ChatGPT, the latest chatbot from OpenAI, has triggered concerns in all areas of education. This tool allows anyone to create impressive essays on any subject in a matter of seconds. Is this the end of assessment as we know it? Or is it the beginning of a new knowledge and information age? What does it mean for English Language Teaching and Learning?  Will teachers be forced to re-evaluate methods of assessment? What alternative methods of assessment can teachers adopt in the light of this new tool?

This session will explore the capabilities of ChatGPT and discuss why it is problematic when it comes to standardised writing assessment and traditional homework. It will also examine how it might be used if the technology is embraced by teachers. Five alternative methods of assessing students will be suggested: oral presentations, group projects, personalised self-reflection, peer assessment, and hands-on performance-based assessment. What gains and what losses are implied with this new software? For teachers, ChatGPT can be used as a time-saving aid to create gap-fill exercises, course outlines, lesson plans, and much more. For learners, there’s the possibility of generating answers to essays on any subjects in seconds, of providing study notes, etc. Already some educational establishments have banned the tool and other software has appeared that analyses texts to report on the likelihood that they were written by a machine. But, with the technology improving rapidly, how effective will this be? 

The emergence of machine learning tools such as ChatGPT also point to a future workplace where use of this type of Artificial Intelligence will be expected, as routine as using a calculator or spreadsheet to increase productivity. What happens then remains to be seen and lies in the medium to long-term future, but teachers will have to adopt to the software and adopt new ways of working in the short-term. 

A talk by Graham Stanley, Programmes Lead, British Council (Americas). 

Online via Zoom: https://uqam.zoom.us/j/88187891005 

RSVP:  https://uqam-ca.libcal.com/event/3760872