Is ChatGPT Making the US Education Report Card Irrelevant?

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ChatGPT and GPT-4 have achieved scores above the majority of students in grades 4, 8, and 12 on the standardized science test known as the Nation’s Report Card. This test, also called the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), is considered a crucial indicator of students’ proficiency in various subjects, and it has been in use since 1969. The recent results have shown a worrying decline in scores among students, particularly in the area of math.

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, notable AI models like ChatGPT and GPT-4 have displayed consistent performance surpassing that of students in the science assessments on the NAEP, as concluded in a paper by researchers at the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama’s College of Education.

By constructing a NAEP-style exam for ChatGPT and GPT-4, the authors found that both AI models scored above the median, with GPT-4 scoring better than 83%, 70%, and 81% of students for grade 4, 8, and 12 questions. These findings have led the authors to discuss the limitation of human students in comparison to AI, especially in the context of handling increasingly complex cognitive tasks.

The authors argue that these findings have major implications for educational assessment practices. They suggest moving educational assessments beyond solely measuring cognitive intensity, and placing more emphasis on creativity and problem-solving skills, recognizing the growing importance of these skills in an environment increasingly influenced by advanced GAI technologies. Such a transition, they argue, necessitates a new focus on professional development for educators.

Additionally, while the exceptional performance of ChatGPT and GPT-4 is notable, the study also highlights limitations related to these models. Both models heavily rely on the information provided to generate accurate responses, which might create opportunities for the advantage of human problem-solving activities.

2 COMMENTS

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