Due to the prevalence of AI in society, high school administrators have had to make decisions regarding how much, if at all, AI should be used for writing assignments and brainstorming in humanity classes. It is clear that AI will continue to expand with its rapid advances, so at West Essex High School, the English department has taken measures to specifically research how teachers can incorporate AI into their classes in an effective way, where AI is used as a tool, not a crutch that endorses cheating.
Stacy Casais, the English Department supervisor, explained how the English department plans on handling AI throughout this school year.
“One of our department focuses this year is to discuss the ethical and appropriate use of AI in teaching and learning,” Casais said. “There will be times when it is appropriate and helpful to use AI as a tool for research and learning, but it will not replace original thought. Students, as always, will learn to think critically, analyze texts for deeper meaning and develop their voices.”
The English department realizes that AI will exist for the foreseeable future and that it is important for their students to learn how to utilize AI properly.
“We have a responsibility to prepare students for the real world, and part of that learning will inevitably involve helping students navigate the ways AI can be used as a tool to support and enhance, not replace, their own thinking and learning,” Casais said.
Although English teachers can recognize the benefits with the emergence of this new technology, they also realize that students may use the artificial intelligence to plagiarize and cheat on at-home assignments.
“I wish there were a perfect way to ensure students are not cheating or plagiarizing by any means,” Casais said. “We try to take a proactive approach to cheating by educating students on its ethical impacts, designing creative and engaging assessments and guiding students in the right direction and providing support if they are struggling.”
Photo Credit: “brain” by Abhijit Bhaduri is licensed under CC BY 2.0
