Is ChatGPT bad for RTOs? Or could it take you to the next level?

The rise of ChatGPT has been felt across the world. Whether you’ve only heard about it, or you’ve tried it out for yourself, you should have an idea that this is some serious, life-changing tech.

However, there’s been a lot of backlash surrounding it. Educators are concerned about the effects it will have on students’ learning efficacy and training providers like Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) will need to add even more rigour to their assessment processes to ensure competency.

Is it all doom and gloom? Or is there a silver lining in the new era of learning where ChatGPT is around to stay?

Is ChatGPT bad for learning?

ChatGPT has been a serious cause for concern amongst educators, with some areas banning the use of the tool in schools. This response is largely due to creating a climate fit for cheating, but also because if they are not trying, figuring stuff out for themselves and potentially making mistakes, they are not learning.

The effects of COVID-19 put pressure on RTOs, who traditionally deliver courses face-to-face, to search for an online solution that could bridge this gap during lockdowns and beyond. However, if the right solution wasn’t found to effectively deliver courses to unit requirements this opened them up to a lot of risk of non-compliance. If too much content was delivered in an online setting i.e. remote and without an assessor observing, a tool like ChatGPT could be used by the learner and the assessor would be none the wiser.

This blog takes you through how to get around the threats of ChatGPT as we see that it is here to stay.

1. ChatGPT Written Content

Whether it’s portfolios or presentations, it’s very easy for students to use ChatGPT to create content. Not only is it a form of cheating in some instances it could also negatively affect a student’s development as they don’t actively engage in completing the tasks. Luckily, there are tools available that can detect whether or not artificial intelligence software was used. ChatGPT themselves are even working on the same software. However, where ChatGPT could assist is with the general layout or theme of a presentation which could be useful to get a learner going on a task and therefore empower them to complete the task at hand.

2. Online Assessments

Using ChatGPT, it’s very easy for students to cheat during online tests and exams. To avoid this, most universities implement proctoring software that can monitor students’ activities during assessments. For RTOs this risk is felt far less as assessing competency is rarely achieved through a stand-alone quiz or online exam. 

If a robust assessment process is taking place, then ChatGPT shouldn’t be a problem for verifying that a learner has developed satisfactory skills. For example, making sure that a learner is taken through a rigorous assessment process that could include, log booking, an evidence portfolio and an assessor’s observation checklist. All of this can be achieved using assessments that are hosted online but delivered face-to-face or with blended training methods. 

Most importantly the RTO needs to ensure the unit requirements are being met and that the appropriate assessment tool is created to deem a learner satisfactory and ultimately competent.

How can ChatGPT help RTOs?

While there are always risks, with the correct systems in place, ChatGPT should not lead to a long-term increase in the number of cheating students. But, the benefits of using this ingenious software are here to stay.

1. Create marketing & outreach content

ChatGPT is a great way to create content that can be used for outreach and marketing purposes. Whether you just want to create an email subject line, a newsletter, or a landing page copy this software can save you a lot of time. As an RTO it is important to rigorously check that your statements are in line with the Standards for RTOs Chapter 1 Marketing & Recruitment.  

2. Create activity ideas & course outlines

Marketing content is one thing, but ChatGPT can also help you plan formative activities or an entire course outline. Using artificial intelligence, it can easily decipher a natural way of progression that will create the easiest learning path for your students. This will leave you more time to focus on creating the best learning experience possible. Bear in mind though that ChatGPT can still make mistakes and really should only be used to generate ideas and a framework for such content.

3. Help students with research

While there are concerns about ChatGPT limiting students’ independent thinking, it can help students reach new levels of research. Using ‘traditional’ methods, like Google, isn’t without its shortcomings. Fake news and outdated information are just two of the easiest things to fall prey to. Also, a lot of the time you’ll find websites repeating the same information, which makes it very difficult for students to find unique content. This is where ChatGPT comes in. It can be used in a conversational way, where learners can easily explore topics in far more detail than previously possible. 

4. Evolved student assistance

ChatGPT’s ability to answer questions easily makes it an invaluable tool for RTOs and other learning institutions. When it comes to remote learning, students can often feel alone without someone there to answer their questions when they arise. By installing an AI-powered chatbot, RTOs can ensure that no questions are left unanswered. It can also assist in creating FAQ lists and assignment guidelines that limit the need for questions in the first place. 

Join the future of RTOs with Cloud Assess

New technologies always come with their own set of challenges, but that doesn’t mean we should avoid embracing them. Like with ChatGPT, there are often many benefits that come after the initial growing pains. If you’re ready to take your RTO to the next level, you should consider training software that is also willing to jump into the future of training and assessment – like Cloud Assess. Are you ready to get started? Make use of our free trial today!