In recent years, the uses and availability of artificial intelligence engines have multiplied rapidly. Engines can be used by even the least tech-savvy of people, anyone who is ready to simply plug in a few commands and criteria. One of these modern uses is in schools. Some teachers have begun to use AI to create lessons, grade assignments, and fact-check, among other things.
Art teacher Justin Allison, theater teacher Benni Fraley, and Latin teacher Bill Gilmartin are a few Ben Davis teachers who have utilized AI in their classrooms. However, one of the most important points they stress is that using AI is not as simple as plugging short commands into a computer and getting a good response. “It can be tricky,” said Gilmartin, “If my first wording doesn’t get me the response I need, I tweak it until it does. One has to be very specific.” Fraley elaborated on this, saying “..I try to be specific with what I am asking: ‘Create a five question quiz as a class warm-up that covers Act 2 Scene 3 of Hamlet, make sure that the questions are appropriate for grades 9-12, make the language accessible to students of all ability levels.’ This helps the algorithm narrow down what it pulls from.”
A common criticism of AI systems is the fear that it is replacing human intelligence and input. However, this sentiment isn’t quite shared by everyone, specifically those who actually use AI. Gilmartin has said that it saves him time in designing lessons, and Fraley agreed. Both teachers stated that while using AI can make their jobs easier, there are still limitations to AI that require human input to handle correctly. “AI is a great research tool–Google on steroids, so to speak,” said Gilmartin. “But it also can be a tempting platform for plagiarism and pose an obstacle to original thinking. Knowing this, teachers need to design lessons that minimize the opportunity for AI misuse.”
Since the beginning of time, students have found ways of cheating in school, be it by paying someone to do their homework or copying answers found on the internet. With AI like ChatGPT becoming more readily available, students have another way to ‘quickly finish an essay’. Despite this, detecting AI use in schoolwork is also pretty easily identified by teachers who pay attention to how a student writes (or if they write at all). Common sense will reveal intentions.
The fact that teachers are finding ways of using artificial intelligence to create lessons and help students learn is impressive. It shows the ways that AI is improving and that more people are able to use it. And while students using AI to cheat on an English essay isn’t exactly a harmful thing, there is a fine line being walked by the usage of AI in public places. Students need to understand that there is a time and place for everything, and using AI to cheat is a prime example of people not being ready for the power that AI provides.
