The end of homework?

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) is currently attracting a lot of attention. The Chat GPT software - accessible to everyone after registration - is considered a milestone in AI. If you ask it a question, you receive a text within seconds that deals with a topic in perfect German at the desired level and length. It doesn't matter what subject area or form is required.

This makes conventional homework seem obsolete. Whether summaries, analyses or derivations - pupils are given free content on any topic. This poses difficult questions for our school system - but also for us parents.

The trick is how we promote learning on our own initiative.

The first reaction is often to call for a ban. However, Chat GPT is accessible everywhere - including on smartphones - and is already being used extensively. We therefore need to think about how we can integrate this software into everyday school life.

No substitute for independent thinking

There is a lively debate in German-speaking countries about how schools and universities should use the new tool. After all, children and young people need to learn how to use the software sensibly and recognise its limitations. The tenor among the more progressive experts: We need to promote the intrinsic motivation of children and young people.

The joy of learning, the realisation that understanding content can only be achieved through independent learning. Chat GPT can, for example, provide useful tips on how to prepare for certain exams, so when used correctly it acts as a learning coach. Bluntly copying given texts has no learning effect whatsoever. Children need to understand this.

I naturally asked Chat GPT what parents should do. The answer is amazingly nuanced, including advice on how parents can respond specifically. Here's a sentence from the text: «While Chat GPT is able to respond to a variety of questions and topics, it is not a substitute for a child's independent thinking and learning.» That's exactly the point. The trick is how we encourage self-directed learning.