ChatGPT vs Curiosity
Since its launch ChatGPT has been one of the hottest topics amongst pupils, parents, teachers and schools. Will there be any need for teachers in the future? What does it mean for the future of homework? Can coursework ever be a ‘thing’ again? For me, ChatGPT and the AI-enabled services which will continue to come down the line must be seen as an opportunity to be embraced and not a threat to be feared. Teachers, schools and pupils will, I am sure, find ways to use this technology to enhance and support learning and teaching. To give one example, if AI can help reduce teacher workload by helping to plan lessons and supporting the marking of formative assessment work, then this would be a very good thing.
As a Trustee at AQA, the UK’s largest examination board, I have also seen from the inside the preparatory work which is being done to get ready for online assessment. Moving GCSEs, A-Levels and IB examinations into digital formats to be accessed via computers does, of course, pose numerous hurdles; but this brave new world will also offer numerous benefits. And, as one Wellingtonian recently said to me, the world of education has moved on so much over the past 100 years so why do we still get our qualifications by sitting in an examination hall completing a pen and paper test like they did in the 19th century?
This topic was also a discussion at lunch with a Fifth Form group last week. They liked the idea of online assessments being adaptive in order to stretch the most able but also to engage those who might give up on a traditional examination paper. They could also see the benefits of some marking in some subjects being AI-driven: results could be instantaneous and there would be no need for standardisation as the same algorithm would be applied to all scripts, instead of 100s of different human markers applying the mark scheme in slightly different ways.
There was also dissent, however. How could AI effectively mark those subjects which rely on creativity and nuanced interpretation of very human experiences? Would an algorithm be able to ‘think outside the box’ when assessing a particularly innovative piece of creative writing in English Language GCSE or a compelling new interpretation of a series of events or human behaviour in A-Level Economics or IB History?
I have written before about the need for all schools to double down on developing human skills in our young people as part of our educational provision. In a world which is becoming increasingly digital, automated and driven by AI and machine learning, it is incumbent upon all educators to focus on those unique skills which set us apart from computers. Martha Lane Fox, the dot com entrepreneur, speaks passionately about this.
Last term I was lucky enough to hear Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph speak to a group of Headteachers. Unsurprisingly, he was asked a question on what advice he would give about the future of education and what a curriculum fit for the future should look like. His answer was simply: curiosity. Whatever you do, he urged us, make sure that you produce a cohort of school leavers, whatever their intellectual strengths and passions, who are endlessly curious about the world around them.
In our school assembly a few weeks ago, Deputy Head Academic, Mr Benjamin Evans, addressed this topic head on with our pupils. With his permission, I would like to share with you some of what he said:
“Today’s assembly will focus on what intellectual curiosity is, why it’s so important, and why it sits at the heart of current academic directions at the College. Here goes:
Intellectual curiosity is the desire to learn and explore new ideas, concepts, and perspectives. It is the drive to ask questions, seek answers, and push the boundaries of our understanding. It is the willingness to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from them. Intellectual curiosity is essential for success in school, in our careers, and in life. It helps us become lifelong learners, adapt to new situations, and solve complex problems. It allows us to think critically, communicate effectively, and collaborate with others. It enables us to explore the world around us, appreciate different cultures, and make informed decisions. So, I want to encourage you all to cultivate your intellectual curiosity. Ask questions, seek answers, and explore new ideas. Read books, watch documentaries, and attend lectures. Try new things, take risks, and learn from your mistakes. Seek out mentors, collaborate with peers, and join clubs and organizations. Remember, intellectual curiosity is not a talent or a trait, it’s a habit that we all can develop. And it’s a habit that will serve you well throughout your life.
And that’s what spat out when I asked ChatGPT to write an assembly address for me, on this topic. It’s not wrong, it’s not rubbish. But it’s really boring. It’s anodyne truthy waffle, with no sense that it’s been written by someone with a real desire to embed that culture. It also spelled organisations with a ‘z’, which is unforgivable.
Just so you don’t think I’m lazy, I had a go myself at writing an assembly address, and here’s what I spat out in detention duty last night:
The younger version of me knew far less than I do now. But the younger version of me was insatiably curious about stuff. I remember playing the board game Risk with my family and wondering what it was like to visit, or live in, Irkutsk. My first Palace game saw the Eagles take on a team called Sunder-land, and the mini-me I wondered what treats this magical place could have in store, if I got a chance to visit Sunder-land. I wondered why all confectionery stated on the wrapper that if the product was defective you could send it to a place called Ashby-de-la-Zouch, and they would refund you, and your statutory rights would not be affected. Ashby-de-la-Zouch – could any place in the UK be posher? The river there probably ran with Evian. I have since realised that I’m not likely to visit Irkutsk any time soon (and not only because the current temperature is -41 degrees); I have been to Sunderland and I won’t be going back; and Ashby-de-la-Zouch is just a standard town in Leicestershire.
But if one maintains curiosity, there are gems to be found. Here’s three counter examples – let’s call them the three Bruces. Bruce Poole’s eponymous restaurant, Chez Bruce, on Wandsworth Common, was the first place I discovered my love of food and wine; something that has brought me as much pleasure as anything else in my adult life. Bruce Parry’s TV documentaries focusing on South America were my inspiration to travel around parts of that continent in my 30s. Bruce Chatwin’s travel writing, which I first discovered in a second hand bookshop in Christchurch, New Zealand, not only stimulated further travel plans, but also my interests in both art and (to a lesser extent) archaeology. I did drive 25 hours to look at 30 square feet of fossil remains in early 2020, and I wager that justifies an interest.
I hope that’s better than the ChatGPT version. It’s certainly unique, even if not. School exists at least in part to help you find your version of the three Bruces – that is, your inspiration to find out more about the world, and to have an enjoyable time doing it. Don’t see education and academic progress as a chore; if you look at everything through a lens of intellectual curiosity, I am sure that you never will.”
I could not agree with Mr Evans more. Schools are inherently placed of shared humanity, where we learn who we are, how we fit into this world, and what makes us unique individuals. They are also places where we want to instil intellectual curiosity in each and every one of our pupils. Technology will be a part of this process, but it will never replaces this process – of that I am 100% certain.