Navigating the Impact of Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom
Although it’s not always apparent at first glance, Artificial Intelligence (AI) exists all around us. From the moment of waking up and using facial recognition to unlock smartphones, to conversing with smart home devices, AI has seamlessly revolutionized society.
AI refers to the field that combines computer science with robust data sets to simulate human intelligence. However, due to its ability to mimic human intelligence, AI is transforming the educational landscape with both benefits and concerns.
Chat GPT, an AI-driven chatbot, allows users to refine and guide a conversation or final product toward any level of detail, such as a desired length, format, style or language.
Much like the advent of any new technology, the development of AI has brought trepidation. Due to its expansive capabilities, Chat GPT has raised concerns about academic integrity, with some school districts going as far as banning AI and Chat GPT entirely.
While some subjects do not pose the peril of academic dishonesty from AI, English classes emerge as a high-risk subject to students abusing AI.
“I remember last year my teacher caught a student using Chat GPT to write his entire homework essay using Chat GPT,” said Logan Gunn, senior at Miramonte High School.
Services such as Turnitin, an AI detection tool with a false-positive rate of 1%, can detect plagiarism in these situations. However, when put into the grand scheme, a 1% false-positive rate for detecting AI is significant and can have detrimental effects, which is why some colleges, such as Vanderbilt University, have stopped using Turnitin entirely.
Furthermore, many educators worry that AI will undermine the traditional education system. Miramonte High School’s AP Language and Composition teacher, Linda Hora, sees some benefits to AI for students, but she believes it generally harms them by hindering genuine learning.
“AI provides outlines, supporting evidence and a thesis for writers – basically the complete product. AI produces a product. Writing is a process. Students must learn the process on their own before they use the tools to make it easier,” said Hora. “AI creates passive learning – mindless mimicry; people only learn when their minds are actively engaged.”
However, using AI as a tool for subjects besides English may prove more effective. Remarkably, AI has almost no topical limitations.
“Sometimes I type calculus equations into Chat GPT and it gives me a step-by-step process of how to solve the problem. I’ve also used it for AP Spanish. It provides translations or helps with my grammar,” said Max Goldman, a Miramonte senior.
AI has greatly democratized access to learning supplements, such as tutoring. Now, almost anyone can take advantage of AI for free.
“When teachers discourage or even ban using AI, they don’t recognize that AI is a part of our futures, especially since I hope to major in data science for finance in college,” said Gunn.
Now, the only viable option is to embrace AI’s potential in education – in a way that enhances rather than hinders the genuine learning process of the future generation.
