Allison Danford
eSomethin staff
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, its presence in the learning environment is growing exponentially. This technological shift promises to revolutionize education, offering new opportunities, accessibility, and tailored learning experiences. However, it also raises questions about the role of teachers and the potential for over-reliance on machines in the classroom.
Would you be surprised to find out that the paragraph you just read was written using ChatGPT? Artificial Intelligence has evolved in recent years to the point where it can be difficult to tell what is AI and what is the real thing. It has taken its home in classrooms here at Perrysburg High School in good ways– and bad.
Carina Mora, a freshman at PHS, shared her views on how AI changed between middle and high school. “High schoolers are sometimes more prone to cheating, especially in my classes, the freshman classes,” Mora said.
Although, Mora predicted that AI will be “integrated into more learning opportunities,” by her senior year, she said.
Senior Carter Sheeks, said he thinks AI affects the classroom environment. During his freshman year, AI wasn’t as big of a threat as it is today.
“It wasn’t a concern before. Photomath was the only thing they [educators] were concerned about for cheating, but now you have to do everything through Turnitin, and Turnitin has AI checkers.”
Sheeks said “I think AI will be utilized in a lot more classes for writing lesson plans and note-taking… It will be more socially acceptable in the future.”
Mrs. Amy Farrar, a teacher at PHS of thirty-six years, uses AI for lesson planning. She said, “I’ve used it for examples, I’ve used it for creating questions for socratic seminars…”
Mrs. Farrar also had a positive outlook on the future of AI. “I don’t want it to take the place ever– of thought…I do see a place that AI could be excellent examples for students. They could put some ideas in to see how it looks, and go, ‘Oh! That’s my model, now I’m going to make it mine.’”
The Perrysburg Board of Education has a very specific guideline for AI that is being updated frequently. One of the official policies reads, “Students’ unauthorized use of AI/NLP tools is considered a form of plagiarism/academic dishonesty and any student found using such tools without permission or in a prohibited manner will be disciplined in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct,” (Revised Policy Volume 41, Number 2).
In simpler terms, Perrysburg students will be punished if they use AI when they’re not allowed. AI isn’t banned altogether, it just can’t be used without permission from an educator.
Not all AI is taboo in the classroom, though. Kennedy High School in Minnesota was in the news last month for using AI as part of their lessons. Students are encouraged to use ChatGPT for translations, in-depth answers, and more.
AI may be weaving itself into every aspect of our lives, but teachers and students are learning to use it to their advantage.
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