Artificial Intelligence (AI) has recently become very controversial and hard to regulate regarding schoolwork. Teachers all over the country have had to battle against AI programs like Chat GBT. Currently the Cascade School District does not have an AI policy, which is a problem.
When it comes to using AI in schools, there are some potential risks to consider. For instance, if students overly rely on AI for their assignment, it might hinder their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Privacy is another concern, as improper handling of personal information by AI systems can compromise students’ privacy. It’s important to approach AI implementation in schools with caution and ensure proper safeguards are in place.
Someone might be surprised if they were told that the previous paragraph was written by Snapchat’s AI; however, it is true. If AI can write about the dangers of itself, imagine what else it could do.
We all have been using AI for years, whether it is using auto-correct when texting friends or using AI embedded within Microsoft Word to help with grammar. “I think there is a way to safely and effectively use it as a tool without letting it take over their intellectual ability to participate in school,” explained CHS Career Counselor Mrs. Rieke.
AI can be a useful tool; however, it can also hinder students' ability to do their own work. To prevent this, the Cascade School District needs to have guidelines set in place to protect the learning of this generation. According to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), “Educational policymakers must focus on ensuring that the use of AI increases the public good, with emphasis on equity and inclusion. AI policy and use should be geared to improving learning for every student, empowering teachers, and strengthening learning management systems. It is important that policies also consider student safety and well-being and provide access to educational tools for all students.” This is OSPI’s current policy recommendation for Washington state schools.
CHS’s English department is the only known department within the Cascade School District that has set guidelines for their students to follow regarding AI. This policy was generated in response to the growing popularity and use of AI generative technology during the 2022-2023 school year and is in its first year of implementation. The policy states: “All plagiarism will result in a 0. Whether or not the student is able to redo the assignment will be decided by the teacher. Any use of AI to create content (i.e., doing your thinking and/or writing for you) qualifies as plagiarism.”
The reality is that students are using AI to generate content in many of their subject areas; however, English is one of the most affected departments.
“I think we do need to clarify our policy and I think it is in our interest to say that [AI] is not allowed in circumstances where it is not okay for the purposes of the assignment. Especially when it comes to writing assignments, we would want to say that [a student] cannot turn in a piece of writing that AI has written and claim it as your own, that is academically dishonest. I think the problem comes up because we don’t really have any way to prove that what a student hands in are AI generated or not. That puts us in a difficult position with respect to enforcing that policy. In terms of creating a policy; yes, we should have one, will we have problems enforcing it? Yes, probably. As long as students know what the expectation is, I think most students want to do the right thing,” explained CHS English teacher Mr. Wharton.
CHS needs to establish a policy. Many other schools have recognized the problem by setting up a policy for their students and teachers. We are calling on the Cascade School District School Board to create an AI policy that helps to ensure the critical and creative thinking so fundamental to education in the CSD are not lost to AI.