The Art of Artificial Intelligence

For quite a while, assistive technology has given twice-exceptional students multiple ways to support their executive functioning skills and to demonstrate knowledge. It has allowed them to move from dependence to independence. However, the use of artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT raises concerns. As a teacher, I learned and practiced differentiation—identifying student strengths, needs, interests, and talents, and making appropriate adaptations and accommodations. According to Carol Ann Tomlinson, differentiation is accomplished in three areas—Content, information about a topic; Process, activities to achieve a result; and Product, what is produced. AI and Aha The most exciting times I had as a teacher and writer came during those “aha” moments of special insight and comprehension and occurred during the Process. My Chat GPT experience helped me realize that, although I could put in Content information and a Product would be quickly generated, I was not personally immersed in the wonder of the process of connecting content and product. AI cannot experience the “aha.” It cannot feel the intellectual and emotional joy of process that humans experience. By engaging in process, the probability of “aha” moments are intensified. The steps in each of the following examples are where humans, not AI, innovate, create, and generate products experientially. Recognizing and understanding the process in each of these areas is important for anyone engaging in the completion of any task. Through direct instruction about using ChatGPT or similar platforms appropriately, teachers can guide students through the learning process. The benefit of knowing the steps allows AI users to be able to better analyze the pluses and minuses of the technology as a tool. Knowing the importance of exploring and analyzing both sides of an issue, I embarked on a closer look at understanding the purpose, intent, capabilities, and limitations of ChatGPT and AI innovation. Patterns and Predictions Corrie Pikul-Brown’s article in Futurity, “How Does ChatGPT Differ from Human Intelligence,” discusses a conversation organized by Brown University’s Carney Institute for Brain Science. Ellie Pavlick and Thomas Serre shared the parallels between AI and human intelligence. ChatGPT, as an artificial neural network, picks up general patterns using predictive coding theory. Though, there are some similarities in the way a computer brain and a human brain learn information and use it, there is no evidence of parallels between the human dreaming process and the computational process of AI. According to these scholars, ChatGPT combines data in new ways, but it does not reflect on what it did nor update it. In Jade Bowler’s video, “How to Become A Top 1% Student Using AI” (Unjaded Jade), Bowler notes that the calculator has evolved to be a useful math tool that enhances problem solving, but there were fears about it when it first appeared. Today, many people fear that there will be a loss of deep processing with AI. Her defense of ChatGPT recognizes that it uses massive amounts of data to spot existing patterns and can predict probable outcomes based on data but there are limitations including bias, a lack of real-world understanding, emotional intelligence, an inability to verify information (sources), and an inability for critical thinking. Bowler offers the following strategies for using ChatGPT:

• As a summary tool
• For role-play
• To generate flashcards
• To critique an essay
• For creative writing prompts
• For questions in the Socratic Method
• To grade homework
• As a brainstorming partner

Finally, Bowler said that it is most essential that humans use ChatGPT and similar AI platforms and apply it with our own human capabilities. An Intelligence Revolution In his Student Life article, “Understanding artificial intelligence: use it, don’t abuse it,” Jordan Spector asks, “Is AI redefining creativity? Or is it simply shining a light on the same concerns artists have faced for centuries?” Like Bowler’s calculator, Spector references the fear once posed by photography to suggest that AI is not meant to be used to replace human creativity, but rather as a tool that can be used in new ways. After expanding my own knowledge base about ChatGPT and AI, I evaluated my own thinking. We are in a time of major transition. Like those living through each of the “Industrial Revolutions,” we are engaging in conversations about the impact of new technologies on humanity and how humans can maintain creativity, innovation, and the joy of process in the age of AI. I remember vividly that when the microwave oven made its entrance, we feared it would bring the end of cooking as we knew it. Of course, it did not. We learned it was a great tool for re-heating and making popcorn. So, what could teachers working with 2e students do to effectively use ChatGPT and AI as we move forward?  The following action steps for educators and students may be helpful: For Teachers:

• Using reliable sources, acquire knowledge and understanding about AI
• Learn the advantages and limitations of AI
• Analyze your current use of differentiation within Content, Process, and Product
• Provide instruction to students about the advantages and limitations of AI
• Analyze similarities and differences between AI and the human brain
• Provide students with expectations/rubrics and guided practice for using AI
• Stay current with the newest information
• Make adaptations in curriculum as needed

For Students:

• Using reliable sources, acquire knowledge and understanding about AI
• Learn the advantages and limitations of AI and the human brain
• Analyze similarities and differences between AI and the human brain
• Recognize that human creativity and innovation are an integral part of process
• Synthesize information about how AI can be applied to schoolwork and beyond
• Apply AI as a tool to enhance your creations
• Experiment creating products using a combination of AI and the human brain

The more we know and understand, the more we can analyze and apply new information, the better we are at synthesizing the information into new and exciting products. Even as we interact with the newest—and sometimes scary—technology, we can help 2e students enjoy the process and experience “aha moments.” _____________________________________________________________________ Sue Jeweler, an award-winning educator, has spent her 30-year teaching career in Maryland’s Montgomery County Public Schools and has been a consultant for the Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic, and many other organizations. She co-established Creative Family Projects, LLC and has co-authored several books, including her latest, Bringing Generations Together.