by Teachers across the country are grappling with whether to see AI tools like ChatGPT as friend or foe in the classroom. My research shows that the answer is not always simple. It can be both.
The key to answering this question is teaching students to be creative thinkers rather than relying on AI for answers. That’s what my team and I found in our study on whether AI affects student creativity, published in the Journal of Creativity and representing students from the University of South Carolina, the University of California, Berkeley and Emerson College.
In the study, we asked college students to brainstorm – without technology – all the ways a paperclip can be used. A month later, we asked them to do the same, but using ChatGPT. We found that AI can be a useful brainstorming tool, quickly generating ideas that can stimulate creative exploration. But it can also have a negative impact on students’ creative thinking skills and self-confidence. While the students reported that it was helpful to “have another brain,” they also felt that using AI was “the easy way out” and did not allow them to think for themselves.
The results call for a thoughtful approach to using AI in classrooms and striking a balance that fosters creativity while using AI capabilities.
Why is it important
More students are using AI to get help with their schoolwork. Whether it’s to draft essays, learn new languages or study history and science, AI tools are becoming a staple in students’ academic toolkits.
Students tend to view AI as a positive influence on their creativity. In our study, 100% of the participants received AI help in brainstorming. 16% of students would prefer brainstorming without AI.
The good news is that the students in our study generated more diverse and detailed ideas when using AI. They found AI useful for initial brainstorming sessions. Other research has shown that AI can also act as a non-judgmental partner for brainstorming, which can encourage a free flow of ideas that they might normally hold back in a group setting.
The downside of brainstorming with AI is that some students have expressed concerns about over-reliance on technology, fearing that it would undermine their own ideas and, consequently, confidence in their creative abilities. Some students reported “mindset,” meaning they had a hard time coming up with their own thoughts when they saw the AI’s thoughts.
Some students also questioned the originality of the ideas created by AI. Our research supported these tendencies. We observed that while the use of ChatGPT improved students’ creative output individually, AI ideas tended to be repetitive overall. This is likely due to AI’s generative recycling of existing content rather than creating an original idea.
The results of the study show that by first allowing students to practice creativity independently, their belief in themselves and their abilities will be strengthened. Once they’ve accomplished this, AI can be useful in advancing their learning, such as teaching students long numbers before a calculator is introduced.
What is not known yet
Our study mainly explored the application of AI in the idea generation phase of creativity, but we also emphasized the importance of developing skills at the beginning and end of the creative process. The basic tasks of defining problems and critically evaluating ideas still rely heavily on human input.
The creative process usually involves three stages, such as problem identification, idea generation and evaluation. AI shows promise in helping students in the idea generation phase of the creative process, according to our study. However, the current generation of AI, such as ChatGPT-3, lacks the ability to define the problem and refine ideas into something actionable.
The growing role of AI in education has many benefits, but keeping the human element at the forefront is critical.
What lies ahead
Content ownership, plagiarism and false or misleading information are among the current challenges to implementing AI in education. As generational AI becomes more popular, schools are under pressure to set guidelines to ensure these tools are used responsibly. Some states, such as California and Oregon, have already developed guidelines for AI in education. Ethical aspects are crucial for a positive relationship between creativity and AI.
Our team will continue to research the effect of AI on creativity, exploring its impact on agency, confidence and other stages of the creative process. AI in education is not just about the latest technology. It’s about shaping a future where human creativity and technological progress go hand in hand.
The Research Brief is a brief overview of interesting academic work.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a non-profit, independent news organization that brings you facts and analysis to help you make sense of our complex world.
It was written by: Sabrina Habib, University of South Carolina.
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Sabrina Habib does not work for, advise, share in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and discloses no affiliations relevant beyond her academic appointment.
