ScarlettHenery

In our current world, AI has become a powerful technological advancement prevalent in so many aspects of human life. Almost everywhere you go AI can be found. 

Stopping at McDonald’s, the AI bot will take your order. Just chatting at your kitchen table, your Alexa’s listening to you. Even in the classroom, AI is always there. 

Whether this new generation of technology will pose as a tool or a threat is a growing question. 

There has been lots of controversy around AI’s ChatGPT resource being an academic integrity issue among students. 

This platform allows students to type in a prompt and get a completely unique and educated computer-generated response. 

With students not doing their own work, this gives way to punishment and wasted learning opportunities. 

Marian’s social studies teacher, Mrs. Jillian Roger, responds to this up and coming dilemma with a solution. 

She says that “teachers need to get more proficient at reading and recognizing AI-generated material.” This way teachers will be well equipped to identify the subtle differences in AI’s writing. 

She also says that teachers “know what student writing sounds like and it’s a matter of training ourselves in recognizing when there may be some potential misuse of AI.” 

Once teachers are able to navigate the downsides of students using AI, they can educate their students on how to use it properly. Even with these risks of misuse, correctly using AI can be a tool for learning. 

Roger explains that AI “will ultimately help make students and teachers work more efficiently.” With its time saving applications, students can cut down on reading and homework times. 

Many find AI uncomfortable, but once educated in all of its capabilities, AI can be seen as something useful for many. Roger explains that becoming educated on AI will be extremely useful for future jobs. 

She says that “if students are expected to use it in their future careers, we (teachers) are doing them a disservice by not showing them how to use it wisely.” 

It can be used as a great tool, not only for students, but also for teachers. 

Teachers all over have been using AI’s new technology to create lesson plans, discussion questions and class outlines. 

At Marian, Roger has used AI platforms, such as ChatGPT and Magic School AI, to make rubrics and practice work in her classroom. 

AI helps teachers with more of their time consuming tasks that require much planning. Whether this is creating presentations or writing emails, AI cuts the time teachers spend on these tasks. This allows them to put more focus towards other aspects of their job, like grading or helping students individually. 

There has been talk of AI becoming teaching devices on their own. However, the personal aspect of having a real teacher is something that AI can not replace. 

Mentorship, genuine advice, support and clarification are all qualities humanity possesses that AI could not replicate. 

With AI here to stay, educating ourselves on all of its applications will not only keep us in the technological loop, but also allow us to take advantage of its many benefits to education, as well as other aspects of life. 

AI is not only used as an academic instrument. It can be a tool for almost every area of life. 

Many people don’t realize that they are using AI every day. Facial recognition, Siri and Alexas, driver assisted steering, and so many others are AI applications used daily. 

Out of the Marian student body who answered the Network’s Google survey, 31.7% of students have used AI technology for applications outside of academic work. 

Art teacher, Esther Hamra, encourages her students to enter keywords and ideas into AI platforms in order to expand on their focus. 

Art students are able to broaden their imaginations by using AI to generate further ideas for themselves. 

Sophomore Keely Robbins uses the TikTok portrait platform to create fun cartoons of her and her friends. 

Many social media apps have adopted AI technology within their apps. 

For example, sophomore Lucy Mendenhall mentions her Snapchat AI, which can provide good advice and entertaining conversations.

Roger also highlights an intriguing use for AI: cooking. She says AI can give recipes based on what is ingredients are on hand. 

All of these uses prove that AI has impacted many aspects of everyday existance and will continue to become a normal or expected part of life.