It’s time to accept and encourage the use of AI in our classrooms. Graphic by Anna Gritzenbach.
AVA ROEMER | OPINION COLUMNIST | aaroemer@butler.edu
AI is a topic that continues to gain popularity every day, but only 39% of Americans believe that AI has more benefit than harm. Opinions on whether to utilize this platform or not are growing in controversy, especially regarding the use of AI in the classroom. Students should be allowed to use AI on writing assignments — such as essays or research papers — because it saves time and reduces stress.
While it is important to recognize the potential harm of AI, we also need to understand the opposing beliefs. In my experience, I rarely hear both sides of this debate. Being aware of both views of this argument is crucial for forming an informed opinion on this contentious topic.
Mira Assaf, an assistant professor in the English department, expressed her feelings concerning AI when it comes to the impact it has on writing.
“Arguably, you can get facts from AI, but aggregated facts are not critical knowledge, and knowledge only happens when the whole body is present,” Assaf said. “Learning is relational, that embodied thrill you get when you master a skill, or when you experience the frustration of the beginner.”
Professor Assaf emphasizes the importance of students learning the “hard way” and not just relying on shortcuts, such as AI. Being able to figure out problems and tasks independently is very important. The satisfaction we feel after solving problems or writing a challenging paper all on our own is incredibly fulfilling.
There is no doubt that, as students, it is vital to be comfortable with doing all the work independently of AI. Furthermore, it is possible to find a satisfying and fair compromise between utilizing AI and relying on our own minds. AI doesn’t have to be this big, bad and scary thing. We can change our perspective and view it as a positive tool to aid us.
Genesis Washington, a first-year criminology and psychology major, discussed the potential pros and cons of AI in the classroom.
“You have to know your limit with it,” Washington said. “Asking to help with study guides or asking for an outline, that’s okay. However, asking for direct answers or writing an essay for you, that’s where you draw a line. You have to have boundaries with it.”
Washington’s point about setting boundaries with AI is important when considering one’s use of it. When we start relying on it for the completion of tasks such as writing assignments, that’s when we cross a boundary. If we can figure out how to use AI for assistance, not total completion, we can change the view of AI in a bad light.
The reality is that AI platforms were specifically designed to assist us. According to Microsoft, its AI platform Copilot is an “assistant that helps boost productivity and streamline workflows.” AI doesn’t have to be the destroyer of all knowledge and learning capabilities; it can be used to just make our lives easier and simpler.
English professor Dan Barden discussed his view on AI within the language arts classroom.
“It’s like [first-years] write these kinds of bullshit papers that they were taught in high school,” Barden said. “And weirdly enough, when it’s left to its own devices, that’s kind of the same thing that ChatGPT does, it just writes something that doesn’t sound warm or human.”
When discussing the tone in which AI creates essays, Barden brought up the point that by asking AI to write your assignment for you, you’re stripping your voice out of that writing, completely separating it from you. And professors like Barden, who truly read, comprehend and digest their students’ writing, are going to be able to tell the difference between you and a robot.
When it comes to language arts assignments, one of the most beautiful characteristics of writing is that each person has their own special, unique and valuable voice that shines through the words on the page, while AI has its own unique tone of generic and clichéd language, which is why it’s often easy to spot an AI-generated piece of writing.
Professors should allow students to utilize AI, but only if they’re willing to teach us how to use it responsibly, with dignity, integrity and self-control. Perhaps by creating assignments that allow us to use AI for research or studying, we can learn to pace ourselves with it. The future of artificial intelligence may bring majorly positive changes to the job, healthcare, education and finance industries. While there are some potential drawbacks to AI in the future, such as unfair bias and incomplete data, we shouldn’t let that stop us from learning how to properly utilize AI.
Humanity shouldn’t run from AI; we should work alongside it. We need to learn how to properly use it so that we can work with it instead of fighting its inevitable impact on our world. We must develop the fundamental skills of problem-solving, as well as not abusing the power of AI. However, AI can be used to positively impact education. We don’t have to be scared of it replacing professors, students or the classroom. To develop the necessary skills for using AI, we can start in the classroom by encouraging students to use it responsibly and with integrity.
