! Click on page 2 to practice new vocabulary words.

Word Wall

Let’s practice some of the vocabulary words and expressions from the listening. Read through the examples. Then, try it below.

First, read through the vocabulary words:

Study Tip! Tap or scroll over the list below to see their definitions.

banned
shy away from
generate
get rid of
resign ourselves
minimize
cheating
level the playing field
ubiquitous
novel

Now, look at how these words are used in context from the interview.

In this listening you heard:

“Some school districts have banned access to the tool [ChatGPT], and not without reason.”
“…despite… the clear potential for cheating, not all educators are shying away from ChatGPT.”
“…we had a class yesterday where people had to generate ideas for their class project [using ChatGPT].”
“We can’t get rid of [ChatGPT].”
“It’s not going away, so we have to just resign ourselves to ways to learning to live with this .”
“That doesn’t minimize the fact that cheating and negativity is there, but those have been there for a long time.”
“…it [ChatGPT] might help level the playing field in the classroom for students whose first language is not English…”
“…there is a lot of evidence that cheating has been pretty ubiquitous for a while.”
” I think there’s a reason we assign homework and assign essay, but I don’t think that that is novel.”

After reading the quotations, what are the speakers saying about the use of ChatGPT, and it’s possible advantages and disadvantages?

What do you think?

Have you ever used the Internet to generate ideas for a class project or essay? What did you use it for?
Is cheating ubiquitous at your school or work place? Do you think it will be more ubiquitous with ChatGPT? Explain and give an example.
How could technology level the playing field for ESL students?
Should schools ban the use of ChatGPT? What are some of the benefits and drawback of using this kind of artificial intelligence?

Got it? Now practice the vocabulary words in context below.

<section><h2><h2><strong>Read the conversation between two university students about ChatGPT. Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word. </strong></h2></h2></section><section><h2></h2><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Oscar: “Hey Emily! Did you hear that Riley was caught ________ an assignment?”</span></p></section><section><h3><h2></h2></h3><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Emily: “Yeah- I did. The teacher wanted us to use ChatGPT to________ topics for our opinion essay, but he used it to write his whole paper.”</span></p></section><section><h3><h2></h2></h3><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Oscar: “Well, I’m sure he wasn’t the only one- It’s everywhere. Cheating is________. Even before ChatGPT students would </span><span data-amp-original-style="text-decoration:underline;font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ba96b49">________</span><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">from the Internet all the time.”</span></p></section><section><h3><h2></h2></h3><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Emily: “That’s true. Cheating isn’t anything new. It’s not a ________</span><span data-amp-original-style="text-decoration:underline;font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ba96b49"> </span><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">concept. It’s been around forever. Do you think schools should </span><span data-amp-original-style="text-decoration:underline;font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ba96b49">________</span><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b"> the use of it and not allow it anymore?”</span></p></section><section><h3><h2></h2></h3><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Oscar: “I don’t know. Even if they decide to ________, some people would still be able to access it from their phones or at home, so it wouldn’t be fair for everyone.”</span></p></section><section><h3></h3><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Emily: “I agree. Sometimes it can________for people who aren’t good writers or for second language learners. They shouldn’t cheat, but they could use it to improve their writing.”</span><br></p></section><section><h3></h3><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Oscar: “I do think many teachers will avoid it or ________from it. But really they could use it as a tool in the classroom.”</span><strong></strong></p></section><section><h3><h2></h2></h3><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Emily: “That could be, but I hope they can find a way to ________or reduce cheating, then I will be in favor.”</span></p></section><section><h3></h3><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Oscar: “Absolutely! I’m sure they are already working on that now.” </span></p><p><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b">Emily: “I guess for now we will have to </span><span data-amp-original-style="text-decoration:underline;font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ba96b49">________</span><span data-amp-original-style="font-size:20px;" class="amp-wp-ff9ec5b"> ourselves to the fact that it is here to stay, so we should figure out how to make it work for us.”</span></p><h2><strong> </strong></h2></section><section><h2><h2><h2>Nice! You’re doing a great job with the vocabulary!:grinning:</h2></h2></h2></section><section><h3><h2><h2><strong>Try again! You’ve got this</strong>:+1:</h2></h2></h3></section>

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Learn English Grammar! Click on page 3 to practice grammar in context.

Grammar Flash

Practice using the PRESENT PERFECT, look at examples from the interview, and then see how much you understood by taking a short quiz.

Before we look at examples from the interview, let’s start with the basics.

How do you form the present perfect tense?

(has/have) + (Past Participle)

Examples:

She has studied English for five years.

The students have taken three exams this semester.

The student has already finished her assignment.

What about the past participle?

If a verb is “regular,” simply add (-ed) to the end of the verb to form the past participle. For example, we added (-ed) to form these past participles. (looked, created, worked, managed, tripped, studied, participated, started)

If a verb is “irregular,” you will have to memorize these-try it!)

Do you know these irregular past participles? Quiz yourself below…

Tip! Tap or scroll to see the past participle.

Simple form——-Past Particple

*Be

*Break

*Buy

*Do

*Drink

*Eat

*Get

*Give

*Go

*Have

*Leave

*Make

*See

*Speak

*Take

*Teach

*Write

When do you use the present perfect?

1. Use the present perfect to talk about something that started in the past and continues until now.

Tip!- This is commonly used with the words (for) and (since)

Ohoud has lived in Chicago for three years. She has been living in Chicago for 3 years.
She has lived here since 2020. She has been living here since 2020.
She’s studied English since she was a little girl.

2. Use the present perfect for events or activities that have or haven’t happened at an unspecified time in the past.

Tip! This is commonly used with (ever) (never) (already) (yet) (still)

I have never tried ChatGPT
The student has already finished her assignment.
Mari has been to Spain. She went there on a study abroad trip.

3. Use the present perfect when something has happened multiple times in the past, and it may happen again.

The teacher has assigned three papers so far this semester. I bet we will have more.
My teacher has already caught four students using ChatGPT to cheat.
We have had a lot of homework in this class.

4. Use the present perfect to talk about something that just occurred or recently happened

Carlos has just finished his project.
You have recently gotten a new job, right?
My friends have just finished dinner, so they will meet us in five minutes.

Using the present perfect in affirmative and negative sentences:

What is going on in these images? Can you match these pictures with some of the sentences below?

**Tip! The contractions are highlighted in yellow. They are the most common for speaking and informal writing!

Subject	Affirmative Sentences	Negative Sentences
I	I have used the Internet to brainstorm ideas for a paper before. I’ve used the Internet to brainstorm ideas for a paper.	I have never cheated by copying directly from the Internet. I’ve never cheated by copying directly from the Internet before.
You	You have used ChatGPT in the classroom for 3 months now. You’ve used ChatGPT in the classroom for 3 months now.	You have not used a lot of technology in the classroom. You’ve never used a lot of technology in the classroom.
He/She/It (singular nouns)	Lilia has studied Computer Science since 2018. Lilia’s studied Computer Science since 2018.	Lilia has never studied Law. Lilia’s never studied Law.
We	We have had a Roomba, a cleaning robot, for a long time. We’ve had a Roomba for a long time.	We have not had time to clean lately. We haven’t had time to clean lately.
They (Plural nouns)	The students have just finished their projects on artificial intelligence. They’ve just finished their projects.	The students have not finished their artificial intelligence projects yet. They haven’t finished their projects yet.

Finally, look at how the present perfect is used in the interview about ChatGPT.

Read through the sentences. Pay attention to the present perfect.

The present perfect tense is highlighted in green.

“Some school districts have banned access to the tool [ChatGPT], and not without reason.”
“Ethan Mollick of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania has made it a requirement to use the chatbot in his classes.”
“How do we teach people to write in a world with ChatGPT? We’ve taught people how to do math in a world with calculators.”
“I’m not an educator, but I am a parent, and I have been a student. And the parent and student in me are screaming in protest, saying, does it count as good writing if you didn’t write it? “
“Have you had a problem yet with a student cheating using the software…?”
“…Is that a depressing statement from somebody who has devoted their life to higher ed…?”

After reading the quotations, how have some people reacted to the use of ChatGPT?

What do you think?

Do you know anyone who has tried ChatGPT before? What could be some of the advantages and disadvantages of this technology?
Do you know anyone who has cheated on a test or assignment? Do you think this software will make it easier for students to cheat? Why or why not?
Have you ever written a paper with help from Grammarly or other online programs? What do you use online programs for when it comes to your writing?
Why do you think the professor has made ChatGPT a requirement for his classes?
Are you surprised that schools have banned access to ChatGPT? Explain.

Got it? Now practice using the present perfect in this short quiz.

<section><h2><h2><strong>Can you use the present perfect correctly? Take this short quiz to find out. </strong></h2></h2></section><section><h2><h2><strong>How long have you lived in the United States?</strong></h2></h2><p> </p><p>**Chose two correct answers.</p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>________you_________”The Last of Us?” It’s a popular series based on a video game. </strong></h2></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>I _____ to New York before. </strong></h2></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>My teacher _____ us a lot of homework this semester.</strong></h2></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>The computer in the classroom _____ for a long time now. </strong></h2></h3><p>**Pick the two correct answers</p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>Mari has lived here _____three years. </strong></h2></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>They have _____ traveled to a different country. </strong></h2></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>Have you ever _____a 10 page paper in English?</strong></h2></h3></section><section><h3><h2><strong>Javi _____ a lot this year because he got fired from his job at the factory. </strong></h2></h3><p> </p><p>**Choose 2 correct answers.</p></section><section><h3><h2><strong>The students _____their homework, so now they can use the ipad.</strong></h2></h3></section><section><h2><h2><strong>Nice job! You know your present perfect tense</strong>:grinning:</h2></h2></section><section><h3><h2><strong>Try again! You’ve got this</strong>:+1:</h2></h3></section>

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Continue to page 4 to share your own unique thoughts, opinions, and ideas with learners from around the world.

Join the Conversation…

What do you think about ChatGPT? There is not a correct answer. You are sharing your own unique thoughts, opinions, and ideas. Don’t forget to come back and see how other English learners responded!

<section><h2><h2><strong>1. In general, how do you feel about ChatGPT?</strong></h2></h2></section>

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<section><h2><h2><strong>2. What are you most worried about with ChatGPT?</strong></h2></h2></section><section><h2>The effect of ChatGPT on education and learning</h2></section><section><h3>Artificial intelligence becoming a big part of our lives</h3></section><section><h3>ChatGPT creating answers for people that are harmful</h3></section><section><h3>Spreading false or misinformation through Chat Bots</h3></section>

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<section><h2><h2><strong>3. What do you think is one of the greatest possibilities with this type of artificial intelligence?</strong></h2></h2></section><section><h2>Doctors can use it to help diagnose disease.</h2></section><section><h3>We can come up with new inventions and create new products.</h3></section><section><h3>It can be used to understand complex information.</h3></section><section><h3>It could be used to help people with disabilities communicate.</h3></section>

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<section><h2><h2><strong>4. Should teachers allow students to use it to <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>Generate</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>&lt;!-- wp:paragraph {&quot;fontSize&quot;:&quot;large&quot;} --&gt; &lt;p class=&quot;has-large-font-size&quot;&gt;create and come up with new ideas&lt;/p&gt; &lt;!-- /wp:paragraph --&gt;</div>" data-mobile-support="0" data-gt-translate-attributes='[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]' tabindex="0" role="link">generate</span> ideas, research information, and help with correcting errors in their essays and papers?</strong></h2></h2></section>

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The interview today showed us a new type of artificial intelligence. As we have seen, there are mixed opinions about ChatGPT and its implications.

5. Imagine that you are on a panel to share your opinion about the use of ChatGPT in schools. Some people believe it should be used in schools, and others think it should be banned. What is your opinion? Explain your reasons.

Click on the button below to share your answer!

Read the comments and share your stories here!

Thank you for sharing your answers! Visit the page anytime to see how other learners responded.

Recap…

In this listening segment we learned how ChatGPT has become a part of peoples lives and how it has impacted students and education. There are some critics against the use of this computer program in schools, but as we heard in the interview today, there are also advocates of its use. It will be interesting to see how we begin to navigate this kind of artificial intelligence in our lives now as well as the implications for its future use. In addition, we learned vocabulary words related to the listening and practiced using the present perfect. Thanks for participating and learning with REALIA!

You did it! Way to go! Keep up the good work!

Come back to “www.gorealia.com” every week to practice English and listen to stories that inspire!

Sources

Kelly, Mary Louise, host. “How to Stop Worrying and Love (or at Least Live With) ChatGPT.” All Things Considered, NPR, 24 Jan. 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/01/24/1151160196/how-to-stop-worrying-and-love-or-at-least-live-with-chatgpt.