By Adam Maucieri, David Sorto Funes, and Diego Torres Melendrez, Clarion Staff reporters
As Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) continues to permeate every facet of our lives, its influence on education and students is becoming increasingly significant. While AI holds promises of revolutionizing learning experiences, it also poses a myriad of challenges that must be addressed. In this article, we explore the ways in which A.I. is impacting students and the educational landscape, both positively and negatively.
AI has introduced innovative learning tools and platforms that cater to individual student needs. Many A.I. programs such as ChatGPT and ironically named “AI Essay Writer” and “Essay Genius” have led to some good and some bad. Adaptive learning systems can personalize the learning experience, providing students with customized content and pacing. However, reliance on A.I. for learning raises concerns about over-dependence and the erosion of critical thinking skills.
Kennedy senior Brian Baggerly said, “As the team captain of the prestigious Kennedy soccer team, I value honesty, loyalty and integrity. Which is why I believe that the use of A.I. is very not cool and shouldnt [sic] be useded [sic] by students to finish their work for them when they’re are [sic] lazy and they dont [sic] want to do their work becuz [sic] they cant do it themselfz [sic].”
Another Kennedy senior Samuel Mohler said, “A.I.'s integration into education poses severe threats, undermining the very essence of learning. By prioritizing efficiency over depth, A.I. hampers students' critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Reliance on A.I. fosters dependency, eroding students' self-reliance and resilience in facing challenges. In this techno-centric paradigm, the human element is marginalized, leading to a generation ill-equipped to navigate the complexities of the modern day.”
“The world is ending.” he added.
This issue extends far beyond Kennedy, however. Chung Lee AKA the best soccer and volleyball player in West Campus history said, “I think I broke my arm. Oh, A.I.? Uh, I don’t use it but sometimes after volleyball practice I don’t feel like writing an essay and plus I know a lot of people who just use ChatGPT to write for them. God, my arm hurts!”
Students are not the only ones recognizing the potential risk of A.I. in schools. Staff members across the school district provided their opinions on this widespread topic. Robert Alloway, counselor at McClatchy High School, shared his thoughts on A.I. being used within schools:
“I don’t know what more there is to it. A.I. is cool and all, but students using it to do their work for them sort of defeats the purpose, you know,” Alloway said.
Gary Brisco, librarian at Hiram Johnson High School, provided us with what he’s noticed over his years working at a high school.
“There are some benefits to A.I.,” Brisco said. “Like, students can learn things in their own way and get help where they need it. But some students, like, use it a lot more than they should. Mr. Franks recently told me that out of his 4 classes, he caught 5 people using AI to write their whole essays, so, I mean, it’s getting sort of out of hand.”
Finally, Charles Fontenot, English and music teacher at Mountain View High School, also finds A.I. coming up as an issue in school settings and expressed his ideas in a humorous manner.
“To be honest, I like when students use A.I. to write their work for my class. Nothing beats the happiness I get when I get to enter 0% for my students’ grades; it’s funny watching them fail. Other than feeding my hamster, it’s the only enjoyable part of my dull, pointless life.”
So, while A.I. holds great potential to enhance learning experiences and educational outcomes, its implementation in education must be approached with caution. It is essential to address issues of accessibility, equity, privacy, and ethics to ensure that A.I. serves the best interests of all students and fosters a more inclusive and equitable educational environment. As we navigate the complexities of integrating A.I. into education, it is crucial to strike a balance between harnessing its benefits and mitigating its potential drawbacks.
