Ķvlog

Opinion
Artificial Intelligence Opinion

How to Co-Exist With Tech Is ChatGPT’s Lesson

January 31, 2023 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

To the Editor:

Teachers should not be worried about whether ChatGPT will disrupt learning (“ChatGPT: Teachers Weigh In on How to Manage the New AI Chatbot,” Jan. 3, 2023). Instead, Ķvlog should spend their time on how they can better train students to utilize artificial intelligence for human-intelligence augmentation.

Future-proof education should teach students to harness new technologies to prevent human redundancy. If a piece of work can be satisfactorily done with the help of ChatGPT, then so be it. It goes against students’ best interests to compel them to learn AI-replaceable skills in this fast-changing world.

We always praise “work smart, not hard.” Those who can utilize technologies for more efficiency or apply them in an innovative manner will gain an edge in the competitive market. It would be nonsensical to deter students from using it when many professions are all rushing to explore ChatGPT.

Students who are willing to try out new things should be encouraged. Coexisting with technologies is not just a skill but also a mindset that should be instilled in young people as early as possible.

Before ChatGPT, we expected students to learn the basics of writing from scratch. Deviating from this tradition will understandably lead to concerns. But if ChatGPT can already provide a draft, the new learning focus should be on how students can add their input or audit the draft (which itself is a great skill that professional editors have mastered).

If a student is capable of refining an AI-generated work that is already of quality, it is a demonstration of mastery of the topic and literary skills. From this positive angle, the AI-generated work raises the bar of output quality expected from students.

Martin Kwan
Educator & Policy Advocate
Consultative Member
UNESCO SDG4 Youth Network
Hong Kong, China

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the February 01, 2023 edition of Education Week as How to Co-Exist With Tech Is ChatGPT’s Lesson

Events

College & Workforce Readiness Webinar How High Schools Can Prepare Students for College and Career
Explore how schools are reimagining high school with hands-on learning that prepares students for both college and career success.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
GoGuardian and Google: Proactive AI Safety in Schools
Learn how to safely adopt innovative AI tools while maintaining support for student well-being. 
Content provided by 
Reading & Literacy K-12 Essentials Forum Supporting Struggling Readers in Middle and High School
Join this free virtual event to learn more about policy, data, research, and experiences around supporting older students who struggle to read.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Artificial Intelligence Rising Use of AI in Schools Comes With Big Downsides for Students
A report by the Center for Democracy and Technology looks at teachers' and students' experiences with the technology.
English teacher Casey Cuny reads in his classroom as a screen displays guidelines for using artificial intelligence at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2025.
English teacher Casey Cuny reads in his classroom as a screen displays guidelines for using artificial intelligence at Valencia High School in Santa Clarita, Calif., on Aug. 27, 2025. A new report raises serious concerns about the potentially negative effects of AI use on students.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Artificial Intelligence Quiz Quiz Yourself: How Much Do You Know About AI Policy, PD and Practical Use in Your District?
Answer 7 questions about AI Policy, PD and Practical Use in Your District?
Artificial Intelligence Opinion Teachers Share More Ways to Engage AI in the Classroom
Introduce AI as a minor step in assignments because it will be present regardless.
9 min read
Conceptual illustration of classroom conversations and fragmented education elements coming together to form a cohesive picture of a book of classroom knowledge.
Sonia Pulido for Education Week
Artificial Intelligence Tracker Which States Require Schools to Have AI Policies?
Education Week is tracking which states are mandating that schools adopt AI policies.
1 min read
Illustration of three Ķvlog in hard hats lifting up a very large letter "I" next to a large letter A.
DigitalVision Vectors