Teachers rave about ChatGPT after using bot for lesson preparation, notes to parents

Queensland teachers are using artificial intelligence bot ChatGPT to create lesson plans and write letters to parents, despite the software being banned on state school networks.

Queensland teachers are embracing artificial intelligence bot ChatGPT to create lesson plans and write letters to parents, despite the software being banned on state school networks over student cheating concerns.

Teachers have praised the bot in an online forum, with one saying they used it to make a letter of concern to a student’s parent “sound more supportive”.

ChatGPT composes realistic and detailed responses to prompts. It was developed by Silicon Valley start-up OpenAI with backing from Elon Musk and Microsoft.

ChatGPT can provide students with answers capable of passing exam questions and outsmart anti-plagiarism software. Picture: Fabrice Coffrini / AFP.

One Queensland teacher said they used the bot when writing a letter to a parent of a student not doing their homework. They asked ChatGPT to “make this sound more supportive”.

Another used the OpenAI creation to compose “welcome letters to parents”.

A different educator enlisted the software’s help in creating a lesson plan for Newton’s Law of Gravitation for a Year 12 class. They described the results as “excellent and simple”.

Other teachers used the bot to create lesson plans and worksheets for maths, grammar, and syntax lessons. One even said ChatGPT’s response complied with requirements for students with special needs.

Independent Education Union Queensland and Northern Territory branch secretary Terry Burke said AI could ease the profession’s workload crisis, but controls were needed.

“Implementation of these technologies by school employers requires consultation with our union and employees including the resources and the support teachers need to combat the potential negative uses for creating student assessments,” he said.

“Any implementation of AI technologies in our schools needs to complement the role of teachers and not replace them as education is a social activity and AI cannot replace a teacher’s professional expertise and judgments.”

Queensland Teachers’ Union president Cresta Richardson said there will always be emerging technologies that will impact teaching and learning, such as ChatGPT.

“Careful consideration of the benefits and challenges that emerging technologies have upon the profession and upon students is needed,” she said.

“It is essential for teachers and school leaders to remain at the centre of educating students.”

Islamic College of Brisbane Year 6 students and staff exploring how ChatGPT works earlier this month, as they constructed stories. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

The concerns around ChatGPT stem from its ability to provide answers capable of passing exam questions with flying colours and outsmart anti-plagiarism software. However, there is Australian software in testing that can detect whether a piece of work was written by AI.

The Islamic College of Brisbane, in Karawatha on Brisbane’s southern outskirts and home to 1600 students, announced last month it would revise this year’s curriculum to use the chatbot as a teaching aid.

Queensland’s Department of Education confirmed last month ChatGPT was blocked for all students on state school networks, but this would be reviewed.

Queensland joins NSW and New York City in black-listing the program.

Meanwhile, the Group of Eight – Australia’s leading research-intensive universities, including the University of Queensland – has flagged a return to old-school practices, such as a greater use of pen and paper exams, to combat the threat AI technology poses.