A heated theme around AI in education is that students could use these generative tools to complete their homework. Educators are worried that students may not build essential skills if it becomes too easy to misrepresent machine-generated work as their own. In addition to concerns that such use may contribute to cheating, it's also known that AI can provide misinformation that may mislead students. As a result, many schools have banned (禁止) generative AI completely. But is that reasonable?
The answer is no, says Sebastian Rao, a Virginia STEM school senior. Instead, he supports AI policies that make the technology accessible to students and educators but provide appropriate edges. "How do we structure a classroom that uses AI?" asks Rao. He says the focus should be to thoughtfully integrate (合并) AI technology in classrooms so that students can use it to enhance their education and build new skills.
When schools place strict bans on AI, students may be confused and unsure about what they can and can't use. Many students use AI in ways educators didn't consider, worsening the problem of managing their use in the classroom. Meanwhile, the technology is evolving quickly and becoming integrated into an ever-growing range of tools. Academic tools like Grammarly now use AI, as do search engines like Google and Bing. Khan Academy recently built a free AI-powered app, Khanmigo, to provide one-on-one homework help to students who may not otherwise have access to a live tutor (家庭教师). "A lot of students don't really know what to think about a lot of these technologies. Some are confused about 'What does AI mean? Is it cheating in certain cases?'" explains Rao.
Rather than viewing the use of AI as cheating, the U. S. Department of Education is integrating AI into policy because the technology allows educators to support students with a valuable, personalized approach to learning. Knowing how to use AI effectively and properly will be necessary for students' future development.
