artificial intelligence

Ready to Write Again

/ Ritamarie Hensley / Leave a comment

It has been several months since I’ve posted any writing on my site.

Why?

AI.

When ChatGPT came on the market, I experimented with it and eventually discovered many other tools. I found tools that could make my life easier and save me time so I could explore other hobbies. When I entered my writing and asked ChatGPT for suggestions, corrections, or citations, I received fully revised articles. The revisions may have lacked my voice, but no matter, I now had time. What used to take me hours, sometimes days, to complete was done in seconds. Literally seconds. I no longer had to wrack my brain for the perfect word or phrase. Deleting entire paragraphs and moving sentences around was no longer part of my struggle with writing. I should be happy.

I’m not happy.

I actually like reworking paragraphs and struggling to find the perfect word. I enjoy the initial brainstorming where I think about topics that might be beneficial to my target audience. Playing with my writing (yes, playing) is my kind of fun; it’s my hobby. The ease of writing does not necessarily equate to satisfaction, especially when the process is what I enjoy most. I don’t want a tool to take my fun away.

Even though this might be “my” kind of fun, I think about all the students who give away their voices to a bot. They are giving away what writing does for all of us: thinking, meaning-making, and creativity. Writing is a valuable process; it’s how we discover more about ourselves and the world around us. But now, many may never know the benefits of writing because they will always have a tool ready to take it over for them. The thinking, the writing, the revising, the editing—all gone.

I understand that many students do not see the fun in writing and allow large language models (LLMs) to take away their burdens and struggles. But when students outsource their thinking and drafting to AI, they lose the learning that happens through writing. I worry about students losing their voices to AI. Voice is formed through practice and intellectual friction. It can take years to develop, but it is the unique voice of each student that needs to be heard.

My suggestion for students who struggle with writing is this: take a chance and write down any thoughts you have on the topic. Get out all your ideas in whatever way feels natural. Then, after the struggle is over, ask the LLM to make grammatical corrections and offer suggestions for clarity, but tell the tool to maintain your voice.

Although much of the struggle is gone, the voice remains, but only if we insist on keeping it. AI can polish our writing, but it cannot replace the joy of wrestling with an idea until it finally clicks. As I return to writing, I’m choosing to embrace the struggle again, the many drafts and all the rewriting, because that’s where my voice lives.

And I hope our students discover that their voice is worth wrestling for too.

Digital Literacy and Why it’s Important

/ Ritamarie Hensley / Leave a comment
Photo by Lee Campbell on Pexels.com

Browsing the internet is part of our everyday world. We encounter news stories, blogs, videos, advertisements and so much more. Each shares its own worldview, which influences our own opinions and outlooks. With the introduction of artificial intelligence into the field of education, we now have even more examples of bias entering the classroom. It is imperative that students have the skills to question what they are seeing and reading and feel empowered to do something about it. 

Digital literacy is not just about knowing how to use technology; it’s about understanding how it works, its implications, and its impact on society. In today’s world, where information is abundant and readily accessible, digital literacy has become a crucial skill for students to develop.

One important aspect of digital literacy is the ability to critically evaluate information found online. With the vast amount of content available on the internet, it’s easy for misinformation, bias, and fake news to spread. Students need to be equipped with the skills to discern credible sources from unreliable ones, to fact-check information, and to recognize potential biases or agendas behind the content they encounter.

Students should understand the algorithms that govern the content they see online, including those used by search engines, social media platforms, and recommendation systems. These algorithms can influence the information students are exposed to, shaping their perceptions and beliefs.Tools like ChatGPT only understand what they’ve been asked to do. They are not sentient tools and do not comprehend what they are doing. They have been trained on hundreds of thousands of data and merely respond with the most probable answer, which often includes biases.  By understanding how algorithms work and the biases they may contain, students can better navigate and interpret the digital landscape.

Digital literacy is essential for career readiness, educational success, and social interactions. With the proliferation of artificial intelligence, students must build their digital skills in order to successfully navigate online tools. They must possess an understanding of algorithms and their biases when generating AI results. It is necessary to understand the shortcomings as well as the benefits of AI. When students understand more about the biases and shortcomings that are connected to AI, they can then consider what is true and what is not. In a world of deepfakes that create false images, videos, speech and text, students must know the necessary steps to take to distinguish legitimate from illegitimate. 

In addition to being critical consumers of digital content, students should also be creators and contributors. Digital literacy involves knowing how to effectively communicate and collaborate online, as well as understanding issues related to online privacy, security, and ethics. Students should be aware of their digital footprint and how their online actions can impact their reputations and future opportunities.

Overall, digital literacy is essential for students to thrive in the digital age. By developing these skills, students can become empowered, responsible, and ethical digital citizens who are capable of navigating and contributing to an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Study Breaks, Rewards, and the Help of AI

/ Ritamarie Hensley / Leave a comment
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

How to Schedule Breaks and Some Fun During Study Time

Everyone knows the importance of studying. Everyone also knows how hard it is to concentrate when you’re tired and feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Studying does not have to be stressful or tiring if you know how to include breaks and a little bit of fun. 

The best way to study is over several days. If you can organize your time so that you plan your study time way ahead of the test or exam, you can make studying last just twenty minutes each night. However, if you are a procrastinator or your teacher decided to give a test in just a few days, you will need to study in much longer chunks of time. So, how can you study for hours without losing your motivation and energy? 

The tips below will help get you through your next study session.

Get Outside

If you hit the books hard and get through the first several chapters of notes, don’t forget to give yourself some free-time. Every hour of studying should have a 10 to 15 minute break.

If you’ve been focused for the last 45 minutes, spend the next 15 minutes by stepping outside. The fresh air will give you renewed energy and your mind a break from staring at a book or notes. 

Move

You can also spend some time moving around. Most likely you’ve been sitting at your desk or kitchen table and studying, so when it is time for a break, get up and move. The movement will get your blood flowing which will help with your energy levels. You probably won’t feel like moving, but it is the best thing you can do before you hit the books again. Whether you take a walk around the house or just go to another room, don’t sit down, just keep moving.

Fuel

Hydrate with water and fuel your body with a healthy snack. Studying is not the time for sugary drinks or salty foods. Get up from your desk and grab some water, baby carrots, sliced apples, or a handful of almonds to fuel your body. The water and snack also help you maintain your energy. Again, leave your study environment for a change of scenery. Make this a true break to let your mind wander as you feed your body. 

Find Fun

Study Buddies

Studying does not have to be boring. To add some fun to your studying, join a study group. If you can find friends who have a similar work ethic as yours, you can form a study group and ask each other questions. Oftentimes, your friends will uncover information that you didn’t have in your notes. 

If you can’t find a study group, you can practice teaching the information to your younger siblings or stuffed animals. This strategy gives you the opportunity to view the information in a different way. Consider how you would explain your notes to someone else; it will force you to break it down into smaller chunks. You can even create visuals that will help you demonstrate your knowledge. 

Another study option is to ask ChatGPT or another artificial intelligence tool for help. You can ask ChatGPT to create questions in the form of a quiz or test to help you preview what the actual assessment might look like. This preparation can help you simulate an actual testing situation without the pressure of a final grade. You can also ask ChatGPT to breakdown concepts into simpler terms. For example, if you are studying the process of photosynthesis as a middle school student, you can ask the tool to explain the process to an elementary aged student. This breakdown will help you remember basic concepts from which to build.

Rewards

Sometimes the possibility of a reward will help get you through the toughest parts of studying. Rewards can be simple. You can allow yourself to watch your favorite television show if you study for an allotted amount of time on a given number of days. Or, you can allow yourself time on social media after your study session. The bigger rewards may come after you receive your high score on the test or exam. You can tell yourself that if you receive an A (or whatever grade you’re trying to get), you will treat yourself to a night out with friends. The rewards should be fun and motivating, but only you know what that might be.