ChatGPT Banned in NYC Schools

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot that generates human-like writing. Photograph: Ascannio/Alamy https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/06/new-york-city-schools-ban-ai-chatbot-chatgpt#:~:text=New%20York%20City%20schools%20have,in%20New%20York's%20public%20schools.

NYC Public Schools just banned ChatGPT in all classrooms.

At hs.credit, we were just chatting about how such a tool is great for students to use in producing youth media. Excited to integrate ChatGPT into our beta testing program. And then we read This Guardian piece, which goes so far as to almost describe hs.credit:

“ask students who submit their essays at home to also submit a ‘short and sweet’ video response in which they restate their thesis …review some of their best evidence, their best arguments, their reasoning and then at the end I would have them reflect … What did they learn from the essay … what did they struggle with, where did they think they grew… This will help students develop better communication skills while helping you ensure they’re really learning the material,”

For context on this issue, I have heard of ChatGPT giving step-by-step explanations of a mathematics solution, which was totally wrong! It’s appears to be a foil with great confidence and little depth of reasoning. But a powerful tool, none-the-less to a young local reporter on the beat.

Also, why can’t the teachers ask ChatGPT whether students wrote any part of an essay, or a pile of them? I bet ChatGPT could do that, too. Weird. The article actually mentions that the DOE is working on that.

The fact that NYC Schools have no choice but to ban this is telling. I get it. I’m not saying they shouldn’t. Do what the teachers advise is my advice. I’m noting that a command-and-control system has no choice.

But if youth voice was the goal… Academic voice, peer-feedback and revision, it would involve less teacher busywork and more teachers doing their jobs, as educators. And more instances where education is working for NYC.