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Fifth graders Natalie and Sydney take on a hot topic in education and beyond - artificial intelligence
by Natalie L. & Sydney T.
Published February 9, 2024
Not so long ago a ground-breaking invention changed our perspective and our use of the computer. In the past 50 years humans have been developing more advanced technology than ever, including Artificial Intelligence also known as AI. AI is a robot that can think and do almost anything a real person can. Technology, such as AI, in schools can affect a student's learning, for the better or for the worst.
Upsides of AI for students
Since every student has different learning needs, AI can be perfect for them, making a personalized experience for an individual student. AI can also help students find information quickly. For example, if someone needed help checking their grammar on a writing assignment they could use Grammarly to help them. Teacher’s can also use AI tools to analyze student's performances and find their strengths and weaknesses, as well as meet their learning levels.
Downsides of AI for students
When kids are using AI they need to constantly be verifying that the information they are receiving is not false. AI algorithms could contain biases, such as gender or racial discriminations, unintentionally perpetuating stereotypes into students' brains. Another negative effect of AI is that when a robot does everything for you, it is easy for a person to not work as hard, especially a child. When children have an infinite-knowledge technology in front of them it could be tempting to cheat, which is plagiarism. For example, college students were confronted about using AI in classrooms and about 56% of students admitted that they’ve used AI to complete their assignments for them.
The effects of AI on children can be positive or negative. It is important for children and parents to use AI responsibly. Make sure children balance screen time with human interaction. If AI gives someone information, make sure to confirm that the information is accurate. AI can be useful for the future so it’s important to use the technology responsibly to set examples for the next generations.
We asked teachers about their opinions on AI too..
We asked teachers about their opinions on AI too..
When asked "What are some upsides of AI for children in school and their learning?" teachers anonymously responded:
“It can provide excellent summaries of more extended readings which can help students with note taking and to identify the most important details. It can provide you with a brief synopsis of most topics. It can generate amazing images to illustrate almost any story or idea.”
“We are preparing students for success in the 21st century, and AI is going to be a huge part of this world when they graduate from the Upper School. So teachers need to accept this, and change their modes of teaching to focus on 21st century skills.”
When asked "What are the downsides of AI in the classroom?" teachers anonymously responded:
“Students may use it to be academically dishonest. It could limit their own creativity or understanding of the topics they are studying in their classes.”
“It is easy to fall into habits of submitting unoriginal work, AI is not always 100% accurate, AI removes a critical level of creativity”
When asked "In your opinion, would you recommend other teachers use Artificial Intelligence for their classroom? Is AI predominantly helpful or disruptive?" teachers anonymously responded:
“I would not recommend teachers use AI in their classrooms. It is predominantly unhelpful & harmful as it relies on taking information from actual people. Stealing from these creators, it produces something that lacks the touch and feel of humanity while undermining their hard work. “
“As a teacher I use it regularly to prepare course materials and find it very helpful. As far as students using it, I think we should teach students how it can be helpful as well as harmful and then set clear parameters for its use in the classroom.”
“Navigating AI will continue to be a topic as the technology and capabilities shift. We need to always keep in mind that providing shortcuts for student work output can hinder their overall progress.”
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