A Study Shows Whether Use of AI Among Students is Good for Brainstorming and Creativity or Not
AI has become a part of our lives one way or another. But there is always debate about whether to give permission to students to use AI for their work or not. But the answer isn’t simple like that. First we need to know whether we want students to be creative thinkers or we just want them to rely on AI. Researchers from University of South Carolina, the University of California and Berkeley and Emerson College published a study in Journal of Creativity. For research, students were asked to brainstorm ideas about how a paperclip can be used without taking help from any technology. After a month, they were asked to brainstorm the same thing but while using ChatGPT. It was found that ChatGPT can be used to present new ideas that could enhance the creativity of students. But it could also have negative effects on creative thinking and self-confidence.
Some students also felt that using AI means that you are taking an easy-way out without using your brain. It is important for teachers to use AI in classrooms while striking the creativity of students. Many students are using AI for their homework like writing essays and solving equations. All the participants in the study admitted that AI can help them brainstorm better. Only 16% said that they prefer brainstorming without AI.
When students were asked to brainstorm with ChatGPT, they created many innovative ideas. The students also said that they like brainstorming with AI because it is non-judgemental. The negative effects, however, of using AI tools is that students become too reliant on them and think of their own ideas as bad or useless. Many students also said that when they brainstorm using AI, they cannot come up with ideas of their own. Study also found out that AI ideas were often repetitive and had no room for new ideas.
To conclude this study, it is better to make students brainstorm on their own so they can become confident about their ideas. They could only be given permission to use tools like ChatGPT after they know that they have the ability to be creative. The study sheds light on the importance of developing your own skills before using any AI tool to create something. As AI is getting popular in schools, it is also important to tell students how to use this technology safely.
Image: DIW-Aigen
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