Government of SP exchanges teachers for ChatGPT in preparing classes

O Government of São Paulo is considering the use of Chat GPT to produce digital classes as a possible replacement for the work carried out by teachers in producing these classes. According to the proposal, teachers, who previously produced class material, would have the role of reviewing material generated by artificial intelligence for students from the 6th year onwards. A Secretary of Education of the state states that it is testing this tool as a way to improve the content offered to students.

However, a document has already been sent to teachers in the state with guidelines for producing classes using the Chat GPT in the 3rd two months of this year, according to the Folha de São Paulo.

How ChatGPT will be used in classes

The São Paulo state government plans to use the Chat GPT to produce digital classes that are used by teachers in all schools in the state public network. The objective is to generate a “first version of the class based on pre-defined themes and references granted by the secretariat”, as explained in the document sent by the government to teachers on the use of artificial intelligence.

A Secretary of Education confirmed that it intends to test the use of artificial intelligence to produce digital classes for the third two months of the final years of the elementary School (from 6th to 9th year) and high school. According to the ministry, the tool will be used to improve the content previously prepared by teachers, inserting new activity proposals, examples of practical application of knowledge and additional information that enrich the explanations of key concepts in each class.

Although it is still in the testing phase, the process of producing classes and materials using the Chat GPT is already being implemented, with guidance sent to curriculum teachers on how they should proceed in the coming weeks. The Department of Education emphasizes that the process will go through all validation stages before possible large-scale implementation is evaluated and argues that AI can improve materials previously produced by teachers.

What will be the role of teachers when using AI-generated content

With the introduction of artificial intelligence in the production of teaching materials, curriculum teachers will have their roles adjusted. Previously responsible for the full production of content, these teachers will now be responsible for evaluating and adjusting classes generated by artificial intelligence to ensure they meet the required pedagogical standards. After this review, the material will be forwarded to an internal team at the secretariat, responsible for the final review, ensuring linguistic correction and adequate formatting.

The Department of Education reported that the Chat GPT, created by OpenAI, will be configured to generate classes based on material produced by the team in recent months, as well as other reference teaching materials. This change in the dynamics of teaching material production will also imply a change in teachers' workload. Previously, they had to deliver four classes per week, but with the introduction of the tool, they will now have to deliver at least six classes per week, spread over two working days.

The production of teaching materials currently includes a team of 90 curriculum teachers, specialists in preparing digital classes that were already adopted in government schools in the state of São Paulo.

Position of the Tarcísio Government

The Tarcísio de Freitas government, under the strong influence of Education Secretary Renato Feder, decided to adopt the Chat GPT to accelerate the production of teaching material used by the 3,5 million students in the São Paulo state network. This measure was taken with the justification of improving the quality of the content offered to students, following a strategy similar to that implemented by Feder when he held the position of secretary in Paraná.

Feder defends the choice for Chat GPT stating that the material produced under his guidance prioritizes the most relevant content for students, especially those that are assessed in national assessments, such as the Saeb (Basic Education Assessment System). The Department of Education confirmed that it plans to test the use of artificial intelligence to produce digital classes for the third two months of the final years of primary and secondary education, with the aim of improving what was previously prepared by teachers.

Check out the full note issued by the São Paulo Secretary of Education on the adoption of the Chat GPT in class production:

The São Paulo State Department of Education (Seduc-SP) plans to implement a pilot project to include Artificial Intelligence (AI) as one of the steps in the process of updating and improving classes in the third two months of the Final Years of Elementary and from highschool.

This editorial flow process will still be tested and will go through all validation stages so that possible implementation can be evaluated. In it, classes that have already been produced by a curriculum teacher and are already in use on the network are improved by AI with the insertion of new activity proposals, examples of practical application of knowledge and additional information that enriches the explanations of key concepts of each class.

Subsequently, this content will be evaluated and edited by curriculum teachers in two different stages, in addition to undergoing copyright review and design interventions. Finally, if this class meets pedagogical standards, it will be made available as an updated version of the classes taken in 2023.

Currently, Seduc-SP has a team of around 90 curriculum teachers.

In 2023, Education Secretary Renato Feder made another controversial decision involving digital education by giving up printed textbooks from the National Textbook Program (PNLD), opting to make only digital materials available in schools. However, it did not follow through, after being criticized due to its unfeasibility and the identification of several errors in the classes produced by the department. In response to these crises, the Tarcísio government announced a partial reversal of its decision. It was determined that São Paulo would rejoin the national program to continue receiving printed books, at the same time that it would maintain the production of digital materials to be used in classes.

What the experts say

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education has awakened different perspectives among experts. While some believe that it is inevitable and beneficial to incorporate this technology into teaching, others highlight the importance of understanding its limitations and potential for responsible adoption. In this context, opinions differ, but there is a consensus on the need to adapt the way of teaching and assessing students in the face of the growing presence of AI in the educational scenario.

Diogo Cortiz, technology professor at PUC-SP, emphasizes the importance of knowing the Chat GPT and understand that it is not an infallible oracle, but rather a tool with positive points and limitations.

There will be no point in banning, it is the scenario for the future. First, we need to get to know ChatGPT and understand that it is not an oracle: it has limitations and positive points. From this, we will adapt the way of teaching and evaluating [classes] Diogo Cortiz, technology professor at PUC-SP.

Henrick Oprea, director of the Swiss International School (SIS), highlights intentionality as a keyword for the successful integration of artificial intelligence in learning. He argues that AI can enable more personalized teaching, considering students' different abilities and learning paces, something that traditional schools do not yet address effectively.

Artificial intelligence can be a pillar of learning and the keyword for this is intentionality... Sometimes you need five hours to study mathematics and one hour for history; another person, the opposite, but the traditional school still thinks about the same time for each person. It is necessary to study skills, and artificial intelligence comes to help us with this paradigm shift.

Henrick Oprea, director of the Swiss International School (SIS).

UNESCO also takes a position on the topic, considering the use of artificial intelligence in education as inevitable and something that must be embraced responsibly. According to the organization, AI offers real opportunities to assist in teaching students with learning difficulties, disabilities or those from linguistic or cultural minorities. Furthermore, it can contribute to more personalized teaching, flexible learning models and an immersive teaching experience.

It is a technology that offers real opportunities to help teach students with learning difficulties, disabilities or those who come from linguistic or cultural minorities. It can help deliver more personalized teaching, enable flexible learning models, and transcend boundaries of space and time to create an immersive teaching experience.

Material released by UNESCO

See also:

Sources: Folha of SP e Government of SP

reviewed by Glaucon Vital in 17 / 4 / 24.