Paul Warrick, the photography teacher at Lakes High School is known to use AI often. When asked if he used AI to create assignments for his classes, Warrick responded “Yes, I use AI to create assignments, and I also include using AI as a part of the assignments. The students have discussions with AI to customize their assignments.”
When asked how he felt about using AI to grade assignments Warrick responded, “I do not use AI to grade assignments. I do not personally know teachers who use it for grading, but I do know teachers who use it to check for plagiarism.” When asked if he felt like AI has affected education in any way, he responded, “Yes, I do think it has affected education but there is good and bad and can be helpful if used correctly.”
Many teachers argue that they should be preparing students to be college ready and if they let students use AI they will not learn to think or solve problems on their own. “If you let them use AI, then you are not helping prepare them, but I try to work with my students on how to use AI well. Not making it do the work for them, but using it to help make up scenarios and give them a starting point,” says Warrick.
John Hinkle, a social studies teacher at Lakes High School and also known for his dislike of AI. When asked if he used AI to grade or create assignments Hinkle said, “No, I have not, I take the time to read everything myself.”
When asked how he felt about teachers using AI he said, “I know people who do and if that’s what you want to do that’s fine, but I think it is making us lazy and has the possibility to make teachers lazy.” When asked if he felt that AI would ever be effectively used in education, he said, “It depends on how we use it, how much we use it, and how much control we give it. It has a place in school, but I do not think it should be doing things for you.”
Daiyah Atkins is a junior at Lakes High School. She had a very neutral opinion on AI being used. When asked if she used AI she said ,“Yes, I have used AI to find easy sources for research projects and to complete small assignments.”
When asked if she has seen any of her teachers use AI for assignment or grading, she responded, “Most teachers I have seen nowadays have used AI to find misspelled words or even to detect AI.” When asked how she felt about other students using AI for schoolwork She responded, “While I find it helpful in many ways, it has become a way to take away work for other people and making them dependent on AI.”
AI can be incredibly helpful if used correctly. Some beneficial uses for AI are to create notes for studying or to summarize longer papers. It can help give clearer instructions if you are unable to ask someone else. AI does have a place in education as long we don’t let it do everything for us. It can become a great tool in education and help students academically. “People who learn to prompt AI to help them expand their thinking will succeed in school and business. Those that outsource their thinking to AI will fall behind,” Encourages Amy Ulen, Computer Science TOSA educator.
