Opinion: I Was Not Allowed to Type Prompts into ChatGPT During My Chalk Talk
A recent chalk talk experience highlights a restriction preventing a researcher from typing prompts into ChatGPT during the presentation, raising questions about the role and acceptance of AI tools in academic and professional settings.
Background
- The "Chalk Talk" is a key stage of the faculty job search in US academia, especially in STEM: a candidate gives a live, whiteboard-based teaching demonstration in front of a search committee, who evaluate both content and pedagogical skill.
- "I was not allowed to type prompts into ChatGPT during my chalk talk" describes a moment where the author was told they could not use an AI tool during this high-stakes evaluation—likely because search committees still treat AI assistance as a form of cheating or a violation of the "unplugged" norms of chalk talks, even if the AI is just being used as a teaching aid.
- The article is about the tension between traditional academic gatekeeping rituals and the growing ubiquity of AI tools like ChatGPT, which many faculty candidates now use for research or teaching preparation.
- The author's complaint is that being barred from using AI mid-presentation reflects a deeper institutional refusal to rethink what counts as "authentic" teaching skill in an age of accessible generative AI.