Chatgpt and Essays

Do students still know how to write and think creatively? It seems like a bit of a dire, apocalyptic question, but it's one I’ve been pondering over the past year as I hear of and watch some students regularly resort to ChatGPT for their essays and all kinds of writing assignments. They’re using prompts, writing first drafts, and some even copying and pasting the exact content without changing it up and adding their flair. If you’re a teacher in the 21st century, you know the drill.

A recent observation is a changed attitude toward learning English among the IB DP students. Instead of mastering the art of brainstorming and formulating an analysis with personal insight and perception, students have chosen the AI or chatgpt route. This is failing them in assessments, as they are being picked out for using AI-generated content, which is then reported on the transcripts that are sent to the universities they apply to. Their academic integrity is being questioned, all but for a few paragraphs that they could have very well written on their own and cleverly. Whether it’s their IAs, EEs, ToKs, or university and supplemental essays, ChatGPT is emerging as a hero for all the quick prompts and paraphrases.

Then there are the IGCSE students, the grade 9s and 10s, whom I’ve thoroughly enjoyed teaching for the past 15 years, but I’m now seeing less and less of them because AI and ChatGPT are supposedly helping them with their descriptive writing, narrative writing, and text analysis. If students are truly benefiting from them, that’s brilliant, but I believe that these tools take away from their critical thinking and ability to frame key points on their own. They aren't getting the solid guidance they need, and there’s a false sense of comfort as no real effort is being put in that's required to support them through the exams.

AI is pervasive, and it’s here to stay. As educators, I see huge merit in holding discussions with our students, clarifying the school's or institution’s stance on using AI and mentoring our students on what is okay and what isn’t. Over-reliance should be discouraged. As my understanding and observations refine and become more nuanced, I will keep sharing insights.