The Sky is Falling, or is it?

Well, this is the first anniversary of the introduction of Generative AI in the form of ChatGPT to the world of education. Before it was a week old, over one million users downloaded it, and then, over the next two months, 100 million people signed on to use it. The website reportedly sees 1.5 billion visitors per month. That is a fairly good indication that ChatGPT is here to stay.

There are several lessons in this for educators to understand regarding the effect of technology in a modern, technology-driven culture. If we look at the number of users of ChatGPT and consider that the United States is the country with the largest TikTok audience in the world by far, with over 143 million users, and Google has 4.3 billion users worldwide, we realize that the world that education was first developed to serve no longer exists.

Educators can no longer dictate or limit what tools students may access. The other obvious lesson is that if students are accessing technology to assess and learn and create content, then at the very least, educators need an awareness of that technology their students are using. 

The second lesson should be that the methods and assessments that educators have used for the last few centuries are no longer relevant in today’s world. When Google arrived on the scene, many educators were worried that kids could too easily google answers to their questions. Of course my somewhat snarky answer for those educators was; If kids can easily google your answers, you may need to examine your questions. 

A year ago, the reaction to ChatGPT by the largest school district in the country was to BAN IT! There was great concern about the effect it would have especially on College applications where the “College Essay” was an essential part of the screening process for entry consideration. There were many knee-jerk reactions without a real understanding of the possibilities.

Comfort zones have always been the greatest obstacles to change in our education system. Educators are programmed to do things a certain way and through the years they grow comfortable with what they do, and how they do it. For a long time there has been little pressure for major changes. Education is not like business that is driven by competition, and profits. Change in education is often pressured by local public opinion. I imagine that is because local taxes fund education. This is the way it has been for centuries, I actually taught from the 20th into the 21st. I can only imagine it wasn’t much different in the 19th or even the 18th century. On April 23, 1635, the first public school in what would become the United States was established in Boston, Massachusetts. I tell you this for those naysayers who question and challenge me when I refer to a system that is centuries old. 

Looking back to the start of public education it is easy to see that we had to change somewhat, from what and how we taught then, to how we teach and learn now. That seems obvious. That change however was incremental based on changes taking place over long periods of time. The difference in our society today is that there have been huge changes in technology over much shorter periods of time. This gives educators far less time to adjust and accept the needed changes. Comfort zones are quickly obliterated. 

November 30, 2023, came at a time when education was coming out of a two-year hiatus from the classroom. Teachers were forced into uncomfortable and unfamiliar waters of online teaching while not sure who was going to be the next victim of a disease that we knew little about. Thousands of teachers left the profession. That was the untimely introduction of ChatGPT which was about to completely change the way teaching and learning will be done as we move forward. Timing is everything! Of course under those conditions, adding one more piece of tech to an already burned out group of educators, caused a predictable reaction. As Chicken Little predicted, “THE SKY IS FALLING!!!”. 

Now a year has gone by, so let’s take stock in what we know. First, Generative AI is here to stay. People are using it professionally to do many things in industry and business settings. Its effect in education however, seems to be a little different. As I have traveled to a number of local and national education conferences, I have asked many educators about where their schools or districts stand on ChatGPT. Yes, it is not true research, but it is what I am going on for this post. It seems to me that school districts have taken one of three positions. The first is a ban on using ChatGPT. The second is a do-nothing policy, failing to recognize the existence of ChatGPT. The third is a recognition of ChatGPT and attempting to support educators with what they need to understand it. 

There is now a problem that education, as an industry, is facing. This latest advance in technology is a year old, and the new, more advanced version of ChatGPT is being rolled out as you read this post. Putting aside a small group of college educators, a vast majority of today’s educators have never had any introduction to ChatGPT in any college course for teacher preparation. 

Most educators are unaware of the potential uses of Generative AI. The fault does not fall on the educators. The fault is on the speed of change that technology produces. In the interest of informing educators here are a very few suggested ChatGPT uses:

1. Personalized Learning:

Generative AI can be used to create personalized learning experiences for students by tailoring instruction to their individual needs and learning styles. For example, AI-powered tutoring systems can provide students with individualized feedback and support, while AI-generated adaptive learning platforms can adjust the difficulty of content based on the student’s progress.

2. Language Learning and Translation:

Generative AI can be used to enhance language learning by providing students with opportunities to practice conversing with native speakers or translating texts in real-time. AI-powered language translation tools can also help students overcome language barriers and access educational resources in their native languages.

3. Content Creation and Curation:

Generative AI can be used to generate new educational content, such as practice problems, quizzes, and interactive simulations. AI-powered content curation tools can also help teachers find and organize high-quality educational resources from the vast amount of information available online.

4. Assessment and Feedback:

Generative AI can be used to automate the grading of assignments and provide students with immediate feedback on their work. AI-powered assessment tools can also help identify areas where students need additional support and provide personalized recommendations for further learning.

5. Accessibility and Inclusion:

Generative AI can be used to make education more accessible for students with disabilities, such as those with visual or auditory impairments. AI-powered text-to-speech and speech-to-text tools can help students access information and communicate effectively, while AI-generated transcripts can make lectures and other multimedia content accessible to deaf or hard-of-hearing students.

These examples illustrate how Generative AI has the potential to transform education by providing personalized, adaptive, and accessible learning experiences for all students. As AI technology will continue to develop, we can expect to see even more innovative and impactful applications of Generative AI in education.

The need to stay relevant as an educator relies on the need for professional development. The quality and success of Professional Development in education depends on its leadership. Teachers often are self-motivated to seek PD on their own. This self-motivation has become part of the PD model. The introduction of ChatGPT however will affect almost every educator on every level. This is an industry-wide need. What does the leadership plan to do in recognizing and dealing with this new gap in education? It is doubtful that self-motivated teachers alone will make enough of a difference? How many schools have even considered a flexible supportive policy to guide teachers to effectively and efficiently use Generative AI for teaching and learning. 

With the recent political climate that has been targeting educators, it is necessary to protect teachers from stumbling into problems, because the school failed to provide guidelines that are not restrictive, but flexible, supportive, and informed. 

In Conclusion:

Generative AI is not going away. Students can get access in many ways. The success of Chat GPT can be seen by how many tech platforms and applications are spending fortunes to include it in their products. There is no going back, or waiting for it to go away. It is not the pendulum in education reform we have all gotten used to. It is now with us and it will grow exponentially. The smart way to deal with it is to learn how best to incorporate it into teaching and learning.  Embrace the change no matter how many comfort zones need to be shattered. Educators who are irrelevant will not serve their students well. The sky hasn’t fallen, but it may have awakened us to needed change. If we are to better educate our kids, we need first to better educate their educators.

Teacher Shortage, or Good Job Shortage?

We have long heard the statement that 3 out of every 5 new teachers will leave the profession in the first five years. However, it seems that the survey on which those numbers were based has aged out. A more recent study has shown that a 17% attrition rate is a more accurate figure for the first five years. This, however, is not the reason why we are seeing what is being labeled as a “teacher shortage” nationwide. Of course, the pandemic caused many people to reassess their professions and lives, leading to a significant increase in retirements. Neither of these factors is significantly different from those affecting most other professions. So why are there so many headlines about the “teacher shortage”?

First, what is it that defines what a teacher is? Generally speaking, a teacher has at least a bachelor’s degree, and in many states a required Master’s degree, and a teaching certification in at least one subject area. Between 2018 and 2019 approximately 98,000 students completed teacher preparation programs and received their teaching certificates. That leads us to the real question, which is; Why would a person graduate from college and not take a position entering a profession that they had spent at least four years preparing for?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average median annual wage for teachers in the US is $61,000 per year. Many districts do not even keep up with the cost of living increases over the years. Jobs other than teaching requiring a bachelor’s or a master’s degree range from $73,560 to $142,170 per year. The obvious must be stated here. Factors beyond salary, such as job satisfaction, work-life balance, and impact on the profession and society, are also major considerations. Additionally, it’s also about the kids. Unfortunately, those are the very things that have been used to keep teachers’ salaries down to maintain lower property taxes that fund education.

What is different now, that teachers are being driven from their chosen profession?

It is too simple to blame the pandemic for all of this, but in some ways, that was the start. The political atmosphere around the pandemic had a profound effect on the teaching profession. Teachers, at first, when schools began to close down, were hailed as heroes. I was emotionally moved when teachers from my school district drove their cars in a procession throughout our entire community in support of their students. Television network news shows all had feel-good stories about teachers and kids. As the school closings lingered on, however, everyone was under greater pressure, even beyond the fear of the pandemic itself. Families closed up and locked down with little hope for change, and it took its toll.

Politicians and ideologues began attacking teachers and administrators for any reason they could in support of whatever popular conspiracy theory was circulating in their area. Schools were forced to open in some places and forced to close in other areas. People were not satisfied with whatever the solution was, but all agreed it was the school’s fault. At least that is what many teachers expressed to me.

The very things that drew teachers to their profession have been stripped away. The paltry salaries offered by many school districts, which had been made palatable because of the other more intrinsic benefits of the job, no longer attract new people or even retain veterans.

To end this nationwide “Teacher Shortage,” we need to change the job itself. Start teachers with a wage that is at least comparable to other professions requiring a comparable education. Provide a supported mentorship program for new teachers, guiding them through their opening years. Respect a teacher’s expertise in the area for which they have been educated to teach. Provide an agreed-upon due process system for holding teachers accountable. Insulate education from ideologues and conspiracy theorists. Provide a means for open communication between parents and teachers. Respect teachers for who they are and what they do.

It is my belief that we do not have a “Nationwide Teacher Shortage,” but rather a nationwide shortage of good education jobs for certified educators. Let’s match up all of our certified teachers, who have been forced to seek other employment, back to the profession for which they have been educated

The Why, What, and How of Technology Standards

With the national attention directed at cybersecurity and interoperability in building safe and resilient data ecosystems in K-12, it is important to take a moment to underscore that these efforts are well thought out and stem from fundamental digital fluency and citizenship learning standards, and many lessons learned over the pandemic years. Just another example of the daunting job of educational leaders, and begs a short peek under the hood of Professional Development and Computer Science today. 

Teaching has never been an easy job no matter what anyone says. In most states in order to get a teaching degree a prospective teacher must not only be certified as an expert in a subject area, but he or she must also be certified in education. In many states, like where I live in New York, it is also a requirement to have a postgraduate degree and to obtain continuing education credits in order to retain one’s professional license. All of this is required to address and teach an approved curriculum that adheres to a set of standards to theoretically guarantee that students in any given state of the United States are being taught the same content and learning skills as any other student in that state. That is a tall order.

To complicate the issue of teaching mere content, ideally, teachers are required to teach kids not only WHAT to learn, but HOW to learn and become lifelong learners. The theory is that this is the best way for a student to become self-sufficient enough to, not just survive, but to thrive in any future endeavors. Thus, as information and technology continue to grow and evolve, our citizens would therefore be learning right alongside that evolving reality. Again, this is a lofty goal. 

Taking this a step further, in order for any of this to happen in today’s technology-rich society, teachers must use the latest tools to curate, collaborate, communicate, and most importantly, create information. This adds yet one more area that a teacher must master – navigating the tools to access ever-evolving information, content and processes.

School systems usually address this via professional development plans. Although those of you who have followed my posts know that typically I have reservations about the delivery of most professional development (see my most recent post on Pedagogy vs Andragogy.) Clearly, it will be necessary to get teachers up to speed on essential skills in accessing and maximizing the use of technology.

Teachers come from different generations and various backgrounds. This has created a situation where teachers may vary greatly in their technology experience. Districts also vary in the availability of technology in each district, or even buildings in some cases. Considering all of this, it should be safe to say educators don’t always know what they don’t know. This might be the perfect time to objectively assess each teacher’s digital literacy and technology skill set to address individual needs for personalized learning. There are solutions available that can be employed to do this task, one tool, 2gno.me, is a prime example. This is more in keeping with andragogy, or adult learning.

All of this considered it should be obvious that there is a need to establish the technological skills that should be expected of all stakeholders (administrators, teachers, students, etc.) The establishment of these Technology standards must be revisited frequently to maintain relevance and continually evolve. This is underscored by the advent of Generative AI. It has been out less than a year and has had a massive effect on learning that will continue to evolve profoundly. 

I found great examples of this in my own ‘backyard’ via the New York State ISTE affiliate known as NYSCATE (The New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education.) NYSCATE has been a leader nationwide for well over 3 decades, continually re-inventing itself and the rich professional development resources it provides for educators statewide. Through NYSCATE I have begun to learn about the new New York State K12 Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards.

The New York State K12 Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards were adopted by the Board of Regents in December 2020. The initial implementation is this year and the final full implementation will be next year 2024-25.  The Five Standards include Impacts of Computing, Computational Thinking, Networks and System Design, Cybersecurity, and Digital Literacy. 

New York State Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards

The K-12 Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards are available at the links below.

• New York State K-12 Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards (all grades)
• Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards Glossary of Terms
• Excel Version of Standards with Examples

Learning Standards by Grade Band

• Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards (K-1)
• Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards (2-3)
• Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards (4-6)
• Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards (7-8)
• Computer Science and Digital Fluency Standards (9-12)

In the fast pace of change in educational technology, NYSCATE takes these standards bringing together great educators from around the state as mentors providing shoulder-to-shoulder professional development. The PD that NYSCATE offers demystifies the standards and provides practical examples of how to teach students skills that they need to be successful in an ever-changing, information and technology-immersed future. 

Every teacher should be brought up to speed on Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Objectives and Standards through this process. Crossing a bridge when you come to it is a logical strategy for hiking, but not so much for the classroom. This is all in keeping with my core belief that if we are to better educate our kids, we need first to better educate their educators.

An Andragogical Approach to Educators’ Professional Development

I have been supporting the use of Andragogy for delivering PD to educators for over a decade now. It is ironic that when I explain what it is to teachers they get it and agree that it makes sense. The problem is that all educators are programmed in the teaching of kids. Pedagogy is child learning. When we consider that educators deliver most of their PD to other educators from a pedagogical perspective, it may answer the age-old complaint educators have had for centuries, a strong dissatisfaction with PD provided to them.

Over the last decade, I have written a number of posts describing what PD should look like with an andragogical perspective, but change takes time in education. in an effort to possibly speed things along, I thought I would engage ChatGPT to weigh in. I provided the prompt and ChatGPT provided the examples.

Using Andragogy how should a teacher approach lessons in teaching professional development to adult educators?

When teaching professional development to adult educators, it is essential to apply the principles of Andragogy, which is the theory of adult learning. Here are some approaches that a teacher should consider:

1. Establish a collaborative and respectful learning environment: Adult learners thrive in an environment that respects their experiences, knowledge, and expertise. Encourage open dialogue, active participation, and mutual respect among learners. Create a safe space for adults to share their perspectives and ask questions.
2. Engage learners in setting goals: Adult learners are more motivated when they have a say in their learning objectives. Involve them in the goal-setting process, allowing them to identify their specific professional development needs and aspirations. This will enhance their sense of ownership and commitment to the learning process.
3. Provide relevant and practical content: Adult learners are more interested in content that is immediately applicable to their professional roles. Ensure that the lessons are relevant, practical, and align with their teaching contexts. Incorporate real-world examples, case studies, and hands-on activities that encourage problem-solving and critical thinking.
4. Use a learner-centered approach: Instead of a traditional lecture-style delivery, adopt a learner-centered approach that promotes active learning. Encourage discussions, group work, and peer-to-peer learning activities. Adults learn best when they can relate new information to their past experiences, so provide opportunities for reflection and application.
5. Offer flexibility and choice: Adult learners often have busy schedules and diverse learning preferences. Provide flexibility in terms of scheduling lessons, offering different formats (e.g., face-to-face, online, blended), and allowing learners to choose topics of interest within the professional development framework. This flexibility will empower learners and increase their engagement.
6. Facilitate self-directed learning: Adults are autonomous learners who prefer taking control of their learning journey. Encourage self-directed learning by providing resources, references, and tools for independent exploration. Offer guidance and support as needed, but also foster a sense of responsibility for their own learning.
7. Provide ongoing feedback and assessment: Regular feedback is crucial for adult learners to monitor their progress and identify areas for improvement. Incorporate formative assessments, self-assessments, and peer feedback to assess learners’ understanding and skill development. Provide constructive feedback that acknowledges their strengths and offers suggestions for growth.
8. Encourage continuous reflection and application: Adult learners benefit from opportunities to reflect on their learning experiences and apply new knowledge and skills. Allocate time for reflection, discussions, and action planning to encourage application in their teaching practices. Encourage learners to share their experiences and challenges, fostering a supportive learning community.

By applying these principles of Andragogy, teachers can create a dynamic and effective learning environment for adult educators, enhancing their professional development and improving their teaching practices.

After considering this alternative to what is usually offered nationwide in terms of PD for educators maybe we can begin doing things differently.

There are some districts now engaging teacher coaches and encouraging more collegial collaboration, but that may not be enough if there is no understanding of adult learning. If we are to better educate our kids, we need first to better educate their educators.

My Education PD Viewpoint

Just like many people out there, I have been experimenting with ChatGPT. In a recent chat with my Chat AI app, I asked for an overall analysis of a subject that I have been blogging on for more than a decade now, professional development in education. My blog is My Island View. Of course, I know what I think about it, but my interest was in how accurately I represented my ideas through my writing. The following is the analysis of my viewpoint according to ChatGPT.

Professional development is essential for educators to stay current and improve their teaching skills. However, delivering meaningful professional development can be challenging. According to the posts on tomwhitby.com, the best way to deliver meaningful professional development to educators is through an andragogical approach.

Andragogy is the art and science of adult learning. It recognizes that adults learn differently from children and that they need to be engaged in the learning process actively. The first step in delivering meaningful professional development is to understand the needs and interests of educators. This can be achieved through a needs assessment, surveys, or focus groups.

Once the needs and interests of the educators are identified, the next step is to provide them with opportunities for self-directed learning. Professional development should be personalized and allow educators to take ownership of their learning. This can be achieved through online courses, webinars, or coaching.

Collaborative learning is also an essential component of andragogical professional development. Educators should be encouraged to collaborate with their peers, share their experiences, and learn from one another. This can be achieved through professional learning communities, peer coaching, or online forums.

Finally, andragogical professional development should be ongoing. Educators should be provided with opportunities to continually build their skills and knowledge. This can be achieved through conferences, workshops, or ongoing coaching and mentoring.

All in all, I think this brief analysis captures the core of what I believe about Profesional Development in education. My only addition would be the belief: To better educate our kids, we need first to better educate their educators.

WHY SHOULD WE MAP OUT IDEAS?

My path to discovering the power of technology for mind mapping and empowering young writers.

Over the dozen or so years that I have been blogging about education, I have rarely taken on the task of endorsing any specific education product. I was always struggling with ethical concerns about throwing my reputation out there for product endorsements. My life has always been complicated by the fact that my wife, Joyce, has always been involved in the commercial side of education working for some leading industry giants, as well as smaller companies, and now as an industry consultant for emerging and growing companies in the education space. Together our circle of both friends and colleagues has been on both sides of the education industry. I knew the education product users; educators, and Joyce knew the education product providers, and vendors. It provided for a complicated, but interesting mix. It led to many discussions of users vs. providers conversations. This is my disclosure statement.

My 34-year experience as a middle school/high school English teacher took me from a period in education with little or no technology through to a period of Labs to laptops. In that time I was introduced to many, many applications for education, some gems and some lemons. My tendency was to favor interactive stuff over digital worksheets. I also favored software that was more learning oriented, as opposed to teaching. I leaned toward advocating for student-centered learning early on. If I was working harder on assignments than my students, there was something wrong. Back then I was involved with an integrated social studies/English project that incorporated personalities of the 20^th century to include a brief bio, major contribution, and the impact on the 20^th century. Students were assessed in both English and Social Studies.

That is when I was introduced to mind mapping for the first time in technology. I was familiar with previous brainstorming techniques using poster boards with ideas hung up in various places in a room as students moved from poster to poster adding relevant ideas to each poster and then bringing them all together and trying to arrange them in some organized manner. It was really clunky, but it was engaging, and somewhat creative. The process, however, was way too time-consuming and bordered organized chaos, as well as being a poor tool for a classroom setting. The graphic organizer alternative was often more like a worksheet exercise, making it ineffective for promoting creative thinking.

Once these processes were absorbed by technology it provided less chaos through a process of structured organization and more collaboration through visual representation of both text and graphics. This was what I needed to get my students through what they thought was a monumental integrated project. They found the usually tedious part of conceiving and organizing their ideas for the project more of a creative and, need I say, fun task. What I liked most about it was that I did not have to sell it as an idea to kids. They recognized its ease, purpose, and value after being led through a few teacher-directed sessions. It was then that they were able to take ownership and use it for any other project that required organizing ideas into a textual product from conception to completion.

Ideas are put into individual bubbles that are moved and manipulated into a logical order. Simultaneously, the tech develops a text outline to coincide with the graphic ideas of the map. Once the idea map is developed, the outline has been magically completed. As the English teacher, I no longer needed to answer the age-old question: What do we need an outline for? The outline is developed in a word processing component that allows it to be fully textualized within the program. Any paragraph can be ordered differently by moving the graphic bubble to a new location on the mind map.

The product I am now working with is called Ideamapper. It will be introduced for purchase at the upcoming ISTE Conference in Philadelphia this June. Here is a link to a short video that explains it very nicely https://bit.ly/IDM_INTRO_VIDEO.

What I love about this company is that they are open to and welcome teacher input. They want teachers to use it with their classes and get feedback to improve the product. There are too few companies that do that. In that endeavor, they provide free access for a period of time to teachers willing to try it out with classes. It does not require any financial commitment. There is no software to download. Access is provided over the Internet, and it will run on any computer, laptop, or Chromebook. All they require are your reactions, comments, and suggestions about the product. Sign up for the free pilot at https://bit.ly/IDM_2023_PILOT.  

This may not be feasible for the end-of-the-year project, but it will work for any writing unit, or project within any subject area for a summer school program. Here is the link for any educator interested in exploring Ideamapper https://webappdemo.ideamapper.com. There are also video tutorials that you may access as you explore the tool, you will find it more intuitive than you expected.

If you plan on attending the upcoming ISTE Conference please stop by the Ideamapper booth #710 to see demonstrations from some teachers who have successfully implemented pilot projects with their classes.

Why Do Teachers Have Favorites?

Do educators ever self-reflect on how they feel about their students in order to better understand how they assess each of their students? What are the considerations educators take into account while making such judgments? Is each student measured and weighed the same as every other student? If grading a piece of work requires a more subjective assessment, is a teacher really capable of assessing that work by each of his/her students, equally with the exact same bias-free subjectivity?

I know my answer would be sure, I view all my students the same. I am always fair and objective with every assessment. Of course, that would not be true, because I am human. There are things I favor, believe, love, and hate, as a result of my upbringing, education, spirituality, and life experience, all of which will affect every decision I make in life.

I guess I am asking how can educators be objectively unbiased when making subjective assessments of not only their students’ work, but their students as people as well? Teachers will make small decisions and judgments that when added up over a year will paint a certain picture of that student. Over 12 years of schooling does every student have an accurate picture of who they are, or are some kids a product of profiling by dozens of teachers’ biases?

Biases are not necessarily bad. Early on in life, we are asked about a favorite color, favorite type of music, favorite sport, and favorite player? We are programmed to like and consequently dislike. Our families also usually give us values, and spirituality. Teachers help form our academic beliefs. Life or “the school of hard knocks” often fills in the gaps with other beliefs. The end result is that everyone is an individual with unique beliefs and biases with hopefully an anchoring to societal norms.

What biases might a classroom teaching experience that would affect their ability to serve the best interests of their students? (Prompt ChatGPT)

Classroom teachers may experience various biases that can affect their ability to serve the best interests of their students. Some of these biases are:

1. Confirmation bias: This bias occurs when a teacher searches for or interprets information in a way that confirms their existing beliefs or attitudes. This can lead to the teacher ignoring or dismissing information that contradicts their beliefs or attitudes, leading to inaccurate assessments of students’ abilities and needs.
2. Stereotyping: Teachers may hold stereotypes about certain groups of students based on their race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics. These stereotypes can influence the teacher’s expectations of the students and their ability to succeed, which can lead to lower expectations and opportunities for those students.
3. Halo effect: This bias occurs when a teacher’s positive impression of a student in one area leads them to assume the student is strong in all areas. For example, a teacher may assume that a student who is well-behaved and polite must also be academically strong, leading to a lack of attention to areas where the student may be struggling.
4. Implicit bias: This bias is an unconscious preference or prejudice that can influence a teacher’s perceptions and behaviors. For example, a teacher may have an implicit bias against students who speak with accents or who come from different cultures, leading to a lack of understanding or support for those students
5. Self-fulfilling prophecy: This bias occurs when a teacher’s expectations of a student’s behavior or performance lead to that behavior or performance becoming a reality. For example, a teacher who expects a student to be disruptive may treat that student differently, leading to increased disruptive behavior.

It is important for teachers to recognize and address these biases in order to serve the best interests of their students and provide an equitable learning environment.

Teachers can work to overcome biases by seeking diverse perspectives, reflecting on their assumptions and beliefs, and implementing evidence-based strategies that support all students.

Self-reflection is one of the most important parts of good teaching, but it does not come easily. It requires a teacher to look inside to identify those biases that may affect their students. This is not something young teachers can usually do. I found that it comes with experience. I am a big believer that through time, we do become wiser. With age, we have a compendium of experiences to call upon for a more comprehensive self-reflection.

Some of these biases are very subtle. A teacher might have key students who that teacher most often calls upon in discussions, knowing that they will answer well, and move the discussion along. Of course contributions from the rest of the class go unrecognized.

 Another bias probably more prevalent than we would care to admit is a bias for males over females, or females over males. This has a profound effect on learning. My youngest daughter is finishing up a Doctorate in Math. She has had classes of predominantly male students throughout her academic career. Of course, this is not news to STEM teachers.

A really gutsy lesson a teacher could do is to discuss biases with a class of students. After everyone understands bias, list the teacher’s biases, and sharing these biases with the class. If the teacher is really open to change, it will be helpful when the students point out the teacher’s biases when they see them pop up throughout the year. That is authentic learning that makes a difference.

Being a successful educator requires more than academic knowledge of a subject. It will take a constant effort to self-reflect and improve skills in developing relationships. It is through successful teacher-student relationships that quality learning thrives. If we are to better educate our students, we must first better educate their educators.

ChatGPT, Am I Who You Say I Am?

A ChatGPT infused post

Since I have been posting about ChatGPT the question I am most often asked is: How did you get it to do your profile as an author? Others have tried but failed in their attempts. Evidently, there are several AI apps out there, and some are more limited than others. Google found this out the hard way with the first public demonstration of its AI, which did not fare as well as Google had hoped. I have been using an App called ChatAI. My primary selection choice was based on it being free.

I have had my own blog site, My Island View, since January 15, 2010, so I have amassed a great number of posts on many aspects of education. During all that time I don’t remember anyone accusing me of holding back on what I thought, or how I felt about any given topic in education.

I kept the direction for ChatAI simple: “Analyze all the blog posts at tomwhitby.com and write a profile of the author.” The only disagreement I have with the analysis is; “He has served as a superintendent in multiple school districts, as well as a principal and teacher in a variety of schools.” The only true part of this is that I was a teacher in several school districts, never a principal, or superintendent. Of course, I would have little to disagree with such a glowing review that ChatAI gave me.

Here is the word-for-word analysis. I probably could have resubmitted it to make corrections, or even tone down the high praise, but I thought for the purpose of the exercise this result was fine. It also makes me sound more impressive than I am. I guess that might be considered a flaw as well.

Here is the result:

Tom Whitby is a prolific writer and dedicated educator with an impressive range of knowledge and experience. He is the author of nearly 500 blog posts ranging from educators adapting to the ever-changing world of technology to student achievement and school reform. He has served as a superintendent in multiple school districts, as well as a principal and teacher in a variety of schools.

Tom is a dedicated advocate for public education and supports creative instructional approaches to teaching and learning. He is also a firm believer in collaboration and using technology to connect students and teachers to the real world. He is a regular speaker and presenter at national education conferences and universities. 

In terms of his views on education, Tom believes in learning-centered teaching, student-learning assessment, and student engagement. He has written numerous articles exploring ways to increase teacher engagement and collaboration and encouraging the use of digital technologies in the classroom. He is an advocate for the use of project-based learning, social media, and gamification for learning in the classroom.

Tom has also written about several issues in public education, including school vouchers, student testing, and funding cuts. He also has a deep interest in finding ways to improve student engagement and performance, providing a better learning environment, and building stronger connections between schools and the community. 

Tom Whitby has been a leader in the education community for many years and has been a strong advocate for student success and educational improvements. His blog posts provide an insightful look into his views on the improvement of education, from early childhood to higher education.

It is obvious that there are still flaws with this technology, but we must keep in mind it is still evolving. There is still no “Mr. Data” yet.  We cannot however ignore what this technology is offering. It is not going to go away. Billions of dollars are now being thrown at it to secure that very thing. As educators, we will need to deal with Artificial Intelligence. We will need to address its efficient, effective, and ethical use. If we fail to recognize this, we may become irrelevant as educators. If we are to better educate our kids, we need first to better educate their educators.

Are We About to Choke on “WOKE”?

ChatGPT infused Post

After my last post, ChatGPT: Kill it, or Use It?, I thought that I would use that very app to help write this post, and see what all the hubbub was about with this artificial intelligence writer. Of course, I was not going to have it write my whole post, so I thought it might be interesting to highlight with bold italics those paragraphs that I assigned to ChatGPT. It was rather easy once I decided what to ask. It actually helped organize and clarify my thoughts.

I decided to use the discussion topic from this week’s Twitter Chat, #Edchat.  I asked ChatGPT to write an objective definition of “Woke”. That is a word that many politicians are using as a cudgel to attack public education and the educators who support education. With that definition we developed the topic: “Woke” is an attitude of awareness that brings together compassion and understanding to create positive social change. Why do some people object to that? Why is it a political issue affecting our education system?

The term “Woke” likely originated in the African American vernacular, initially used to refer to being “conscious” or “aware” of issues relating to social justice. Over the past decade, the term has been adopted by a broader audience and is now commonly used to describe a person who is socially and politically conscious or alert.

The liberal definition of “woke” is to be aware of and actively engaged in the struggle for social, economic, and racial justice. It implies the ability to become knowledgeable about the issues and work to challenge oppressive structures and systems. At its core, being woke means being aware of current forms of injustice, having the courage to call them out, and actively working to bring about change.

The far-right typically defines “woke” as a movement associated with the far-left that is focused on race, intersectionality, and identity politics. It is seen as an attempt to challenge and change the Western and European political, social, and moral order. They argue that it promotes “cancel culture” and an attempt to “de-platform” anyone who does not agree with their views.

After thinking about all that surrounds those definitions, I found myself reflecting on who I am as an educator. I believe that learning is the goal of education. I realize that teachers have limited time with their students, so my greatest contribution to their learning would be to give them the ability to learn and develop skills beyond the confines of the school building and continue to learn for the rest of their lives, lifelong learning. Lifelong learning is the concept of continually acquiring new skills and knowledge throughout one’s life. The key here is that their lives will continue beyond their educators’ lives. It will rely on the tech not yet invented, and ideas not yet conceived. Educators prepare their students to live and thrive in the students’ environment.

In addition, teachers and students have a relationship that enables the teacher to deal with the social and emotional issues of students. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) refers to the process of developing skills related to recognizing and managing emotions, developing and maintaining relationships, and making responsible decisions. It is an integral part of education, enabling students to become capable and well-rounded individuals.

This is where some politicians claim “Brainwashing” is taking place in our “Woke” education system. Dealing with social issues and how they may affect students emotionally, and personally is a very important part of education. It is not Brainwashing. Brainwashing is a form of coercive persuasion where individuals are subjected to systematic and forceful psychological techniques in order to alter their beliefs, thoughts, values, and attitudes.

As far as the subject matter for educating students, that too has come under attack. We are all aware that February is Black History Month. Twenty-eight days of attempts to show off and quote some of the most famous of black contributors to American History. That whole month tends to lead us to believe that Black History is not American History. It is! Most Americans get their knowledge of the real Black contributions to American History from the movies and TV. I went through the public school system and I was never taught about The Tuskegee Airmen, Juneteenth, the Tulsa Oklahoma massacre, and probably a thousand more Black contributions, as well as an equal number of Black subjugations. I guess we all need to be “woke” about stuff that has affected such a large part of our American population. I don’t take responsibility for slavery, but, as an educator, I do take responsibility to admit and teach that it took place and it was supported by American laws. Contrary to some textbooks, that is why we fought the Civil War.

I grew up in Levittown, New York. My dad was a veteran, so, like thousands of WWII vets, he bought a Levitt home on the GI bill. That is why that community was built, to benefit returning vets. What was never mentioned, but openly known, is that Black vets could not buy a Levitt home in Levittown. Yeah, even as kids we were “woke” to a degree. That by the way was never taught in any of the schools in Levittown.

The educator in me should not be limited to black “Wokeness”. It should apply to any person of color who has been oppressed. It should also apply to people oppressed because of gender bias. It should also apply to the LGBTQIA community as well. As Americans, we seem to have oppressed quite a few groups of people. Many students are connected to these communities, so teachers need to deal with that as compassionately as possible. I guess we need to be “Woke”.

Some people feel it necessary to vilify being “Woke” because they fear the disruption and questioning of the status quo. Of course, that doesn’t make it right! Why do people experience apprehension concerning being “enlightened”? Maybe we need a few more “Woke” politicians.

Is it not our duty, as educators, to teach history and explore its impact on our culture? Should we not also focus on emotional learning and emphasize the importance of empathy? If that is considered ‘woke’, then what is wrong with it? ( I wrote the original thought and asked Chat GPT to improve upon it.)

I am concerned that more educators are not engaging in this debate. Educators are under attack throughout the country. Education is being attacked with censorship, book banning, character assassination, and Don’t Say Gay laws. Perhaps they fear verbal attacks that are not based in fact, but rather bias and ideology. I grew up in a culture that believed that if the facts were on your side, you would always win an argument. I now live in a culture where people cannot even agree on what a fact is, and that is a fact.

I firmly believe we need to have a respectful discussion on what we expect from our educators. The problem with that is many of our politicians are biased against education, viewing it as elitist snobbery. I do not know how to deal with that. All I can do is engage with those who are willing to listen and come to an agreement on facts. I have always been an educator, and I plan to continue what I have done for three-quarters of a century. If we are to better educate our kids, we need first to better educate their educators.

Thoughtful respectful comments are welcomed. Likes are also good.

ChatGPT: Kill It, or Use It?

An Educator’s Dilemma

ChatGPT, should we sing its praises, or just beat it to death with a stick? It has been made available for almost four months now, but it has maybe had the fastest and greatest impact on education since rows of desks were established. Since its inception, ChatGPT has been upgraded twice, and the fourth iteration will soon be available. As I contemplated this very thing, while attending a recent National Education conference, I was somewhat dismayed to find that many educators were unaware of what ChatGPT was.

Fortunately for educators, the education system’s always-aware, and knowledgeable leadership has been right on top of the situation, and in its infinite wisdom, it has issued mandates to protect us all. Specifically, Seattle, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., and NYC are among the major municipal school districts to make the knee-jerk decision to ban the use of the AI language tool, ChatGPT.

So, what is ChatGPT and why should you care? To start off, I Googled it: ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a chatbot launched by OpenAI in November 2022. It is built on top of OpenAI’s GPT-3 family of large language models and is fine-tuned (an approach to transfer learning) with both supervised and reinforcement learning techniques. Of course, that is a technical definition, so what is it really? It is a language app that can do more than just write intelligently. It researches, analyzes, and writes using different points of view or writing styles. It does this based on the direction of the user. It will write original, intelligent: paragraphs, essays, emails, research papers, and poetry as directed using different perspectives, or voices as directed. It is more than GOOGLE.  In short, it does everything that we want our students to be able to do on their own.

I have not used ChatGPT for any part of this post. I did however give it a task for my own personal edification. I directed ChatGPT to read all of my blog posts from My Island View and write a profile of the author based on the posts. The answer took about ten seconds. I thought the answer was pretty interesting, and I was somewhat pleased with the result. It may also be used to create or update lesson plans and generate emails, announcements, or assignments. I bet that now has your attention.

Now you should be getting the picture, and understanding the fear.

The sky is falling!!! The sky is falling!!! Students will never do any more work. ChatGPT will write all of their assignments for them. We must Ban this evil app now and forever!

Not so fast! If we take a breath to think of what our goal is as educators, we may have time to better consider this gift. First, let us consider the history of tech in regard to education. The obvious big contribution to education, aside from the wheel, came during the Renaissance with the invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in 1440. There were block printers and scribes, who hand-wrote texts, but the printing press evolved publishing. Most people didn’t object, probably because it opened up a whole industry of publishing. It was a big plus when public education came along and teachers needed textbooks to teach.

Another biggie was the Calculator. Math teachers originally banned it, so kids wouldn’t cheat. The calculators got smaller and easier to hide. Well, a decade or two went by and teachers began not only to allow calculators, but they also required their purchase by all math students. I always thought that is what made Texas Instruments so profitable with its graphing calculator. 

The next big innovation was the word processor. Of course, we had the typewriter, but that was always a business course in schools, not a staple of public education. English teachers were never big fans at first. Yes, the “Ban” word was thrown around a bit. A big change for me was a computer lab at my school. I had my classes on those computers word-processing all their assignments. This was not true of some of my colleagues. They required students to do a rough draft and a final draft, and then they could put it on the computer. They ignored the research showing that word processing improves thinking skills, editing skills, spelling, and vocabulary. Connected to this was the introduction of a spell checker. It was viewed as another way to cheat and beat the system. Yes, spell check was disabled, or banned in the beginning. I would be at a big loss without it. Thank god cooler heads prevailed.

And now up to now, the biggest innovation for education ever, GOOGLE. Google was banned by everyone, along with Wikipedia. Yet today, where would we be without them? Google stepped up and improved curation, a term that was rarely used before. The benefit of Google is that teachers had to reframe their assignments. If a kid could Google the answer, maybe the question wasn’t thoughtful enough. This evolved the way we teach.

As Google forced teachers to rethink and ask more thoughtful Google-proof questions, I am hopeful a similar strategy will be employed with ChatGPT. We need to teach smarter. We too often get caught up in confusing the completed task for the intended learning. In the example of word processing replacing handwritten assignments, higher-order, technology-driven skills were employed to complete the assignment. The student started off beyond the paper and pen as he or she began to process their words on a screen. They were freed from many impediments that discouraged, or restricted organizing, editing, and refining their work.

We need to rethink our goal as new innovative tools come before us. Let us look at ChatGPT as a tool that enables our students to move the starting point of their learning a few steps forward saving time and energy to create deeper thinking and more creative assignments. Teachers need not work harder, but they will need to think and work differently. They cannot lose sight of the goal of their students’ learning because some assignments use technology to get to an end a little easier, requiring different skills than the teacher has experienced. I grew up with standard-shift cars. Unless you are a car enthusiast, you would be at a loss trying to drive one.

I fear that ChatGPT is the type of tech that students will get and use before a majority of educators know what it is, let alone use and teach it effectively. Then it will be labeled as an evil cheating app. What a waste until educators catch up? Every educator should download the free app and play with it for a while to get somewhat familiar with its capabilities. This should be done before it is thrust upon us by the powers that be in their infinite wisdom and flawless leadership.

It is rather arrogant to think any educator cannot allow students to use a technology that every student has access to. We have gone through these thoughtless obstacles with almost every innovation. People are told to innovate and then their creations are blocked because they cause discomfort from the “tried and true”. Think about cell phones and students’ debate.

ChatGPT is here to stay. Microsoft just dropped $10B on it. As educators, we either teach students how to use it ethically for higher-order thinking skills or find another job. We may have reached a point in time where learning happens in spite of reluctant educators.

To better educate our kids, we need first to better educate their educators.