The academic year is at its midpoint, and we have a chance to sit back and reflect on how a new school year is going -and what comes next. Chances are, students have submitted some assignment or another after using ChatGPT in support of their work. It’s no secret that whether or not educators are openly discussing it, the use of ChatGPT and other AI tools is present in the classroom.
While schools may have started their year exploring and even investing in software solutions to block these tools (from a fair concern surrounding how ChatGPT and the like are affecting learning skills and integrity), it’s worth taking a minute to consider whether banning ChatGPT is truly the right approach, or perhaps is an opportunity to innovate how we teach and learn.
Let’s prompt a deeper discussion.
A Familiar Debate
The current resistance to AI tools mirrors past reactions to disruptive technologies. Once upon a time, calculators were seen as a threat to learning math. Later, spreadsheet software like Excel was thought to undermine analysts’ technical skills. Today, ChatGPT’s ability to draft essays, solve problems, and generate creative ideas has educators worried about students bypassing critical thinking and foundational skills.
But in every one of these historical cases, the technology didn’t disappear. Instead, it reshaped the landscape of skills, pushing people to adapt and learn to work with it. ChatGPT—and other AI tools like it—are here to stay. The deeper question isn’t how to block its use and avoid shortcuts and cheating, but how to help students leverage it effectively, meaning, teach students the skills and thinking required to manage and master it.
After all, the students of today are growing up in a world where careers will be increasingly primed and designed for and by prompt engineering.
Teaching Students to Engineer
One of the most transformative aspects of ChatGPT is how it democratizes problem-solving. What used to require coding in Python, Java, or C++—creating tables, automating processes, analyzing data—is now achieved with plain-English commands. This process, often called prompt engineering, is quietly turning users into engineers.
To harness this potential power, educators should teach students to approach ChatGPT as a collaborative problem-solving partner, instead of a shortcut. Begin with foundational exercises in crafting prompts that encourage specificity, clarity, and context-awareness. For example, students can start with broad questions and refine them iteratively, showing how better prompts yield more useful answers.
Another way to learn to work alongside AI is to encourage the verification of AI-generated outputs by cross-referencing them with reliable sources, fostering critical thinking skills and a healthy skepticism. Students can be encouraged to reflect on the decision-making process: Why did they choose a particular prompt? How did they assess the result’s quality? How would they improve it next time?
Think about it: crafting effective prompts, analyzing AI-generated results, and iterating on responses are skills that mirror the logic and problem-solving foundation of traditional programming. In this sense, ChatGPT isn’t just a tool; it’s a learning platform, teaching users how to engage with machines and to refine their thinking to the task.
Shouldn’t this actually and actively be central to the curriculum? Imagine courses dedicated to prompt engineering, teaching students how to use tools like ChatGPT to augment their capabilities while maintaining critical thinking and creativity. No matter the profession—be it medicine, business, or the arts—the ability to collaborate with AI is poised to become a fundamental skill.
In this environment, creativity, strategic thinking, and the ability to tackle complex, higher-order problems become the differentiators. Basic tasks are increasingly automated, leaving humans to focus on innovation and judgment. Educators, rather than resisting this trend, should embrace the opportunity to guide students in developing these higher-level capabilities.
How to get ahead without falling behind
Rather than blocking ChatGPT, schools should aim to integrate it responsibly. Policies can ensure students still demonstrate their understanding of foundational concepts while incorporating AI as a tool for exploration and productivity.
By teaching students how to use ChatGPT effectively—learning prompt engineering, discerning reliable outputs, and applying AI insights in real-world scenarios—we’re not just preparing them for the future. We’re enabling them to build it.
The shift isn’t about making education easier; it’s about making it smarter. If we guide students to engage with AI thoughtfully, they’ll be better equipped to succeed in a world where collaboration with technology is the norm. After all, isn’t the ultimate goal of education to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow?
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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