Editorial

Citation

Wu, Z. (2024), "Editorial", Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 2-3. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-03-2024-145

I am excited to announce the official release of Issue 17.1 of JRIT&L. This issue contains the following content: the new idea of cooperative learning and differentiated instruction, social media and instruction, teachers' knowledge of students and networks, enhancing students' understanding of entrepreneurship and stress regulation and self-compassion. In this issue, we also review the benefits of multilingualism via neurolinguistics for teachers. I would like to give special thanks to our authors and editors, whose hard work and ingenuity make our high-quality publications possible.

As we all know, in 2023, the first year of artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, attracted great attention from people from all levels of society. We already feel that artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. We also acknowledge that AI will impact every field, including Diplomacy, Information, Military, and Economics (DIME). In terms of education, ChatGPT has gradually entered the classroom, for example, in writing lesson plans and assessment. In 2024, whether accepted or not, AI and ChatGPT will more rapidly penetrate other fields of education and permeate many aspects of teaching. As education researchers, we need to take the responsibility of conducting a more in-depth exploration of the impact of AI and ChatGPT, as well as studying the possible challenges and opportunities they may bring to future education.

Looking back on 2023, at least in the United States, major news media have predicted significant challenges and opportunities for AI and ChatGPT. These include the educational use of ChatGPT, differentiated instruction by AI, acceptance in the educational field, personalized courses and personalized education. Legal issues brought about by AI and ChatGPT are also in progress, for example, the New York Times' plagiarism and copyright lawsuit. Of course, legal supervision of AI and ChatGPT is also in progress. For example, California's new law focuses on K-12 students learning media literacy, and the US Congress introduced the Artificial Intelligence Literacy Act in December 2023. These developments lay the foundation for AI policies and educational standards while also providing warnings about fraud and other social problems that AI may bring.

It is foreseeable that in 2024, AI and ChatGPT will continue to develop further. Regarding teaching, the potential changes that AI may bring are conceivable. The possible changes can be observed, which include, but are not limited to, (1) Curriculum: This is personalized learning based on students' learning habits and abilities through a digital learning platform, which improves learning efficiency and quality; (2) Teaching and Learning Approaches: AI can reduce teachers' workload by assisting in tasks such as lesson planning, providing feedback on assignments and responding to parent emails. This allows teachers to allocate more time to personalized learning; (3) Assessment: It is believed that AI and ChatGPT can enhance accuracy in assessment, potentially leading to changes in the scoring system. Traditional assessment methods like multiple-choice questions and essays may face challenges; (4) Equity: Influenced by big data, personalized learning becomes not only feasible but also potentially beneficial for students with special needs; (5) Higher Education: Faced with the limitations of traditional education, the development of AI and ChatGPT may introduce new innovations to higher education, serving as a potential turning point. AI and virtual reality will enable customized learning experiences. The development of AI and its extended innovative technologies is reshaping the way knowledge is taught, making learning more engaging and adaptable to individual needs. In summary, AI brings both challenges and opportunities to the education sector, requiring in-depth research and exploration.

As a research journal dedicated to maintaining high quality, we urge our authors and readers to join us in research on the impact of AI and ChatGPT on education. For our authors, we encourage a focus on both the significance and methodology of their research. The significance of the research should emphasize the importance of the research questions, while the methodology should ensure the universality and applicability of the research findings.

Looking at the future, the immense development potential of AI technology promises significant impacts on the field of education. Understanding the nature and extent of these impacts requires collaborative efforts from educational researchers to explore and study them comprehensively. While we anticipate the positive effects, we must also remain vigilant against potential negative impacts on the integrity of the research field. We eagerly await the contributions of educators.