AI & School

Devyn Harper

11/6/23

With the growing popularity of AI, many people are wondering how it will affect schools. When taking a deeper dive into what artificial intelligence truly is, a lot of information is truly underlooked. In more simple terms though, artificial intelligence is an application that gives us answers that we ask of it. An example is when telling ChatGBT “Give me an artist that is similar to Taylor Swift.” ChatGBT recommends Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, or Carrie Underwood because “They are known for their country and pop-infused music, similar to Taylor Swift.” As you can see, this is something more simple but AI does not just apply to text. You can also get results like art or images that you describe. Programs like DeepFake, Lensa, and AI in Adobe Lightroom all focus more on generated images.

As a student, I have seen AI used in a multitude of ways. A few examples are cheating, getting papers written, and maybe just school work that some may find difficult. An  anonymous individual attending New Tech stated, “In the past I have used Ask AI or Photomath for some work I was too lazy to properly finish. I do think AI can be a negative thing but I have used it before.” A lot of students were quick to leave no comment when I asked if they had previously used artificial intelligence. This could suggest that there are some students who do use it, but will not openly admit it. 

At Belton New Tech @ Waskow we have been graded on our work by content knowledge for many years. Content knowledge makes up 70% of our grades which shows the importance of students understanding subjects in an effective way. When comparing this to the usage of AI it could be extremely negative. Mr. Ridgley stated, “I think if we look at things like chatGBT I am concerned [about] how it may affect students with things like critical thinking and self reliance.” If the majority of students use AI on a regular basis, this could take away their true content knowledge, critical thinking, and their self reliance. Hearing this can bring red flags especially for students attending school.

AI is something teachers have to actively look out for. Mrs. Soto stated, “I have to be more hyper alert with the kind of work I ask for students. I also have to be mindful and if an assignment is easy to use AI for then I won’t assign it”. As AI becomes more of a norm it is more worrying for teachers. Cheaters will be easier to pick out coming from AI. Mr. Ridgely also stated, “As a teacher I do see students that use it. I can tell it is not their work or wording. I do have these conversations with students about it and it really does concern me about the direction we are going in with students and learning”. 

Education is the most important thing when it comes down to the students. When they are using artificial intelligence to write things such as unfinished papers or projects it takes away a lot. It takes away creativity, critical thinking, and how that student is genuinely learning. Using AI as a reliable source can backfire and should just be used in appropriate ways. Overall, the effects of AI can be seen as negative when working in school settings.