In this episode, Angeline Corvaglia sits down with Ilkem Kayican Dipcin from Sabanci University to explore the responsible use of generative AI in education. They discuss the question that's on the minds of parents and educators everywhere: if children and youth use generative AI for homework, are they cheating? Ilkem and Angeline talk about the ethical implications of AI in academics and point out the importance of preserving students' authentic voices. The conversation broadens to discuss how AI can enhance humanity by allowing a focus on unique human traits, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and awareness.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction

00:37 The Debate on Generative AI in Education

01:30 Ilkem's Approach to Teaching with AI

02:30 Ethical and Responsible Use of AI

04:11 Challenges of Teaching English with AI

06:02 Importance of Student's Voice in AI-Assisted Learning

06:22 The Importance of Authenticity in Student Voices

06:59 Concerns About Generative AI and Student Voice

07:30 Strategies for Teaching and Feedback

08:48 Parental Guidance in the Age of AI

09:52 The Evolving Role of Human Skills

11:29 Concluding Thoughts and Takeaways

Special thanks to Ilkem Kaycan Dipcin for taking time to be a part of this episode! Find her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilkem-kayican-dipcin-25682977/

Episode sponsored by Data Girl and Friends

They are on a mission to build awareness and foster critical thinking about AI, online safety, privacy, and digital citizenship. They inspire the next generation to navigate the digital world confidently and responsibly through fun, engaging, and informative content. They focus on empowering young digital citizens and their families through engaging and informative learning.

Find out more at: https://data-girl-and-friends.com/

List of Data Girl and Friends materials about some of the topics covered:

• Article for young teens about the topics discussed in this episode: https://data-girl-and-friends.com/in-school-how-to-make-sure-ai-assists-not-replaces/
• Educational workbook for teens: The Empathy Challenge: Discover the importance of empathy in the digital world.  https://data-girl-and-friends.pagetiger.com/empathy-challenge/1
• Ayla AI Girl video, What does AI understand? https://vimeo.com/916925937
• Ayla AI Girl video, Does AI have an opinion? https://vimeo.com/919742701

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[00:00:28] That three part series is extremely interesting and will be out in a few weeks. I also took the opportunity to talk to ilkem about a hot topic that's sparking debates in classrooms and homes everywhere: the use of generative AI for schoolwork. There's no doubt about the fact that a significant portion of students are using it, but is it a helpful tool or just another way to cheat?

I mean, considering it's about writing, uh, which is very controversial for a lot of parents and teachers. So what are your thoughts? Is it cheating? And how do you approach it? [00:01:30] I'm just asking, like, a lot of people say it's cheating. So, yeah. That's correct. Most of my colleagues and in general in education, which is a fair concern that they have this concern about AI might replace students learning and they might hurt their skills which they will need in the future.

Of course, I always talk about and suggest some ethical and responsible use of artificial intelligence. So when it comes to assessment, that's another discussion using artificial intelligence. And remember, in our conversations, I told you about some kind of a negative experience we had about using artificial intelligence in assessment.

And also I try to scaffold this process in my classrooms. Just step by step, I try to introduce it in the [00:03:30] skills or in the courses that I teach. I actually love that approach. And I think that just thinking about all the risks related to it and thinking about the fact that they use it. We know that they use it and we were all young

So I think banning it or pretending it's not there is not helpful because they're going to use it anyway. So I really love your approach. I need to really point out something very important. Because I'm teaching English as a second language that comes with its own complications. [00:04:30] That's why in my, for example, LinkedIn posts, I always try to address that difference.

When you are trying to design a new material or some activities that you would like to integrate into your writing course, it is always very important who your audience is. For example, most of the students we have because we are English medium instruction university. I mean we are like 90 percent English college in Istanbul.

[00:05:30] That's why automating their language learning is very risky in our perspective or in our context. I can say. That makes absolute sense, right? Okay, so basically, my example of the book report is not the same thing because it's my native language and it would be actually a disaster if I were learning a second language and I had a generative AI, I write it, right?

But please don't forget that I need your voice. And whatever you write, you need to be there. [00:06:30] I mean, it needs to be authentic and, this authenticity and your voice has to be in that. So I think that's very important to keep telling to students. I think that's one of the most important things

I don't know that I would have appreciated what it means. to find your voice, much less to lose it. So that's one of the things I'm really worried about actually. You're right. And I think cheating is a side point. So do you have a feeling that they understand that? Um, that's a really good question because it is very important to communicate [00:07:30] it well enough so that they understand.

And I think I still have this maybe strategy to be there to give them feedback. So that I try to say, okay, I have been doing this for 15, 20 years and at your level, it is not really easy to say it in this way. Please just tell me what would you like to say here and maybe one-on-one conferences in [00:08:30] office hours even.

I try to build this connection with them and try to communicate or elaborate more what I would like to say. It's not easy. It's not easy to, as you told me and asked, too easy to just finding their voice. It's a journey. It's not very easy. It isn't and at this moment, I think there's a lot of parents that will be listening.

[00:09:30] And as just as parents really make that clear. This is what the next generation needs to understand. That AI will more and more replace the memory. People don't have to… When I was young, I had to remember people's phone numbers. I barely know my own phone now. It was the same with me. Yeah, so the things that people have to remember will change over time.

[00:10:30] But of course, there are some skills that we All the time need that is very human, like empathy, creativity, flexibility and you know, I think there are some very important skills, human skills that we should keep developing and we can develop them even with the communication with artificial intelligence.

So some people hate that comment. I love that comment because I just believe it's so strong that the more we outsource to the machine, we have to realize what can never be replaced by a [00:11:29] person or a machine. And this is what we have to focus, change our focus on. And that’s also a positive way of seeing developments, I think. Proactive. Yeah, that’s what I thought, too. So, I hope you found ilkem's insights as enlightening as I did.

Thank you so much for listening and thank you ilkem for joining me. Thank you as well to our sponsor Data Girl and Friends. Their mission is to build awareness and foster critical thinking about AI, online safety, privacy, and digital citizenship through fun, engaging, and informative content. [00:12:30] Check them out at data-girl-and-friends.com. Until next time, stay curious and keep learning.