Andrew Watt – Principal

What we need to know about Chat GPT

The advent of ChatGPT and generative AI technologies has sparked much interest and debate. This rapidly advancing technology has polarised the education community worldwide, with some heralding the end of traditional schooling, whilst others are seeking to ban its use in the classroom for fears of plagiarism. This brief summary of the impact of AI in education will merely signal the start of the conversation!

A natural language processing tool driven by artificial intelligence (AI) technology, ChatGPT can be interrogated for information on nearly any subject, as well as generate poetry, essays and even computer code. Easily accessible and user-friendly, ChatGPT is part of a larger family of models known as Large Language Models and is trained on approximately 300 billion words. However, unlike its predecessors, and along with its older cousin InstructGPT, the model’s output is also carefully guided by human feedback. Known as Reinforcement Learning with Human Feedback (RLHF), this training algorithm incentivises the model to output content that matches that which has been provided by (presumably many) expert human annotators. This technology will soon impact mathematics teachers, with Meta AI recently unveiling an AI model that can reason mathematical problems at an increasingly sophisticated level.

AI technologies, such as ChatGPT, will undoubtedly influence current teaching and assessment practices. NSW Public Schools have banned the Chat Bot, due to its potential for malfeasance (plagiarism). New measures will be required to navigate the marking of projects and essays completed at home, or at school on a device. There are, however, some counters to this form of plagiarism available and free to use, including ZeroGPT. Teachers are considering assessing orally, rather than in writing (viva voce) and developing independent and group tasks that do not require the use of technology.

The application of these generative AI technologies depends largely on the motives of the user. If used wisely and honestly, it has the capacity to provide quick, meaningful and actionable feedback to both the student and the teacher on complex tasks and draft responses. It can also generate questions from various sources, as a retrieval practice. This may lead to a deeper understanding of complex concepts and improved retention of information. ChatGPT can add value to the ‘flipped classroom’ model, where information/concepts are learned at home, with classroom time being used for challenging discussions and activities designed to promote deep learning.

Our Primary teachers are currently using ChatGPT in their classroom to improve practice by:

• creating differentiated mentor texts, which provide further access for students at all academic abilities to access the curriculum.
• creating quick recall questions to increase the retrieval practice of their lessons.
• Reappropriating (quickly) professional level information sources into student accessible texts.

Teachers have started to input their own work, to both increase and decrease the complexity, all with a focus on how we can support the students in our lessons.

So, what does ChatGPT say, when asked to explain how ChatGPT can be of value to students?

ChatGPT is an AI-powered language model that can be a valuable resource for High school students in a number of ways:

1. Learning: ChatGPT has been trained on vast amounts of text, making it a rich source of information on a wide range of topics. Students can ask ChatGPT questions to get quick and accurate answers, helping them to learn more efficiently.
2. Homework help: If students are struggling with a particular subject or assignment, they can ask ChatGPT for help. ChatGPT can provide explanations, examples, and even step-by-step solutions to help students understand the material and complete their assignments.
3. Writing assistance: ChatGPT can help students with their writing by suggesting synonyms, providing grammar and punctuation tips, and even generating ideas for essays or creative writing projects.
4. Career exploration: Students can ask ChatGPT about different career paths, job prospects, and education requirements. ChatGPT can provide insights into various careers, helping students make more informed decisions about their future.

Parents can encourage their children to use ChatGPT wisely rather than have it complete work that is intended to be their work, and to reinforce that they should never attempt to pass off ChatGPT’s work as their own. 

Acknowledgements: How ChatGPT will Impact the Future of Education, Mike Abecina; More than Human, Chris Duncan, CEO of AHISA.

New Parents Welcome Breakfast

Last Friday we warmly welcomed over 50 new parents to our School. I was particularly delighted to see so many alumni mums and dads reminiscing with their then music teacher, Ms Lowe!

Alumni and other parents enjoying the morning with Margaret Lowe and me.

Our Head Madrichim shared their experiences and sense of community, which makes Emanuel so special.

Coby New (High School Head Madrich): “Emanuel School is a growing family, which has been innovating and progressing for many years now, and we feel so grateful to be a part of this amazing, inclusive, and accepting community that Emanuel has become.

“Something that I love about Emanuel is that unlike most schools, the majority of events are planned and run by students, for students. This structure has the intent of creating an atmosphere of ‘Emanuel magic’ and ruach that everyone knows so well, such as whole High School Shabbatot, Inter-House sporting, music and arts competitions, Passion-Based Learning projects, and much more.” 

Jemima Hockley (Primary School Head Madricha): “In Primary we also have a big leadership team which includes Madrichim, House Captains, Jewish Life Leaders and many more leadership roles for everyone. This is something that I love about being a Year 6 Emanuel student, everyone has a role of their choice. These roles are very student-based and lead by passions as well. For example, art leaders!” 

Special thanks goes to our Marketing team – Michelle Favero and Belinda Levin –  as well as all those who supported them to ensure the success of the event including Stevie Levenston, Gavin Dennis and the Maintenance team, Gail MacKenzie, Diana Springford, George Nikolopolous, Ben Marshall, Natali Tchelet, Renee Schneider, our Madrichim and Senior Jazz Ensemble. Breakfast was supplied by our Canteen – a delicious way to start the day!

The Peter Michaelson Memorial Swimming Race

Maccabi Swimming Club is hosting an All-comers 50m Masters Sprint Race in memory of Emanuel Parent, Peter Michaelson, who tragically passed away recently. The memorial event is planned for Sunday 5 March, as part of the Jewish Swimming Championships, at Des Renford Aquatic Centre. 

Maccabi has asked me to share the following tribute: “Pete was a valued member of the Maccabi Swimming club and competed at numerous Maccabi Swimming championships, breaking a number of records. He had a love and passion for Maccabi, especially the Swimming club, and inspired many swimmers in the community both young and old.

“Pete’s generous spirit and infectious optimism will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. He was genuine, patient, caring and kind with a heart of gold who would light up rooms and hearts wherever he went.”

For information and to enter, please contact the Race Secretary.

Annual academic recognition assembly 

Jesse and Matt giving advice

A group of our 2022 HSC high performing students returned to school to receive medals that recognise their achievements and to (hopefully!) enjoy a morning tea with the Principal and staff.

Jesse Herdan and Matthew Lowy were invited to speak about their HSC experience and to offer advice to our senior students. Their shared reflections on their final year at Emanuel were both amusing and insightful.

Specifically, our students were encouraged to:

• Use class time effectively
• Select the subjects that you enjoy
• Work with friends – to ‘teach’ and ‘test’ each other
• Don’t view the HSC as a competition with your peers
• Ensure that you balance sleep and activities with your study
• Enjoy the journey, which is much more than the destination (HSC)

Students in Years 10 and 11 (2022) received their Speech Day awards, and this was followed by the presentation of our Semester 2 2022 Principal Awards, for Academic Achievement and Academic Effort. Congratulations to all those who received an award!

Jesse Barel and Willow Gelin receive their Speech Day Awards

Clarification of Term dates 2023

To avoid confusion, parents are advised that Term 1 concludes for students and teachers on Tuesday 4 April 2023.

The School office is open (for staff) on Wednesday 5 April 2023, until 1.10 pm. No students or teachers will be on campus on that day.

Mazal tov

Mazal tov to Year 6 students, Cooper Rosen and Sophia Kirievskaya, who represented Emanuel at the ASISSA Basketball Trials. As a result of their excellent performances they have been nominated to trial for the CIS Basketball team as representatives from ASISSA.

Quote of the week

“Chat GPT is a powerful tool for anyone seeking to communicate more effectively and efficiently in a digital world. With its vast knowledge base and ability to generate coherent, contextually appropriate responses, Chat GPT can help you save time, build stronger relationships, and improve your overall communication skills.” Generated from Chat GPT