Editorial Position Paper: Exploring the Potential of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education: Applications, Challenges, and Future Research Directions

Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) applications, such as ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre -trained Transformer) and Midjourney, have recently attracted much attention from researchers and school teachers. While many people are eager to learn more about GAI applications, some scholars are concerned about the potential misuse of them. It is predicted that the use of GAI applications will increase rapidly in the coming years. Therefore, it is important to consider the challenges and research issues through some concrete application examples of using GAI for education. In this position paper, the authors aim to address these issues from the perspectives of academic research and educational objectives. Along with defining GAI, several illustrative examples of using GAI applications in educational settings are provided. Moreover, potential research issues of GAI-based learning, including research design, relevant learning strategies, research focus, and measuring tools, are discussed. ET&S journal is especially welcoming research on unlocking the potential of GAI for education to realize the two notions of "Knowing [why] is the essential element for learners to have in-depth understanding" and "It is all about prompts: Get rid of the 'search' mindset and use 'programming prompt' instead."