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Where does AI fit in education? Teachers and administrators have strong opinions

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The expanded use of artificial intelligence in K-12 education this school year has seen everything from calling it the “Terminator” to telling people to get hip because “artificial intelligence is here to stay.” It's causing very strong emotions.

Educators are also creating new approaches to balance the benefits and drawbacks of new technologies.Few people seem to be calling for a complete ban. When it comes to large-scale language models like ChatGPT, we recognize that students will have to learn how to use AI in their future jobs. Still, many fear that unchecked AI could lead to increased student laziness and cheating.

What is clear is that educators are hungry for guidance. We are seeking input from schools, districts, and states on how to use AI in instruction. But they say they have received no such guidance.

“Last spring, I asked for a school district policy on student use of AI and was ignored,” a social studies teacher in Minnesota wrote in an open-ended section of an EdWeek Research Center survey conducted last fall. He spoke at “Teachers should not be ignored on this issue.”

In that survey of educators across the country, a large number of respondents expressed their opinions on the role of AI in education. Education Week has extracted 25 of his responses that we believe best represent a wide range of sentiments and ideas about how to use AI effectively. Some of these answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Here's what they had to say:

1 “I like using things like computers and AI, and I recognize their importance in the future, but when the time comes, students still have a stock of receptive and critical knowledge and thinking skills. We need it. Moreover, we cannot ignore paper and pencil. I have already seen situations where AI could mean not only artificial intelligence, but also artificial incompetence and artificial ignorance. ”

—High school teacher (social studies, humanities, civics, history) | Maryland

2 “[When ChatGPT was used to cheat], it was really depressing in an existential sense. As English department leaders at my school, we created an acceptable use policy. This school year, we began actively designing procedures to make unethical use of AI harder, and some teachers, including myself, began finding ways to model ethical use. It was like a roller coaster. ”

—High School Teacher (English Arts/Reading/Writing/Reading) | Texas

3 “Last year, we spent an entire PD day on AI. It was surprisingly informative, but the administration seemed a bit pushy and uncritically accepting of it.”

—High school science teacher | New York

Four “The idea of ​​AI being integrated into the education system is inevitable, but frightening.”

—District Level Administrator (Curriculum and Instruction) | New Jersey

Five “What gets pushed by default seems to be reflexively AI-biased.”

—High School Principal | New Jersey

6 “Students are surrounded by and influenced by AI. They need to know how to recognize AI and analyze its use. If we can't educate them about AI, they're vulnerable. You will also need to learn how to use ChatGPT in a professional manner to support your own critical thinking.”

—High school teacher (bilingual education/English as a second language) | Nebraska

7 “Recently, my technology teacher told me about using ChatGPT for writing letters of recommendation. I get a lot of these requests, and it sure helps when I get a few with short deadlines. I certainly understand how to use it, but I would like to see more training and guidelines in place.”

—High school teacher (social studies, humanities, civics, history) | Michigan

8 “While our district supports the use of AI for teachers, there does not yet seem to be a plan for how students will use AI, with the exception of programs such as Khan Academy (Kanmigo) and Grammarly. These programs have a clear age range and are very focused.”

—Middle School Teacher (Computer Applications) | Illinois

9 “My district does not provide any guidance on the use of AI/ChatGPT, etc. Students are using AI to obtain artifacts.”

—High school teacher (mathematics/computer science/data science) | Texas

Ten “In my opinion, when you provide AI to students, you reduce the opportunity to learn. The AI ​​does the work for you. Students just have to type what the teacher is asking them to do in ChatGPT, and the AI ​​does it for them. Do the work. We're concerned about our students' reading comprehension, and this AI junk will ruin their academic fitness and work ethic.”

—Middle School Science Teacher | Colorado

11 “I would love to learn more about AI in the classroom, but with four preparations and a new curriculum, it’s hard to find more time.”

—High school teacher (world/foreign language) | South Dakota

12 “I work in a school that promotes the use of AI. The problem is that students aren't using the tools as intended. They're always looking for ways to trick the lazy or use the tools. Thanks to technology, students are getting more and more off-task and are becoming lazier every year. Technology should have its place in school, but students should be able to think for themselves and complete assignments. It should not replace the ability to

—High School Teacher (Special Education Mathematics) | Georgia

13 “Last spring, I asked for a district policy on student use of AI and was denied. I am on my building’s digital learning committee, and it was also adamant. We are not going to take any action. Teachers should not be ignored on this issue.”

—High school teacher (social studies, humanities, civics, history) | Minnesota

14 “I was anti-AI until I talked to my PD about it, which turned out to be the father of a former student. He shared his insights and methods for using AI in a purposeful way. So it completely changed my perspective on what AI can and cannot do.”

—Middle School Teacher (Special Education) | Michigan

15 “Students have started accessing/using AI technologies without any guidance on appropriate/inappropriate use, and are therefore encountering issues of inappropriate use. It's a very similar issue to students struggling with Internet usage.”

—High School Science Teacher | North Carolina

—High school teacher (social studies, humanities, civics, history) | California

17 “We strongly believe that AI tools, with effective safeguards, can revolutionize education by providing learning experiences personalized to students’ levels and interests.”

—Elementary School Teacher | Wisconsin

18 “I’m very concerned about the use of AI in education. Students need to know how to write on their own, and with AI, teachers will need to know when AI is being used to support student work. It makes it very difficult to know. I think teachers are using it to create lessons, but I'm fine with that. I don't want students to have access to this at school. I don't think it will benefit our society.”

—Elementary School Teacher | Oregon

19 “We need to take responsibility in teaching students how AI works and how to use it as a tool. My high school students are trying to write a report using ChatGPT. But it always seems erratic and repetitive. I poke fun at them and suggest that I don't care, at least if it's well written. You have to read and edit what the AI ​​spits out to make use of the tool. I often use ChatGPT to create lesson plans, syllabuses, and letters to parents. It's a very effective tool, but there are still things that I find problematic. All will be reviewed and edited.

—High school art teacher | Texas

20 “ChatGPT should be banned from access by students on school WiFi. [Students are] Just learn to copy and paste and take credit for things you didn't write. Gone is the use of brain cells and the accompanying expansion of the mind. Students are just looking for an easy way out of their jobs and accept deception and unethical behavior as the norm. If we allow this to happen, what will society look like in 20 years? ”

—High school teacher (career/technical education) | Florida

twenty one “At my school, it's not completely prohibited to anyone, it's only punished if it's used to give answers for assignments or assessments. If you use it for brainstorming etc. you get into trouble. I've never heard of it happening.”

—High school teacher (social studies, humanities, civics, history) | Indiana

twenty two “AI is scary.”

—District Level Administrator (Special Education) | Arkansas

twenty three “With the increasing use of AI in several fields and industries, it is imperative that schools prepare their learners to compete in a global society.”

—Middle School Principal | Georgia

—Junior high school teacher (mathematics, computer science, data science) | Georgia

twenty five “AI is here to stay. Our school districts need policies that create guidelines for ethical use. This way, we can teach students how to use AI as a learning tool rather than cheating.” I can teach you.”

—High School Teacher (English Arts/Reading/Writing/Reading) | Connecticut





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