Whenever there is a project or paper due, “Ctrl C” and “Ctrl V” seem to be engraved in every student’s brain. Before any original idea is put in place the temptation of looking elsewhere and getting what you need is too great. Artificial intelligence has always been around, but with the rise of websites such as ChatGPT, it is getting more complicated to escape the use of AI.
It’s been proven that AI can be beneficial in numerous ways and that is if used correctly.
Unfortunately, many students have been abusing the use of artificial intelligence, especially in a school context.According to Common Sense Media, “Two in five (40%) teens report having used generative AI to help with school assignments, and 46% of them report doing so without the teacher’s permission.”“Help” can be used very loosely in this context, since it has been proven that AI can walk one through step by step on a difficult assignment, but many students can easily take advantage of this by claiming that AI can help them further understand the material, but instead copy down the answer, not absorbing any information.
The purpose of going to school is to gain knowledge, and as bothersome as homework is, it is meant to help students retain the information taught at school, so with AI being easily accessible, it demotivates many students to actually do their homework, which in turn demotivates the teacher. Samantha Minor, a history teacher at UACHS shares how students’ lack of honesty pertaining to AI, impacts teaching and has long term drawbacks students will face due to their reliance on it. “I am at this point constantly questioning my role as an educator because students are able to use AI,” said Minor. “I’m very fearful of what the future will look like if our students are unmotivated to learn on their own and are relying on the tool that will go out of date if our students continue to rely on it without creating their own.”
As much of a struggle as it is for teachers to manage the frequent use of AI, there has to be a reason as to why countless students use artificial intelligence, rather than doing their work from scratch.According to Chapman University, “Students use AI in school primarily because it provides a readily accessible tool to assist with research and often acts as a convenient way to access information, making it easier to complete assignments and study efficiently.”
Mohamed Gueye, a junior at UACHS breaks down why students use AI.
“Students use AI because it’s fast and convenient,” said Gueye. “Sometimes we’re overwhelmed with homework or don’t understand something, and AI can help break it down or save time. It’s also a way to feel more confident about our work.”
As society develops, so will artificial intelligence. AI has always been a controversial topic but it has become more of a dreaded topic in school environments. Whether you are a teacher or a student, once AI is detected on an assignment, it is not an enjoyable time for anyone.For students, it is best to use AI when appropriate and in the way it is meant to be used, rather than taking advantage of it and not absorbing anything while completing an assignment. As for teachers, perhaps it would be beneficial to everyone in the classroom if the students were taught the proper way to use AI, which would hopefully limit the use of AI.
