The Aggravation of AI

Just by the title alone, you can assume that I’m not a fan of AI (although I am a fan of alliteration).  For a long while, I hadn’t an opinion of AI in that I hadn’t been trained or had experimented with it.  With one awful training and some research, I have dove into this area a bit more .

This year, my district sent one of their tech minions to give us a very quick (30 minutes) professional development session on AI.  It was pointed out that we may not be aware, but we’re using AI already (I’m looking at you Siri and Alexa).  As for Chat GPT and the multitude of other AI formats…I have never had a need for them.  

During the PD session, we were to try  Gemini which is part of the Google package. I was told not to use student names or specific information.  Of course, this made me very cautious. What was I getting into?

In playing the cordial teacher, I asked Gemini to design a set of Clothesline Math cards for a 5th grade decimal standard.  I also asked it to create a 3 act task for a 6th grade integer standard.  I wanted to ask those questions because I wanted to see if AI could replicate what I already do.   What I got was a list of ideas for each task, but not a full complete task itself.    I thought AI was supposed to make our lives easier.  I wasn’t convinced.

Maybe if I used a different AI program, I would have an easier time.  Thanks to Dr. Nikki Newton and Ann Elise Record, I did discover DiffIt which is a teacher friendly web based AI program.  This I did like as it could create full lessons as well as activity sheets based on teachers’ needs. 

As I continued my search for more information and others opinions,  I happened upon a video by Harlan Cohen.  He’s a college/career coach who happened to ask someone about AI and if college kids should be afraid of AI taking jobs.  This gentleman gave me food for thought.  He suggested:

  • People should have an understanding of their foundations.
  • Treat AI like a tool.  See AI as a collaborative partner to help create ideas.
  • Don’t rely on it –still have those foundations to draw from.
  • You can guide AI if you understand process of how to get a great outcome.
  • No matter what –AI will never be good as the experts. 

Here are my questions regarding AI in education….

  • Does AI rob humans of creativity?  Will be become too dependent on computers to design and create? I’m not the only one who thinks this.  Read this Edutopia article written by a high school English teacher.
  • How will AI affect students at school?   I already caught one child typing in the prompt for an essay and writing word for word what Gemini told him.  6th grade students don’t use some of the advanced vocabulary that AI produces.  I’m concerned that students will see AI as a “cheat” or an easy way to produce work, however it takes away from the process.  Using AI as a quick fix will cheat them from giving students foundations whether it be in math or in English/Language Arts.    Check out what one teacher discovered…..
    • I have caught my own students using AI to help gather ideas for writing essays.  My class was supposed to write an essay on Ruby Bridges and her contributions.  One student googled a question and came up with this…..On this child’s thinking map/prewriting work, I found the words “paving the way for civil rights.”  I teach 6th grade and as much as I want to give my students the benefit of the doubt, this child wasn’t this eloquent with his thoughts.  As a teacher, I was looking for students to use their own voices and opinions as to why Ruby Bridges was admired…..NOT AI’s opinion. 
  • How are high schools and colleges keeping up with the use of AI in terms of work?  My son, a sophomore at Gonzaga University (GO ZAGS) tells me there are certain classes that don’t let him use a computer at all.
  • Is using AI the best for our environment?  Out here in California, the dreaded D word (DROUGHT) starts to be thrown around if our rainy winter season is not up to par.  I don’t think I want to waste water if it means being used to ask my computer questions.  Read below what one educator wrote in a Facebook message.

Maybe I’m swaying more to the negative side of this issue because I see comments like this.

It personally annoys me when people who have not been in a classroom or school think they know what’s best for the education system.  With all due respect Mr. Gates, stay in your lane.  Leave education to teachers like myself.   As for the 3rd comment, this person saying that this is a “game changer for poor and struggling districts.”  I’m supposed to believe that AI is going to be the next fairy god-mother to those students who can’t afford WiFi, a change of clothes and food?  I think the keyword to the 3rd comment is that AI is an assistant.  We know that students are going to use AI as the end-all-be-all and not in an assisting type of manner.

Still not sure about AI and its uses.  Maybe over time, refinement, and a definitive plan for its uses, I’ll jump on the bandwagon.  For now…I’ll stick to my own devices (did you catch the pun?)

Until next time,

Kristen

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