By Amilia Wu,
Staff Writer
The Principal’s Newsletter sent out through Parentsquare on Feb. 10 announced the school district’s decision to block ChatGPT on school Wi-Fi. Sparked by a boom in popularity and fear of academic dishonesty, other large districts such as Los Angeles Unified School District and the New York City Department of Education also banned the chatbot.
The preemptive ban on this new software removes any chances for students and staff to discover its full potential. In order to assist students in the digital world, ChatGPT should be reintroduced on school computers as a valuable learning tool.
Similar to paper, cars and calculators, ChatGPT is the next step in human technology. The chatbot’s popularity is rapidly growing, as more users embrace its capabilities. According to analytics firm Similarweb, ChatGPT’s website had over 13 million unique users per day in Jan. 2023. As it becomes more widespread, the program will be more commonly used in places such as schools and workplaces. In order to keep up with the times, students should be able to explore its uses without it being forcefully blocked. Reinstating ChatGPT on school property allows students to keep up with the times and use this tool for success.
A common concern is that students, instead of thinking for themselves, will use ChatGPT to cheat on assignments. However, the chatbot can also teach concepts and give explanations. One of its functions is summarizing data and finding sources, saving students hours of clicking through webpages. Much like a calculator performing menial computations, this gives them more time and energy to come up with original work.
There is a social stigma and general lack of knowledge surrounding ChatGPT. Educating classes about its positive uses can turn students in the right direction, opening their minds to new possibilities. A short class lesson or Canvas course would inform students on how to use ChatGPT as a tool to aid in academic settings.
The district has a responsibility to prepare its students for the future, informing and educating them about the technological advances that are continually shaping our lives. ChatGPT should be integrated with our academics, but teachers will have to change and adapt their curriculum plans. Class lessons can teach students how and when to utilize the program, and handwritten exams can prevent cheating. With ChatGPT, we have the whole world at our fingertips. The future of technology is approaching, one sentence at a time.