Artificial intelligence is everywhere.
The technology is found in daily life, including on social media, search engines and in art and education. With the rapid growth of these learning systems, generative AI tools are becoming more and more accessible to the public. It may come as no surprise that students are often using these tools to assist with their work, whether that be a seemingly responsible use or blatant cheating. Notably, some teachers have also begun to utilize various AI resources in the classroom.
Paul Freeman, principal of Glenwood Springs High School (GSHS), believes that these tools can be used as assistive technology to help save time. He added that he utilizes large-language models himself. These models are AI systems trained to process massive amounts of text and information to comprehend and generate human-like responses, such as ChatGPT, which is developed by the company OpenAI.
In the past, Freeman has used these models to generate a syllabus for his Intro to Business class as well as exercises for the class to work through. Freeman reiterated how — though he could, indeed, come up with these ideas for his class himself — using ChatGPT in this way saved him an immense amount of time.
Freeman advocated that AI be used as a tool by both students and teachers, but in a responsible way.
“In corporations, businesses, they feel like they’re saving about 20% of their time by using AI,” Freeman told The Sopris Stars, “I would like every teacher and every student to have access to that saving power of AI.”
However, he criticized using AI to complete schoolwork. Freeman emphasized that using these resources to cheat is not productive, as it robs the student of an actual learning experience. Cheating using these tools also makes it appear to the teacher like the student knows more than they actually do, he explained.
When asked about how GSHS handles students who use AI to cheat, Freeman said it comes down to integrity. The first time a student is caught using AI to complete assignments, the school will sit them down and emphasize the importance of why using generative AI to cheat on schoolwork is such a big issue and a disservice to themself.
Freeman is concerned that students who use AI to cheat will develop a pattern and continue that misuse in the future, such as in college. He fears that such habits may escalate over time and as will the consequences for individual students, causing them even more trouble — from failing a class and having to retake it to getting kicked out of college.
Concerning teachers using artificial intelligence, Freeman clarified that the many teachers who are opposed likely have limited to no experience with it. Understandably, when teachers see the influx of AI being used in schoolwork, many immediately stand against the technology altogether. Freeman encouraged that teachers use AI for their planning the same way that he has in the past.
As these learning machines become increasingly advanced, many have expressed concerns about the future of things like job security, but Freeman holds a positive outlook on these advancements in technology. At the same time, he understands that people have a fear of the unknown and that the rapid technological advancement in recent years has compromised the norms of which people have grown accustomed to.
Still, he ended on a positive note.
“I am really looking forward to the day when I can have a robot clean my house and cook my dinner,” Freeman said. “I’m very positive about it.”