Recently AI has been developing at a rapid pace, and that could give teachers new opportunities – but also challenges. Teachers now need to know how to navigate, use, and note the use of AI among students. Teachers, even outside of Pingree, feel a little bit nervous about the use of AI dominating classrooms and impacting critical thinking skills. It’s now getting easier for students to say “I chatGPT’ed it.”
Some Pingree teachers answered questions about their views on AI, including Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Park, and Mr. Saportito. They all offered insights about the growth of AI and how it’s impacting their students and classrooms. All of these teachers agree that it is hard to see when students use AI, and that there is a very high chance of it being detrimental to students if it’s not used or structured correctly.
Math teacher Chris Park is wary of the growth of AI and doesn’t like it in general. “I think that there is probably going to be a negative outlook,” he says. Maybe he doesn’t think that it’s going to take over the world, but he believes that it will be bad for critical thinking and problem solving skills. Mr. Park doesn’t really see obvious changes or behaviors with students who use AI because he believes that it’s easier to spot in writing, not math.
Mr. Saporito, a math teacher, also has a few thoughts about artificial technology. “I don’t like the way it’s being used currently, as a primary source, and how many people treat it like that,” he says. After studying computer science, Mr. Saporito likes to think that he has a little bit more of an upper hand when responding to AI. “Personally, I don’t use it at all, and I don’t love it when students use it. I know it’s very practical, but it should be handled carefully so it doesn’t deeply affect learning.”
Ms. Lawrence, an English teacher, doesn’t always think it’s easy to spot AI in her students’ writing. “I think that it’s hard to tell when students use AI depending on the situation. It’s easier to spot if the work doesn’t match the student’s past writing assignments, but it is always evolving so it can be difficult to tell.” Maggie Jalbert, who teaches English in Charleston, agrees, but she is reluctant to call out students, so as not to break trust with them.
“It’s easier for students to use AI when they’re stressed or insecure about their writing,” says. Ms. Lawrence. She wants students to believe in themselves as writers and know that they can create beautiful pieces without the help of technology. She doesn’t want kids to see AI as a replacement for their thoughts.
Ms. Lawrence says that she’s very excited about the growth and development of AI, but is also a little bit nervous because she knows that there are drawbacks. For example, she is concerned about the environmental impact and how it might impact the confidence of students and their writing.
Maggie Jalbert agrees with Ms. Lawrence. AI “has the capacity to be really useful, but right now it’s negatively impacting students because it’s often a replacement for thinking,” she says, echoing a common thought among other teachers at Pingree. Mrs. Jalbert says that she thinks it’s easier for students to rely on technology than to start tasks independently. She is definitely excited about the growth of AI but knows right now that it’s not very accurate and could be biased.
Most teachers look at AI as a frenemy. They believe that AI can be a helpful tool but should be used diligently. That’s probably how most of the world perceives it. The question is, how will AI change the world? This is unpredictable.
