Machine Learning?

Text-based, generative artificial intelligence has emerged as a powerful tool for creating content and exploring ideas across various domains, including education. Travis Masingale ’03, an EWU professor of design, is a nationally prominent authority on AI’s potential for advancing student learning. In a recent conversation with Open-AI’s Chat GPT 4o, he explored the potential benefits and pitfalls of text-based generative AI in university classrooms and labs through what he calls “a series of prompts that guided the AI’s output, while also serving as a metanarrative showcasing the AI’s role in crafting the content itself.”

The integration of AI into education, Masingale adds, “represents a transformative opportunity to reimagine teaching and learning in the 21st century. As we look ahead to a future where AI and humans collaborate more seamlessly in the educational landscape, we must approach this partnership with a spirit of curiosity, creativity and care, while also grappling with the profound philosophical questions that arise from it.”

MASINGALE: So the editors of Eastern magazine have asked me to engage with you on a feature story about your influence, for better or worse, on classroom instruction at colleges and universities. Thoughts?

CHATGPT: Using AI to craft a consistent narrative across a lengthy magazine piece can indeed streamline the process and bring your vision to life more effectively.

Artificial intelligence has undergone a remarkable evolution over the past few decades, transforming from early machine-learning models to the sophisticated generative AI systems we have today. As generative AI continues to advance, its potential applications in education are becoming increasingly apparent, from personalized learning experiences to intelligent tutoring systems that adapt to each student’s needs and learning style.

Masingale: Fair enough. To me, it’s more, I guess, about your second point rather than the first. It’s cool that we’re at the place where I don’t need an advanced computer science degree, or to hire someone for lots of money, to be able to use this technology to increase productivity, to boost education outcomes, or even something like this, where you and I are having a conversation about writing a story. I think it’s rad and amazing and awesome that these tools can act as a leveling mechanism and, really, like all tools, only be limited by the imagination of the user.

CHATGPT: It sounds like you appreciate the accessibility and the transformative potential of AI technologies, especially how they democratize the ability to use advanced tools without needing specialized training. This opens up many possibilities for creativity and innovation in education. (1)

Masingale: True. One is to act conversationally — to have the AI help you brainstorm; to start using it for everything that you possibly can think of, instead of being like, “Oh, I shouldn’t use it because I might use it for everything.” Of course, on the back end, you need to make sure you’re being ethical and upfront about what you’re generating with AI. Ideally, you reach a point where something becomes your own content. The crappy first draft is developed by AI, but then you take over as editor and content creator, to produce something that’s your own. I think of AI as like having a best friend that never gets tired of talking about exactly what you want to talk about. That friend can really help you push ideas or ideations further. You start with a “what if” question and see then where it goes.

ChatGPT: It’s clear you see AI as a powerful collaborative tool that can act as both a brainstorming partner and an aid in the creative process, enriching your work and teaching. The idea of starting with a “what if” scenario and exploring possibilities with AI certainly encourages a dynamic learning environment. (2)

Masingale: I don’t really have a comment on “dynamic learning.” I’m not sure if it needs to be in the story. My vision of AI in teaching is that AI can act, as I mentioned before, as a leveling agent for first-generation students; one that allows each student to reframe questions with metaphors they live by, so that they can tirelessly ask questions about assignments without a professor or instructor getting annoyed.

I also see it as a massive helper and productivity boost to educators who live in a faster-and-faster-paced world. We no longer live in the era of the professor in a tweed jacket, smoking a cigar and drinking scotch in the midday. Professors now work tirelessly to create classroom and digital experiences that help narrowcast the means of acquiring knowledge to each learner.

ChatGPT: Your vision emphasizes AI’s role as a supportive and inclusive tool that is particularly beneficial for first-generation students by offering endless patience and personalized assistance. This approach could revolutionize the accessibility and individualization of education, allowing for a more tailored learning experience that adapts to the needs of each student. (3)

Masingale: I would say it aligns 100 percent. I mean, it’s what I believe; it’s what I’ve seen through my own experience, even in using AI to write in Grammarly. If something tells me what I’ve written is in the passive voice, I can take the actual sentence I wrote, put it into a large language model and say, “Why is this passive? Teach me how to write it in active voice.” And it gives me active voice based on my example, not an abstract example.

ChatGPT: That’s a fantastic instance of how AI can serve as a real-time educational tool, enhancing understanding and skill development through personalized, immediate feedback. It’s great to hear how these tools have positively impacted your own writing and learning processes.

Masingale: I really believe that when more educators get involved in using AI, and more students end up using it, we’ll come up with unique ways to put it to work in the classroom. And that this will help us arrive at better solutions for improving learning outcomes. With the boost of AI, we can go from not “A to B,” but from “A to Z” in a fraction of the time we’re used to. And, sometimes, in places where we’d been forced to stop, we can now go further because we’re not limited by previous barriers to productivity — or, perhaps more to the point, by blockages in our own mind. We have an assistant that can help us see around corners, and can help us set — and reach — a goal that might not have seemed attainable before.

ChatGPT: That’s an insightful perspective on how AI can extend the boundaries of what’s possible in education, enhancing productivity and overcoming
mental blockages. It sounds like you value AI most for its role as a catalyst in the creative and intellectual processes, enabling both educators and students to achieve more in less time and push beyond traditional limits.

Masingale: Yes, I think that’s really important. It’s not my focus. I don’t have a philosophy degree. I’m a designer who researches emergent tools to see if they’re viable or not. I think this is a viable emergent tool. I am aware of the ethical issues. I think it’s important to point them out to students. (4) 

I tell all the educators that I speak to about this, and I talk about it often, that it’s important for us older citizens of the planet to teach our students how to be ethical with these tools. Otherwise, they don’t know where the fences are. They don’t know what they should or shouldn’t be doing. And it’s our job as educators, and people who’ve been around awhile, to be good stewards of technology; to model good, ethical behavior. Is everybody going to be ethical? No, but if we set that precedent and put that ethical voice in their heads, if we help students see how to be moral with this technology, then at least we plant the seed for it.

ChatGPT: That’s a very balanced and responsible approach. Highlighting the importance of modeling ethical behavior and educating the younger generation about these issues ensures that, as AI technology evolves, it’s used thoughtfully and responsibly. (5) Offering this perspective on guiding students in understanding the ethical boundaries and implications of AI in their work is crucial for fostering a conscientious and informed approach to emergent technologies.

Masingale: Right. We need more scientists, ethicists and well-educated people to get involved with testing and modeling. We need to help companies make better models; to make less biased models and eliminate biases if they can. But we also have to be realistic. I don’t think it is possible, for example, to fully eliminate biases in AI-generated content. But the more educated brains that are involved in the process the better. Instead of railing against it or burying our heads in the sand, we need to get more deeply involved, to use AI tools ourselves, teach others to use them and to share what we find. Let’s make this world better! 

Notes From the Human

1. As AI continues to advance, its potential to transform education is immense. AI-powered learning platforms will play a crucial role in providing personalized, on-demand learning experiences that enable individuals to adapt to the changing needs of the workforce.

2. AI is changing the way instructors teach and students acquire knowledge with adaptive learning platforms, language-learning apps, and automation of administrative tasks. While these applications have raised concerns about the potential for AI to replace human teachers, it’s important to recognize that AI is intended to augment, rather than replace, human expertise.

3. These days, AI is already enhancing teaching and learning experiences through intelligent tutoring systems, accessibility tools and personalized learning pathways.

4. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into education, it is crucial to address, among other issues,  concerns about the potential for AI to perpetuate biases and exacerbate existing inequalities in the educational system. We’ll also need to weigh issues related to the protection of student privacy and data security.

5. The incorporation of AI into education, and society at large, raises profound philosophical questions about the nature of intelligence, creativity and what it means to be human. Ultimately, the implications of AI’s integration into our lives is complex and multifaceted, requiring ongoing reflection and dialogue as we navigate this uncharted territory.