How ChatGPT could help children in Norfolk blag schoolwork

But could ChatGPT, the online "language model" tool which uses AI to generate written responses to prompts, be proving something of a pest in the region's schools?

Experts say schoolchildren who may otherwise have relied on their dogs to eat their homework are leaping on the technology as a quick fix for assignments.

And the bot itself admits it could be very easily utilised by youngsters looking to cheat their way through school.

However, is this actually happening and what will it mean for education in the long run?

Richard Harvey, a professor of computer science at the University of East Anglia, said he was aware of youngsters trying to take advantage of ChatGPT and similar programmes already.

Professor Richard Harvey from the UEA (Image: UEA)

But Prof Harvey did question how effective it could actually prove for youngsters hoping for it to do their work for them.

He said: "I was recently giving a talk about this at a local school and when I asked if anybody had used ChatGPT to do homework every single hand went up.

"It does seem to write like an articulate 15-year-old, which is perhaps why it is so appealing to secondary school pupils.

"However, I'm not sure its impact will really cut the mustard."

Prof Harvey said that the main flaw of using it in secondary school is that pupils are known by their teachers.

He said: "If Fred Bloggs, who has been turning in thousands of terrible essays all year, suddenly starts handing in literarily coherent works, it would stand out like a sore thumb.

"That isn't how learning works, it is a gradual process."

But Prof Harvey said pupils should not necessarily be discouraged from using the technology in a sensible way.

He added: "I remember a similar reaction when spellcheckers first came out but people eventually came around to them.

"ChatGPT could be used in a similar way and have started providing its answers to pupils to develop quality check."

He added that the technology is even less likely to have an impact on higher education.

"It is quite a good writer but it is not a good enough critical thinker and I would suggest to university students that if you put work in of its standard you will fail," he added.

"Universities also use a lot more technology to help spot cheating, we have a plagiarism checker which would spot this kind of thing a mile off."

Geoff Barton, of the Association of School and College Leaders (Image: Archant)

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, also said he felt it was something students could make legitimate use of - rather than being a cheat tool.

He said: "We need a blended mix of academic and vocational options which is tailored around the student and which uses artificial intelligence as a tool to aid learning - rather than something to be feared as a means of cheating.

"Exams will always be a key component of any system of assessment but it should also be possible to evaluate skills such as analysis and critical thinking without always insisting on students sitting with pens and paper in a large exam hall.

"This is the 21st century after all."

But some exam boards have called for students to have to do some coursework "in class under direct supervision" in a bid to "protected the integrity of "qualifications".

The Joint Council for Qualifications, which represents the UK's major exam boards, has published guidelines urging teachers to be more alert to the technology being used "inappropriately".

In its own words

Experts have speculated over just how ChatGPT could be used by school pupils - but what does the online tool say itself?

David Hannant: What role could ChatGPT hypothetically have in schools?

ChatGPT: ChatGPT could hypothetically have several roles in schools, such as:

Personalised Learning: ChatGPT could be used to provide personalised learning experiences to students. By interacting with ChatGPT, students could receive customised feedback, guidance, and support tailored to their individual needs and learning styles.

Homework Help: ChatGPT could be used as a resource to help students with their homework. Students could ask ChatGPT questions about specific topics or concepts, and ChatGPT could provide them with relevant information and resources.

Assessment and Grading: ChatGPT could be used to grade assignments and provide feedback to students. Teachers could input grading criteria and rubrics into ChatGPT, and ChatGPT could automatically assess and provide feedback to students.

Language Learning: ChatGPT could be used to help students learn languages. By conversing with ChatGPT in a foreign language, students could practice their language skills and receive feedback on their pronunciation and grammar.

Research Assistance: ChatGPT could be used as a research assistant for students. By asking ChatGPT questions about a topic, students could receive relevant information and resources to help them with their research.

Overall, ChatGPT could play a valuable role in schools by providing personalised learning experiences, homework help, assessment and grading, language learning, and research assistance to students. However, it's important to note that ChatGPT should be used as a supplement to, not a replacement for, traditional teaching methods and human interaction.

David Hannant: Could children hypothetically use ChatGPT to cheat in coursework or exams?

ChatGPT: Yes, it's possible for children to use ChatGPT to cheat in coursework or exams if they're able to access the platform during these activities. ChatGPT is a powerful tool that can provide students with accurate and comprehensive answers to a wide range of questions.

However, it's important to note that cheating is unethical and can have serious consequences. Many educational institutions have strict policies regarding cheating, and students who are caught cheating can face disciplinary action, including failing the course, suspension, or expulsion.

Additionally, there are measures that schools can take to prevent cheating with ChatGPT, such as monitoring students' internet activity during exams, limiting access to the platform during coursework, and educating students about the ethical implications of cheating.

Overall, while ChatGPT can be a valuable resource for students, it's important for schools and educators to take steps to ensure that it is being used appropriately and ethically.

David Hannant: What could teachers do to spot when a pupil has done this?

ChatGPT: 

If a student is using ChatGPT to cheat on coursework or exams, there are several signs that teachers can look for to spot this behaviour.

Here are some of the ways teachers can detect if a student is cheating with ChatGPT:

Unusual language or vocabulary: If a student uses language or vocabulary that is beyond their level of proficiency, it may be a sign that they are using ChatGPT to generate their responses.

Inconsistencies in writing style: If a student's writing style suddenly changes or appears more sophisticated than usual, it may indicate that they are not the author of the work.

Rapid completion of assignments: If a student completes an assignment much faster than their usual pace or with a high degree of accuracy, it may be a sign that they are using ChatGPT to generate their responses.

Repeated phrases or sentences: If a student's work contains phrases or sentences that are repeated verbatim in multiple assignments, it may be a sign that they are copying and pasting answers generated by ChatGPT.

Suspicious patterns in work: If a student's work consistently follows a particular pattern, it may be a sign that they are using ChatGPT to generate their responses.

Unusual internet activity: If a teacher observes that a student is frequently accessing the ChatGPT platform during class or during an exam, it may indicate that they are using the platform to cheat.

In addition to these signs, teachers can also use plagiarism detection software to check for similarities between a student's work and content available on the internet. By monitoring for these signs and taking appropriate action, teachers can help ensure that students are engaging in honest academic work.

David Hannant: How would you succinctly describe what ChatGPT actually is?

ChatGPT: ChatGPT is a language model developed by OpenAI that uses deep learning to generate natural language responses to a wide range of questions and prompts. It has been trained on a large corpus of text data and can generate human-like responses to a variety of tasks, including answering questions, summarising text, and generating creative writing.