Controversial histories and chatbots

Big storylines in education during 2023 US Edition - Today's top story: DeSantis' 'war on woke' looks a lot like attempts by other countries to deny and rewrite history [View in browser]( US Edition | 30 December 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Deep-seated worries about America’s future and its past − that’s what stood out to me about discussions concerning education in 2023. For instance, in Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis championed an “anti-woke” agenda that restricted how instructors at state-run colleges and universities could teach about America’s racist past. Rochelle Anne Davis and Eileen Kane − a cultural anthropologist and historian, respectively − compared [DeSantis’ agenda with those of repressive regimes]( that seek to distort history whenever an honest discussion of that history is at odds with their ideology. Another topic that dominated education in 2023 was the role that AI might play in the classrooms of the future, particularly when it comes to writing. While some scholars encouraged their fellow educators to embrace the new technology as a trustworthy tool, others – such as Naomi S. Baron, a professor of linguistics at American University – warned that essay-writing [chatbots like ChatGPT could erode peoples’ ability to think](. If American education is headed toward a future where teachers can’t teach about America’s past, perhaps educators could designate chatbots to do all the teaching about controversial histories that some states now require them to avoid. I asked ChatGPT if America was “racist from the start” – something DeSantis does not want educators to say. I thought the chatbot did a pretty good job when it answered that America’s early history is “marked by contradictions between the ideals of liberty and equality espoused in documents like the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and the reality of institutionalized racism.” Whereas an educator could potentially get in trouble for saying something like that, a chatbot cannot lose its job. But that raises an altogether different issue that arose in 2023: Will chatbots ultimately take some of the [jobs that historically were done by educators](? Perhaps in the next few years we’ll see. [ [Get a global perspective on the news, with the best of The Conversation’s journalism from around the world, twice weekly.]( ] Jamaal Abdul-Alim Education Editor Readers' picks SB 266 aims to stop college professors from teaching about systemic racism. Spencer Platt/Getty Images [DeSantis’ ‘war on woke’ looks a lot like attempts by other countries to deny and rewrite history]( Rochelle Anne Davis, Georgetown University; Eileen Kane, Connecticut College Tactics used to censor the teaching of American history in Florida schools bear much in common with those seen in the illiberal democracies of Israel, Turkey, Russia and Poland. - [40 years ago ‘A Nation at Risk’ warned of a ‘rising tide of mediocrity’ in US schools – has anything changed?]( Morgan Polikoff, University of Southern California Polarization among the public and politicians threatens to undermine educational progress made over the past few decades. - [Gentle parenting can be really hard on parents, new research suggests]( Annie Pezalla, Macalester College The gentle parenting movement has exploded in popularity on social media. But is it good for kids or parents? Editors' picks AI writing tools may carry hidden dangers that harm the creative process. Guillaume via Getty Images [How ChatGPT robs students of motivation to write and think for themselves]( Naomi S. Baron, American University People who have used AI to help with writing report a loss of pride and ownership in what they produce. - [Writing instructors are less afraid of students cheating with ChatGPT than you might think]( Daniel Ernst, Texas Woman's University; Troy Hicks, Central Michigan University A survey about college writing instructors’ fears and anxieties about AI demonstrates that student cheating isn’t their only concern. And in fact, many have embraced it as a teaching tool. - [Should AI be permitted in college classrooms? 4 scholars weigh in]( Nicholas Tampio, Fordham University; Asim Ali, Auburn University; Patricia A. Young, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Shital Thekdi, University of Richmond Scholars differ over whether having students use AI in their assignments will help or hurt their careers after graduation. - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon](• [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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