Striking the balance between the use and the misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be an issue many schools are facing this school year and for many years to come.
What is AI? The science of making machines think like humans. However, machines, unlike humans, can process large amounts of data in an extremely short amount of time.
The most commonly used AI in schools is ChatGPT. For example, a physical education teacher assigns a research assignment on the history of volleyball as a report for extra credit. Traditionally, a student would need to research a variety of sources, organize the research, and then begin to draft a report on the history of volleyball. Presently, however, a student can easily go onto ChatGPT and type in “the history of volleyball,” and within seconds, a large swatch of information that would normally take students hours to research appears. Below is the introduction to the answer received when typing in the history of volleyball.
The history of volleyball dates back to the late 19th century and has evolved into a popular sport played worldwide. Here's a brief overview of the history of volleyball:
Invention (1895):
1. Volleyball was invented by William G. Morgan, a physical education instructor in Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA. He created the game as an alternative to basketball, designed to be less physically demanding and suitable for older individuals.
The complete answer had an introduction, seven points of information, and a conclusion, a student’s dream. However, this can become a teacher’s nightmare.
The ease of the way the information is collected may not result in the intended purpose of the assignment. For instance, part of a research assignment is the research, not just the answer. However, in 2023, is the research part no longer important? Is AI just another tool for research? Or is AI cheating?
Schools will need to balance the necessity of staying current with technology and the need for students to produce authentic, unique work.
How to strike the balance will prove to be a task we all need to learn as AI is developing.
Let us help your school write a policy that allows students to use AI but use it responsibly. This will allow your students to remain up to date with technology but still have them create work that is authentically their own.
Please reach out to us to help you create a policy that considers the growth of AI and fits the needs of your school.