Updated on May 1st, 2023
It isn’t uncommon for new technologies to be controversial. However, few have stirred up divisiveness quite like artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in the world of education. Emerging tech like ChatGPT is viewed as both a boon and a hindrance, especially when it comes to tasks like essay writing. As a result, debates around artificial intelligence and students continue.
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In reality, AI has the potential to significantly boost the educational experience. However, the technology comes with its fair share of drawbacks. Tools have already emerged that are designed to overcome some of the challenges of students using AI for assignments, such as AI-writing detection tools.
Ultimately, it’s critical to look at the pros and cons of artificial intelligence for students. Here’s a look at how AI could revolutionize education, both for the better and for the worst.
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What Is Artificial Intelligence?
In the simplest sense, artificial intelligence is a technology that’s able to process large datasets and use algorithms to make decisions, provide insights, or complete specific actions without direct human oversight. Functionally, it mimics human intelligence, though not perfectly.
What a particular AI is capable of varies. Most are programmed with a specific function in mind. For example, ChatGPT takes input from a user and responds by gathering relevant information in its dataset to create a reply it decides is reasonable and presenting it as written text that it delivers in a way that models human speech. Other types of artificial intelligence may review images to find matches within a dataset or spot anomalies. One example of the latter is emerging AI technologies designed to identify early warning signs of cancer development based on radiological images.
Primarily, AI has been used by organizations to derive insights from data that it can use to support customers or make wiser business decisions. However, artificial intelligence is also present in the consumer market. Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri are conversational AIs, and they’re widely used by the general public.
Artificial Intelligence and Students: The Pros and Cons
AI in schools has the potential to be a learning tool, but some of the emerging consumer technologies are stirring controversy. Primarily, the concern is that students will use AIs to perform tasks that would typically be their responsibility, with writing essays being a prime example.
However, it’s critical to examine both the potential positives and the negatives. Here’s a closer look at the benefits and drawbacks of artificial intelligence in the classroom and of student use at home.
The Benefits of Artificial Intelligence
Personalization
Every student has different learning needs, and teachers or college professors don’t always have the time or resources to support each individual student in the best way possible. However, by utilizing artificial intelligence, educational systems can adapt to students’ unique needs.
For example, modules can adjust when and how information is presented based on a student’s strengths and weaknesses. It can spend more time reinforcing ideas that the student is struggling with, using a more broken-down approach to increase comprehension. Additionally, it can speed through modules if a student already has a solid grasp of a concept, allowing that student to move on to topics they’re unfamiliar with faster. That strategy makes the class more meaningful for each learner, all while ensuring no student is left behind or ends up bored if the course would otherwise move too slowly.
Feedback
With AI learning systems, the platform can provide immediate feedback to students. Students don’t have to wait to see if they answered questions correctly during quizzes or similar assessments. Instead, the platform can immediately alert the student, as well as provide more insights to those who responded incorrectly. For example, it can explain why a particular answer was correct or steer them toward supplemental materials that could improve a student’s understanding.
Additionally, the AI can provide feedback to teachers and schools. For instance, if a high number of students have an issue with a particular topic, it can alert educators that the course may be falling short in that arena, creating opportunities to correct the lesson.
Grading
One area where artificial intelligence in higher education is especially valuable is grading. AI can do more than simply assess whether students answer multiple choice questions correctly based on an answer key, though it can do that quite rapidly. Instead, it can also evaluate the quality of written responses, including more extensive essays.
Additionally, an AI solution could potentially send the grades to a central point, such as a digital grade book. Then, the assignments or exams aren’t only scored; the data is automatically shifted into a highly accessible platform, all thanks to automation.
The Drawbacks of Artificial Intelligence
AI Written Essays
When it comes to artificial intelligence, few uses are causing concern quite like students being able to write essays using AI tools. In many cases, students only need to provide a basic prompt, and the AI can create an essay as a reply that reasonably mimics how a person would write.
This issue is technically two-fold. First, it means that teachers aren’t able to assess a student’s writing capabilities, as they aren’t creating the essay. Second, there’s no way to know if students acquired the knowledge the essay is meant to showcase.
Generally, tools that teachers use to detect plagiarism aren’t yet designed to look for AI writing. Plagiarism checkers only determine if the writing was copied from a source in its database. Since AI writing tools don’t copy text – they generate fresh text after receiving the request, causing the wording to vary from what’s stated in sources it relies on – so there usually isn’t plagiarized material.
Additionally, while some AI writing checkers do exist, their degree of accuracy can vary. There’s always a chance it may incorrectly flag a student’s writing as AI. Similarly, it could believe that an AI-written piece was created by a person.
Inaccuracy
While AI tools may pull from reputable sources, that doesn’t mean they will consistently provide accurate information. Some of the data in its dataset could be inherently incorrect. Additionally, the AI may make decisions about what to present that don’t include whether the information provided is truthful.
In this situation, it typically seems like the biggest risk is that a student would answer a question or create an essay that won’t score well since the information contained in it is wrong. However, students don’t just use AI tools for writing; many are using them to conduct research, as well. As a result, a student may create their own answers or essays believing that the information the AI provided was accurate, and they may even retain the incorrect information long-term.
Inaccuracy is also a concern if AI is used for grading. While it’s less problematic if it’s simply applying the answers in the key to a multiple-choice test, assessing essays and similar more complex responses may not always lead an AI to make the correct assessment. As a result, students may receive unfairly high or low grades if they aren’t double-checked by a teacher.
Reduced Direct Contact
Many AI educational tools rely on students using specific learning technologies, such as e-learning platforms. While e-learning can increase accessibility to lessons and are a critical part of some approaches to online education, keeping them in the classroom may reduce the amount of direct contact students have with teachers and each other.
A lower amount of contact has social implications, as forging and maintaining relationships relies on skills that are usually built through interactions. Additionally, it could reduce the amount of social support students receive. In some cases, it could even make them hesitate to reach out to teachers when they’re struggling or could cause teachers to offer less help to students, turning them back to the platform instead.
Data Collection
Many AIs learn and improve by collecting new data that they can then draw on later as necessary. Since that’s the case, there are potential data collection concerns. For example, AI solutions may begin collecting sensitive data on minors and use it in a way that isn’t clear to the user. Essentially, there are questions about privacy and security, and that’s relevant to students, educators, and schools alike.
Should Students Use Artificial Intelligence?
Ultimately, whether students should use AI as they pursue their education is hotly debated. While there are distinct benefits, the drawbacks are also incredibly clear. However, artificial intelligence is here to stay, so avoiding the tools that are causing controversy today long-term likely isn’t possible.
Still, students should make sure that they act responsibly when using AI. Be cautious about providing sensitive information, review terms and conditions to see how data is used, check any responses for accuracy, and don’t use AI as a substitute for learning material that could be critical for their futures.
If you and your student want to learn about how to find scholarships for college, sign up for our free college scholarship webinar! Take a quick trip over to http://thescholarshipsystem.com/freewebinar to reserve a spot today.
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