The AI Double Standard 

I regularly use AI to develop worksheets in my classes. When I do this, I typically put a statement at the bottom along the lines of "This worksheet was created with the assistance of [AI bot] and has been reviewed, modified, and approved by [teacher name]."

Lately, I've had students see this and throw a fit, mostly focusing on why they can't use AI but teachers can. My conversation with students usually focuses on a few questions:

• Are students in our high school told they can't use AI at all? No. (That might not be the case in your high school, as some districts have policies that do prohibit its use)

• Are there appropriate ways for students to use AI in school? Yes.

• Are there inappropriate ways for students to use AI in school? Absolutely!

• Have students ever been taught how to use AI appropriately in high school? Likely not in any formal setting.

• Do students regularly use AI to cheat? Yes, knowingly and unknowingly. Not all students, and maybe not even most students, but enough students that this is an issue.

• Do students know clearly what the line is between using AI appropriately and inappropriately (cheating)? I don't think so.

  • Do they think they do? Yes, and they're often wrong.

• What constitutes cheating? - I feel like students understand examples of cheating, but may struggle with identifying the underlining issue: students are suppose to demonstrate proficiency in specific standards. If the AI is accomplishing a task that addresses a specific standard, then the student is not demonstrating proficiency. That is when cheating occurs.

• What would constitute cheating for an educator? I'd argue it mostly revolves around false student success claims, like reporting that students met standards they didn't actually meet.

• Is an educator's effectiveness judged by their worksheets? No.

• Have you ever asked a teacher who it was that developed their worksheets? Doubtful.

• Would it make any difference to you if the worksheet was developed by your teacher, a different teacher, or provided by a textbook or curriculum provider? Probably not.

  • Then why does it matter to you that it's made by AI?

• Should teachers allow AI to straight up teach a class? Probably not (lots of ethical dilemmas within that one).

• Are there ways that teachers can harness the power of AI to help students learn? Absolutely!

• Should teachers use AI to grade student work? This depends on what "Grade student work" means. 

  • I don't personally think that AI should have the final say on a student's score, but I also don't think it's wrong for AI to analyze student work, provide feedback, and suggest a score for the instructor to validate. Would that be much different from a teacher having an instructional assistant look over the work and assign grades? The real question is how accurate is the AI's analysis? In many ways, an AI "Blind Grading" (having no knowledge of who the work belongs to) is more fair than a teacher who might be inconsistent on how they're grading due to a number of factors, but AI bias and hallucinations is still a problem we need to watch for.

• Can a teacher use AI to assist in curriculum development? Yes. (And if students disagree, this further opens discussions on "why?)

There is a strong difference between students using AI and what they can and can't use AI for and teacher's using AI and what they can and can't use them for. Students and teachers do not have the same roles, expectations, and their measurements of success are significantly different. Students are expected to show personal growth and demonstrate proficiency/competency in specific standards, and the use of AI can cause us to question integrity (trust) - notice here, the focus is on individuals (self). Teachers are expected to teach students, helping students learn and be able to master concepts/standards, and the use of AI can assist in this process - notice here, the focus is on others (students). Teachers are not demonstrating proficiency, they're assisting in learning.

Does this mean that teachers should use AI? Not necessarily. There are ample arguments about AI's impact on our environment, and us needing to be examples to our students with originality and ownership, and there are many examples of AI being used inappropriately by professionals in industry that could impact teachers and students, including racial discrimination, gender discrimination, disability discrimination, hallucinations, confirmation bias, and many other issues.

John Gold, a middle school history teacher, has the following statement which resonates with me and is pertinent to educators and AI use:

"I am more pro-A.I.-literacy than I am Pro-A.I.-use"

One thing I will emphasize though, is educators should have a better understanding of AI issues than they currently have.

The following is a Google Gemini response to the following prompt

"AI Dilemma in education: Students are often told "You're not allowed to use AI for Assignments" and then they're not properly told when they can use AI, nor are they properly instructed on how to use AI safely and responsibly. Teachers, on the other hand, are often using AI to build assessments and worksheets, or help with lesson plan development. How do we communicate this dilemma effectively when students complain that they can't use AI for school work, but teachers can?"

A Student's Guide to Using AI Ethically and Effectively in School

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool, much like a calculator or a research library. Learning to use it effectively and ethically is a critical skill. The key to using AI appropriately in school is to always ask yourself one central question.

The Core Guiding Principle: What Is Being Assessed?

Every assignment, project, or test you take is designed to measure a specific skill or piece of knowledge. This is the "assessed standard." The line between using AI as a helpful tool and using it for academic dishonesty is simple:

Are you using AI to do the work that is being directly assessed, or are you using it to help you with the tasks around that work?

• If the AI is performing the core skill your teacher is grading, it's likely inappropriate.

• If the AI is helping you improve your own work or manage adjacent tasks, it's likely appropriate.

Think of it like cooking. If the chef is being judged on their knife skills, it’s cheating to use a machine that chops vegetables perfectly. But it's perfectly fine to use a machine to wash the vegetables beforehand.

When It's Generally APPROPRIATE to Use AI (Using AI as a Tool)

Using AI in these ways helps you learn and be more efficient without outsourcing the core skill being graded. You are still the one doing the critical thinking and demonstrating your knowledge.

• Brainstorming and Idea Generation:

  • Example: "Give me five potential essay topics about the economic causes of the American Civil War."

  • Why it's okay: You are still the one who has to choose a topic, research it, formulate a thesis, and write the essay. The assessed skill is your writing and analysis, not your ability to think of a topic.

• Creating Outlines and Structuring Ideas:

  • Example: "Help me create a five-paragraph essay outline for a paper arguing that genetic diversity is crucial for species survival."

  • Why it's okay: The AI is providing a skeleton. You must still fill it with your own research, evidence, and original writing. The assessed skill is the substance of your argument, not the basic structure.

• Explaining Complex Concepts:

  • Example: "Explain the process of photosynthesis to me like I'm a 10th grader." or "What's the difference between E=mc2 and kinetic energy?"

  • Why it's okay: You are using the AI as a personalized tutor to understand a concept. The assessment will come later when you have to apply that knowledge on a test or in a lab report on your own.

• Improving Your Own Writing:

  • Example: "Can you suggest a different way to phrase this sentence to sound more academic: 'The guy did a lot of stuff to make the country better.'"

  • Why it's okay: You are using the AI as a grammar and style checker, much like Grammarly or a thesaurus. You wrote the original idea, and you are making the final decision on the edits. The core ideas and voice are still yours.

• Generating Non-Assessed Content:

  • Example (Web Design): "Generate some 'lorem ipsum' placeholder text for my website mockup." or "Create a simple placeholder logo for a fictional coffee shop."

  • Why it's okay: The assessed skill is your ability to design the layout and write the code, not to write marketing copy or be a graphic designer.

When It's Generally INAPPROPRIATE to Use AI (Outsourcing the Assessed Skill)

Using AI in these ways means the AI is performing the skill you are supposed to be demonstrating. This is academic dishonesty because the work submitted is not your own.

• Writing the Final Product:

  • Example: "Write a 500-word essay on the symbolism in The Great Gatsby."

  • Why it's not okay: The assessed skill is your ability to analyze literature and articulate your thoughts in writing. Having the AI do this means you have not demonstrated the skill.

• Generating Code, Formulas, or Technical Solutions:

  • Example (Math/CS): "Write a Python script that sorts a list using the merge sort algorithm." or "Give me the step-by-step solution for this calculus problem: ∫(2x3+5x−3)dx."

  • Why it's not okay: The purpose of the assignment is to assess your understanding of the algorithm or mathematical process and your ability to implement it.

• Answering Test or Quiz Questions:

  • Example: Pasting a multiple-choice question or a short-answer prompt from a test into an AI.

  • Why it's not okay: The purpose of a test is to be a direct, unassisted measure of your knowledge at a specific point in time.

• Summarizing a Source for a Report:

  • Example: "Summarize the key findings of this article for my literature review."

  • Why it's not okay: When you are asked to summarize, the assessed skill is your reading comprehension and ability to identify and synthesize key information.

The Golden Rules for Using AI in School

1. When in Doubt, Ask! Your teacher is the ultimate authority. If you are unsure whether a use of AI is acceptable for a specific assignment, ask them before you start.

2. You Are Responsible for Everything You Submit. If an AI gives you incorrect information or "hallucinates" a fact, you are the one responsible for that error. Always fact-check and verify AI-generated content.

3. Cite Your Tool. Just as you cite your research sources, some teachers may require you to disclose how you used AI to help you. Transparency is a key part of academic integrity.

4. Don't Outsource Your Thinking. The goal of school is to develop your mind. Use AI to enhance your thinking, not to replace it.

AI Dilemma in education: Students are often told "You're not allowed to use AI for Assignments" and then they're not properly told when they can use AI, nor are they properly instructed on how to use AI safely and responsibly. Teachers, on the other hand, are often using AI to build assessments and worksheets, or help with lesson plan development. How do we communicate this dilemma effectively when students complain that they can't use AI for school work, but teachers can?

Show thinking

This is a common and valid point of confusion. The most effective way to communicate this is by focusing on the different goals a teacher and a student have when doing their "work." The core of the issue isn't about fairness; it's about the purpose of the task.

You can explain the dilemma using the analogy of a coach and an athlete.

It's About the 'Job' You're Doing 🧑‍🏫 vs. 🧑‍🎓

Think of a teacher as a coach and a student as an athlete. They both work hard in the same sport, but their jobs are fundamentally different.

The coach's job is to create the training program. They might use software (an AI tool) to analyze player stats, find new drills, and design a game plan. Using these tools makes them a more efficient and effective coach.

The athlete's job is to do the training to build their own muscle and skill. If the athlete uses a machine to lift the weights for them, they don't get stronger. They've cheated themselves of the benefit of the workout.

Applying this to school:

• Teachers (the coaches) use AI to help them build better "training programs" (lessons, worksheets, and assessments). Their goal is to create an effective learning environment. The AI helps them do their job, but it doesn't do the teaching for them.

• Students (the athletes) are given assignments (the "workout") to build their mental muscles. The purpose of writing an essay isn't just to have a finished essay; it's to practice critical thinking, research, and writing skills. If a student uses AI to write the essay, they've skipped the workout and haven't developed the skill being assessed.

The Teacher's Job: Building the Gym 🏋️‍♀️

When teachers use AI, they are using it as a professional tool to be more efficient and effective at their job. For example, a teacher might ask an AI to:

• "Generate ten different word problems that test the concept of fractions."

• "Create a lesson plan outline for a unit on the water cycle."

• "Suggest discussion questions for the third chapter of To Kill a Mockingbird."

In each case, the teacher is still in charge. They use their professional judgment to select the best problems, refine the lesson plan, and lead the discussion. The AI is a productivity tool, not a substitute for their expertise.

The Student's Job: Working Out 💪

When students are given an assignment, the goal is for them to practice a skill and demonstrate their learning. The process of struggling with a problem, organizing your thoughts, and creating something new is where learning happens.

If an AI does the work being assessed:

• It writes your essay: You don't learn how to form an argument.

• It solves your math problem: You don't learn the problem-solving process.

• It writes your code: You don't learn the logic of programming.

Using AI to do the assessed work is like the athlete asking a robot to lift the weights. The chart might say the work was done, but the athlete's muscles haven't grown.

Bridging the Gap: Where Students Can and Should Use AI ✅

The conversation shouldn't be about "banning" AI but about using it responsibly. The "no AI on assignments" rule is often a blunt way of saying, "Don't let the AI do the thinking for you."

Students can be encouraged to use AI as a study partner or tutor, which is a perfectly valid use of the tool.

• As a Brainstorming Partner: "What are some interesting topics related to the Roman Empire for a history paper?" (You still have to research and write it.)

• As a Personal Tutor: "Can you explain photosynthesis to me in a simpler way?" (You're using it to understand, not to answer test questions.)

• As an Editor: "I wrote this sentence: 'The data shows a big change.' Can you suggest a more academic way to phrase that?" (You are improving your own work, not having the AI create it.)

The key is shifting the mindset from "Can AI do this for me?" to "How can I use AI to help me learn and produce my own best work?"