Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 TechTrends (2024) 68:37–46 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-023-00899-x ORIGINAL PAPER Adapting to the Future: ChatGPT as a Means for Supporting Constructivist Learning Environments Minkyoung Kim 1  · Lauren Adlof 1 Accepted: 9 October 2023 / Published online: 4 November 2023 © Association for Educational Communications & Technology 2023 Abstract ChatGPT, an artifcial intelligence (AI) language model, holds signifcant promise for improving the quality and efciency of teaching and learning. However, its potential challenges and disruptions in education systems require further investigation for a deeper understanding and mitigation. Given that ChatGPT is already being utilized and complete prohibition is unlikely, it becomes crucial to consider how educators can harness its potential to enhance teaching and learning experiences, assuming successful implementation. This article explores the potential benefts and disruptions within the current education system, and proposes strategies for integrating ChatGPT into educational settings from a constructivist learning perspective. It focuses on four educational system attributes: context, collaboration, conversation, and construction. The article particularly emphasizes the utilization of ChatGPT as a means, rather than an end, to enhance student learning within a constructivist learning environment. This approach aims to address present concerns and challenges efectively. Keywords Artifcial intelligent · ChatGPT · Education system disruption · Constructivist learning environments Introduction Artifcial Intelligence (AI) applications have gained signifcant interest recently (Hu, 2023; Huang, 2023). The attention to AI applications has been amplifed since the release of ChatGPT in November 2022. ChatGPT is a natural language processing model developed by OpenAI that can answer questions, translate languages, and generate text (OpenAI, 2022). It has become the fastest-growing application in history, with over 100 million subscribers in just two months (Hu, 2023). One of the key features of ChatGPT is its ability to produce human- like responses, setting it apart from other language processing technologies. To achieve this, ChatGPT incorporates generic language models extracted from large parts of the internet and can interact with humans through text or voice interfaces (Wollny et al., 2021). This makes it possible for users to interact with computers in a more natural and intuitive way using natural language processing techniques (Kuhail et al., 2023). ChatGPT is a language processor that has the potential to improve the quality and efciency of learning and teaching, but its potential disruptions require further study for deeper understanding and mitigation. Educators must consider how to efectively integrate the tool into teaching and learning, taking into account potential benefts and disruptions to the existing system. This article aims to explore the potential benefits and disruptions that ChatGPT may introduce to existing education systems and uses a constructivist approach to suggest considerations for efectively applying this emerging technology in educational contexts. By identifying and addressing necessary adaptations, educators can ensure the successful implementation of ChatGPT and maximize its full potential benefits in enhancing teaching and learning experiences. Taking a constructivist perspective, this article provides specifc guidance on utilizing ChatGPT as a tool to supplement constructivist learning environments, providing its practical application in educational settings. Background The background section provides broader historical and current context in which ChatGPT has emerged. Through- out the history of education, the emergence of new * Minkyoung Kim kim@uwf.edu Lauren Adlof ladlof@uwf.edu 1 University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL, USA