Dear Editor,

Let us admit it, it is very difficult to keep up with the rapid evolutions of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI).

Numerous platforms exist, such as Gemini, QuillBot, and Grammarly, which can help to enhance teaching and learning. But many lecturers and students are yet to test or have basic understanding of ChatGPT, even after two years on the market, and now we have to contend with DeepSeek — one of the latest large language models (LLM) that was developed by a Chinese enterprise. And as we contend with these chatbots, many others are being created and tested.

Since ChatGPT emerged, I have taken a deep interest in it, have written numerous columns on the topic, and have conducted some academic research. We must be driven by research to guide our practice and understand how these new developments affect us. Research has shown that GenAI, particularly
ChatGPT, helps teachers to create lesson plans and pedagogical materials, such as quizzes, and provide feedback to students. One of the major advantages is that it helps teachers to work smarter and save time. Some teachers also use it for research purposes or other daily personal tasks. On the downside, several studies have raised concerns about academic dishonesty, plagiarism, ethics, and data privacy. Findings have also revealed that over-reliance on GenAI increases cognitive laziness and reduces creative, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills.

As we continue to experiment and engage in research, fresh concerns abound regarding the professionalisation of teachers and their preparedness to coexist with GenAI. Similarly to how social media and smart devices have influenced social interactions, GenAI will revolutionise teaching and learning in an even more manifest way. It will have implications on assessment design and evaluation, curriculum development, ethical practices, teacher training, and digital competence.

Teacher preparation within our teachers’ colleges and universities is critical in this era. Lecturers will need to be equipped with the requisite skills on GenAI to be able to prepare preservice teachers for the digital classroom. It is not a matter of subject experts becoming specialists in information and communication technologies (ICT), but lecturers must understand and adapt to the current climate. In principle, lecturers should model best practice approaches and methodologies when they teach student teachers so that the latter will be armed with innovative pedagogies to teach their future students. Consequently, training workshops and courses should be routinely introduced as part of the professionalisation of academic faculty.

Additionally, as part of the content-area methodology courses, preservice teachers should be exposed to how technology and GenAI can be integrated into their subject disciplines. For example, in my discipline of applied linguistics, a course in computer/technology-assisted language learning (CALL/TALL) would guide teachers on how to integrate various technologies into their lessons and the different websites and online resources they can use to support their teaching.

In-service teachers equally need upskilling. Is GenAI redefining the role of educators? Certainly! Therefore, what are the skills that are needed to navigate this new era of GenAI? How can teachers formulate meaningful prompts to generate content and idea for specific objectives? How can GenAI be used to support differentiated instruction and enhance the experience of students with special educational and neuro-diverse needs? How can teachers use GenAI in an ethical and responsible way to design assignments that will cause students to engage their higher-order cognitive skills?

The research is clear that AI is not only transforming education but also every other sector. Educators must take an integrated and inclusive approach when teaching so that everyone is adding value to the future graduate. Our curricula must adjust to ensure that our students are equipped to study and work globally in a perpetually advancing technological era.

Oneil Madden

maddenoniel@yahoo.com