ChatGPT is fine-tuned with both supervised learning and reinforcement learning techniques. Large language models perform the task of predicting the next word in a series of words. This is achieved by importing massive amounts of data to help improve its accuracy. During the prediction process, ChatGPT considers the context of the input and generates a grammatically and semantically coherent response. Reinforcement learning uses human feedback to help it learn to follow directions and generate responses to our satisfaction. If you want to learn more, please read Deep Learning's How ChatGPT works.   

ChatGPT has access to a wide range of knowledge and can respond to various questions and prompts. However, it can also generate factually incorrect or biased responses, so it is important to verify the information provided by ChatGPT before using it.

With ChatGPT's design process, it has been able to complete tasks not initially designed. ChatGPT can:

• code and debug in different programming languages
• translate text into other languages
• compose music and song lyrics
• write teleplays
• write stories and poetry
• create coherent and credible writing
• emulate a Linux system
• simulate an entire chat room
• play games
• solve mathematical problems

As we all know, technology is not inherently good or evil- it depends on how it is used. Though the primary purpose of ChatGPT is to mimic human conversation, some of the educational community has become concerned by its misuse. For example:

• write student poetry, essays, papers, etc.
• answer test questions
• generate code for programming assignments
• solve mathematical problems, displaying steps to solve

Note: The performance of ChatGPT in each task may vary depending on how the data was fine-tuned, the quality of the data given, and the use case. It is important to evaluate the output given.

In addition, we need to consider that such tools have already existed for many years. The concept of cheating has been around, well, for a long time.

• Answer Test Questions: Quizlet, Google, StudyMate, Socratic
• Generate Coding: OpenAI Codex, Tabnine, CodeT5, Polycoder
• Write Essays: EssayAILab, Pay someone else
• Solving mathematical problems: Google, Mathway, Microsoft Math Solver

We suggest adopting the following strategies to help instructors communicate with students, set expectations, and develop assignments in the age of AI-based technologies. The goal is to increase students’ motivation to develop their own skills and ideas.

Your First Step

A critical first step you can take is becoming familiar with ChatGPT, its capabilities, and its limitations. Take a moment to not only read what others have to say but also try it out. When trying it out, consider your courses and assessments, and create prompts you think your students may use.

Syllabus - Set Clear Policies

Develop guidelines and policies for using AI tools, including expectations for citation and acknowledgment of sources and whether or not using AI Technologies is acceptable in your course. Based on these guidelines also include, discuss how you will proceed if you discover inappropriate use of AI-generated work.

Discuss With Your Students

As important as establishing expectations is also taking time to communicate with your students. Make sure to include in your discussion capabilities, limitations, and ethical use of AI technologies, such as ChatGPT. In relation to your course, discuss with them that the skills and behaviors they learn in the course will likely transfer to other careers.

It is also important to go over digital literacy and make sure not to accept information presented at face value. They need to be able to analyze the information given critically. These are skills they will apply in the workforce.

In addition, we should encourage students to be transparent about using ChatGPT and other AI tools by citing them in their work.

Impart A Growth Mindset

The reality is that learning is a journey that includes challenges. We need to take the time to explain to students that struggle is a normal part of the learning process- it means our minds are growing. Taking shortcuts by using AI tools will hinder their growth and consequentially miss opportunities to develop essential skills and become more knowledgeable.

Exams/Quizzes

If you utilize exams/quizzes, we highly recommend not making them high-stakes assessments. Lowering the stakes of such assessments reduces students’ motivation for cheating and encourages them to build their own skills and competencies. These types of assessments are meant for foundational understanding and generally do not measure course outcomes. If your quizzes are worth 30% of the grade, consider making them 10%.

I. Consider the amount of time given

Students given too much time on exams/quizzes provide opportunities to look up answers to questions. Unsure of how much time to give? Here are suggested times per question type:

• 30 seconds per true & false question
• 60 seconds per multiple-choice question
• 2 minutes per short answer question
• 10-15 minutes per essay question
• And finally, provide 5-10 minutes to review the work.

There are special circumstances when the amount of time given should be modified depending on the nature of the question. Want to learn more; please visit How to Determine the Best Length for Your Assessment

II. Lockdown browser with Monitor

Lockdown Browser with Monitor can help reduce attempts to cheat. However, you need to review the results after the quiz/exam is completed; otherwise, the benefits of using Monitor are negated. See Respondus Monitor to learn more.

Writing Assignments

There are different types of writing assessments, including essays, reports, projects, and more.

Utilizing AI detection tools can identify when content generated by ChatGPT is being used without proper citation. Here are two tools you can employ right away:

• AI Detector
• GPT Zero

Utilize plagiarism detection tool, UTRGV utilizes SafeAssign, and make sure to enable Global Database. It’s important to know how to read the originality report so that we can make appropriate grading decisions. For example, a report indicating 20% plagiarized may not mean the student actually plagiarized. If the paper submitted includes referenced material, the reference list will tag lines plagiarized as they have been cited in other resources as well. To learn more please visit Blackboard’s Enable SafeAssign and Grade with SafeAssign to learn more.

Using detailed rubrics for evaluating assignments (essays, discussions, projects) with specifically defined expectations/requirements can deter the use of ChatPGT. The use of rubrics and scoring guides gives students a better understanding of what is being assessed, on what criteria grades are based, and what standards are expected. If you want to learn more, please visit Beyond Fairness and Consistency in Grading: The Role of Rubrics in Higher Education.

Making Connections

Create assignments that ask students to connect course content with current events and or personal experience - experiential or dialectical learning. Currently, AI technologies have a hard time effectively connecting the dots between such sources of knowledge.

Rethinking Assessments to Use AI Tools

The discussion of authentic assessments is nothing new, and new innovations tend to be feared by some and embraced by others. Considering such technologies as ChatGPT, we can easily see our students using them in the future workplace. The use of AI as a skill is becoming important to know. If we aim to create authentic experiences that prepare our students for 21st -century skills, then we need to consider designing assessments to incorporate AI-generated content. Think about how using AI tools might facilitate students’ learning and prepare them to engage these tools in their personal and professional lives thoughtfully.

There are several ways ChatGPT can be leveraged in the field of education. Here are just a few examples, some of which include:   

• Essay Scoring: ChatGPT could be fine-tuned to evaluate the quality of student essays and provide feedback on grammar, organization, and content.   
• FAQ Resource for Students: ChatGPT could assist students in answering questions by providing relevant information from its training data.  
• Language Learning: ChatGPT could be fine-tuned to help students learn a new language by providing translations and helping with grammar and vocabulary.   
• Study Material Generation: ChatGPT could generate study materials based on a textbook or other educational content, such as flashcards and summaries.   
• Tutoring: ChatGPT could be fine-tuned to act as an AI-based tutor, providing personalized instruction and feedback to students. Examples: Step-by-step problem solving, debugging programming code.   
• Automatic content generation: ChatGPT could generate educational content such as problem sets, quizzes, and educational games.   
• Text summarization: ChatGPT could be fine-tuned to summarize educational materials for students who have difficulty reading or want to review the material quickly. 

It is important to note that while ChatGPT can be fine-tuned for educational tasks, it should not replace human teachers and educators but rather assist them in providing more efficient, personalized, and accurate feedback to the students.

• How about we put learning in the Center
• Guest Post: AI will augment, not replace
• ChatGPT and higher education: last week and this weekWhat Will ChatGPT Mean for Teaching?
• Thoughts about the impact of AI text on assessment
• How accurate is ChatGPT
• Update Your Course Syllabus for chatGPT

• Oregon State University AI Decision Tree
• U.S. Copyright Office: Copyright and Artificial Intelligence

• Synthesia: AI Video Generation Platform
• HeyGen: AI Spokesperson Video

Resources 

O’Brien, M. (2023, January 6). Explainer: What is ChatGPT and why are schools blocking it?. Ap News 

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT-3 [Chatbot].

Schlosser, K. (2023, January 25). Chatgpt goes to college: Here's how the UW says professors should deal with AI in the classroom. GeekWire

Warner, J. (2023, January 4). How About We Put Learning at the Center. InsideHigherEd 

Wikipedia (2023, January 12). ChatGPT