Photo by KiArra Durning
By KiArra Durning
With AI usage in schools rising in 2023, the way students interact with their coursework has changed. It may even be negatively affecting their development, depending on whether they start using it too early.
Many assume students are using and abusing generative AI, but at William Peace University, students seem to be painting a very different picture. There is a current rise in students’ dislike of AI in their academic environment.
The reasons for people expressing negative feelings vary from making the work harder to negatively impacting their job experiences
The risks of using AI outweigh its benefits, according to a study by the Brookings Institution’s Center for Universal Education. The study consisted of focus groups and interviews with students in grades K-12. It included their parents, educators, and tech experts (spanning 50 countries).
The results said that using generative AI in a learning environment can hinder a child’s fundamental development. Although these issues may arise, the right management can fix them.
Many students say they use AI for schoolwork “just for ideas.” 45.5% of survey takers say they use AI to generate ideas. We take critical thinking classes throughout college for a reason; it is a fundamental skill. Completing assignments from start to finish in college gives us valuable firsthand experience.
Students are getting the work done, but are they learning? When delegating all your work to AI chatbots, you are not really learning.
“People are starting to rely on it more than they are trying to use it as an optional tool,” says Jazmin Vassallo, a first-year simulation and game design major.
Students are noticing a problem stemming from the tool. But many don’t know the harm they may be exposing themselves to. They are stripping their brains of necessary stimulation, which directly impacts cognitive functions (memory, attention, and problem-solving abilities), says Tom Kellot on Science with the Mind.
Although there seems to be AI everywhere you turn (an issue mentioned within the survey), there is a rise in students’ dislike for the use of it in their academic settings. 81.8% of survey takers view AI usage in school unfavorably.
Despite new AI developments and additions to commonly used academic websites and apps, 54.5% of students say they are encouraged to use AI in their classes. Students have stood their ground in their distaste.
“I don’t use it unless the teacher told me to,” says first-year communication major Brianna Gomez.