Okay, thank you for having me today. Let me just turn this on. Today, I’m going to talk about ChatGPT and the poverty of information and education. The poverty of information is a concept taken from Chomsky’s Poverty of Stimulus argument in linguistics. It questions how children are able to learn language without sufficient input. In education, we face a poverty of information, but in a negative sense compared to the poverty of stimulus. However, emerging technologies can help address this issue.
In 2015, a study titled ‘Computer-Based Personality Judgments Are More Accurate Than Those Made by Humans’ looked at digital footprints to analyze participants’ personalities. Digital footprints include web browsing logs, web search queries, purchase records, and even Facebook likes. Surprisingly, the study found that just 10 likes were enough for a computer to analyze and understand a person’s personality better than their co-workers. This raises concerns about privacy and the potential reliance on computers for important life decisions.
While there is panic about the impact of AI on education, we should also focus on how it can improve education in the classroom. Traditional classrooms often have large class sizes, making it difficult for teachers to track individual student progress. By utilizing AI and analyzing students’ digital footprints, we can gather rich data about each student and track their progress. This data-driven approach can provide customized instruction and support for students, ensuring no one is left behind.
However, there are concerns about privacy and ethics. Institutions need to address these concerns and assure teachers about the confidentiality of information. Ministries of Education should take the lead in incorporating these technologies into their curricula, as it will require a complete overhaul to make education more authentic and reflective of the real world.
AI in education is not meant to replace teachers but to enhance their capabilities. With AI tools, teachers can analyze and diagnose each student’s strengths and weaknesses, provide personalized instruction, and monitor their progress. This data-driven approach will prepare students for the real world, where skills like computer literacy and effective communication are essential.
In conclusion, AI has the potential to address the poverty of information in education. By leveraging AI tools and analyzing students’ digital footprints, we can provide personalized instruction and support, ensuring no student is left behind. Educational institutions need to embrace these technologies and adapt their curricula to prepare students for the future. The role of teachers will evolve, but their expertise and guidance will remain invaluable in shaping the next generation’s education.
Thank you for your attention and if you have any questions, I am here to answer them.
