Findlay Schools 'cautiously optimistic' about AI

Generative AI programs have been a hot topic in the education sphere ever since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022. ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot created by OpenAI, a USA-based AI research and development company. Chatbots are computer software designed to simulate conversation with a human, as defined by technology company IBM. Users can ask ChatGpt to provide them with indoor activities to do on a rainy day, or a fact about the Roman Empire. The program can answer essentially any question or prompt its user asks it. OpenAI also develops DALL·E 3, an AI image generator. OpenAI continually develops their GPT, or "generative pre-trained transformer," program to become smarter and more capable of "human-level performance" in educational and professional situations, according to the company's website. The capabilities of generative AI programs like ChatGPT are vast — and school districts like Findlay City Schools are doing their best to harness their potential power. "We're really just trying to understand it better as educators ourselves, so that then we can educate our students on it," said Justin Shank, director of technology at FCS. "It's not going away. It's going to be here for quite some time." FCS teachers were given the option to create an account with OpenAI this year. "I think what's exciting is when the teachers have the ability to learn, then they can share it with their students in a controlled environment in the classroom, rather than us just opening it up," Shank said. Schools are already using AI programs to help with educating students. Adaptive learning systems are programs that customize themselves to a student's needs or knowledge level. "For example, some of our assessment tools are adaptive to the learner that's taking the assessment," said FCS Superintendent Andy Hatton. "The assessment, depending on how I answer as a student, the next question might be a little harder if I get it right. If I miss it, it'll pitch me a question that's a little easier." Pearson Education and McGraw Hill are two educational content publishing companies that offer adaptive learning programs for educators. McGraw Hill's adaptive learning and assessment system ALEKS has been available since 1999. Addressing concerns Cheating by way of tools like ChatGPT is something that's been considered. "Cheating still exists. It has existed. It will always exist. Therefore, what we need to do is create conditions to authentically assess student thinking," Hatton said. "And the best way to do that is in school, in our learning spaces, providing students opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge, and create artifacts or engage in problems that they've never seen before." Hatton said a policy is in the works regarding artificial intelligence at FCS. "It'll probably flow into our acceptable use policies," he said. "We don't want those guardrails to be too tight because again, we want to have let our teachers do what they do best and have that creativity and that flexibility to integrate it into the learning process." FCS administration feels tools like ChatGPT should be used to help educators — not replace them. "It's a good starting point if you need an idea about something, to put it in there, and then it creates something for you to start with," Shank said. "Then you put your take and your human intuition and intellect on that to then spur it on further. It's not there to just replace me as a human being."