Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing education for both students and teachers at Ida B. Wells High School. Capable of computing a response to questions, writing essays, and helping explain concepts within seconds, AI is changing the game. ChatGPT A popular AI tool, has become a resource for students and teachers, prompting interest as well as concern. ChatGPT is an AI bot that can generate answers for a student or teacher in a way that they prefer in a quick time period. It has a lot of information to offer, but it also raises questions about student’s reliance on a resource that poses a threat to basic skills and critical thinking among the IBW community.
Teachers at IBW have noticed that students are now turning to AI for school work, particularly for assignments involving writing and analysis. While some students use AI sparingly for clarification and brainstorming, others rely on it heavily and take advantage of the quickly generated answers by using it as a copy-and-paste shortcut.
“For most students, it’s about saving time rather than learning,” says Kate Nichols, Physics and AP Physics teacher at IBW. The type of assignments given and the lack of skills students have on how to use AI effectively are all factors leading to why students aren’t learning from it and follow the urge to just save time. Lacking skills on how to use AI as a tool and taking advantage of its qualities has many teachers concerned that AI-generated answers are too trusted and not questioned for accuracy, which can derail a student’s education and future grades.
Despite the concerns of students using AI, there is potential for AI to be a productive learning tool, like a tutoring resource. AI can adapt to students’ learning styles, making explanations easier to understand. Although IBW does have free tutoring options after school such as Wednesdays at the Fat City Cafe, students may find it hard to balance with other extracurriculars while AI can be there at any moment.
However, the increased student usage of AI comes with problems. This has left some people to wonder if students are going to lose the ability to engage in the learning process. AI can provide fast and easy answers, which makes teachers worry that original and unique thought may not be a skill students will have in the future.
AI tools like ChatGPT will only become more sophisticated as technology advances, which expands its potential as an educational tool. Yuval Haim, a sophomore at IBW says that the future of AI with the school could go both ways, “Depending on how we [IBW] regulate it.” AI could change the learning and graduation process for schools all over the world. The inevitable prevalence of AI in the future shows the importance of knowing how to responsibly use AI in the IBW community .
Currently, AI is both a tool and a challenge for the IBW community. It forces students and teachers to rethink education as whole and the consider the responsibilities that come with using AI.
