THE KEY AI QUESTION FOR STUDENTS

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After last week’s blog on evidence that AI sometimes fakes information, I’m getting back to the Learning Specialists Conference, where the keynote presentation was on AI in the education setting.

Yes, as you may have expected, the issue of cheating was mentioned. Determining exactly what cheating is in this context isn’t always clearly defined. Of course, if a student asks AI to write a paper on an assigned topic, then cuts, pastes, and hands it in, that’s cheating. If a student asks AI what research has been done, then the student follows that up, that’s a different situation. What about the case where the student has AI polish what the student has written, perhaps suggesting additional points? That’s not that much different from having a classmate go over a draft. Or given a densely written text on complex issues, asking AI to paraphrase the text is a way of making the material more understandable, more readily learned.

And this issue, not cheating, was the key question for the presenters: Is learning taking place? For both instructors and students, using AI as a tool for learning rather than as a crutch for grades is the area for development and exploration most relevant to educators, students, and researchers. Just as search engines save us hours in research, AI can open up ways of learning and presenting what we have learned. And just as search engines can lead us to cheat sites, or to unreliable information, learning effective use of AI tools is going to require developing critical skills in evaluating the quality of AI information provided.

This area is developing so rapidly that recommendations may be outdated by the time you read them, but here goes anyway:

  1. Know the provider of the tool. Are they reputable? Who uses them? For what are they used?
  2. Costs–Look beyond the trial period. You may become dependent and subscription costs can climb.
  3. Know your school’s policies and your instructor’s policies. Check regularly for changes. Can you defend your use in light of these policies, if questioned?
  4. Check out your campus learning centre for workshops and recommendations.

And most important, 

  1. Evaluate your own use of your AI tools: Are you engaged? Are you learning?

Over to you now. What are you using? How are you using it? What benefits are you finding? What isn’t working as well as you would like? What do you plan to use? What are your major concerns? Let me know: [email protected]

The information in this blog cannot take the place of support from your own mental health professional or community health resources. Reach out to them. And IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS PLEASE DIAL 911.