Artificial Intelligence is taking over today’s youth by storm. It’s changing everything around us, and it feels like it’s happening all too fast. Let’s face it, AI is becoming an increasingly significant part of our daily lives. As high school students, we’ve seen how it’s already making a huge impact on students and the school. AI has been used for studying, cheating, advice and everything in between.
Ms. Barnes, an 11th-grade English teacher, thinks that AI can be helpful when used for things like studying and organization. But when used for writing essays she thinks that it’s not helpful.
“I think using AI tools can be helpful if used correctly. I think it can be helpful in terms of studying, helping with organization with writing, [i.e.] making checklists for breaking down larger assignments, and grammar.”
She went on to say that, “It helps them take shortcuts, but I think that sometimes, the shortcuts are necessary in terms of time management, there can still be learning taking place with shortcuts. #worksmarternotharder.”
Next up was Mr. Ricco, the new 9th-grade English teacher. When he was asked on his overall thoughts on students using AI tools for schoolwork, he said, “It depends. If they’re using it for things like asking if what they wrote is organized, or if they’re asking it for resources like grammar, I don’t care about it. I don’t really mind if people use it as a resource to help them do things.”
He went on to say, “However, I’m not in favor of someone saying, ‘Write me a report’ of whatever we’re doing in science. For me, it’s just a slippery slope of you’re not doing the work anymore, the program is doing the work.”
Is AI friend or enemy? While teachers have positive feelings about AI when kids use it as a resource, they agree that students should not take advantage of AI to do their work for them.