Episode: 825

Episode Title: Allowing AI in the Classroom 

Educators have a valuable chance to help young people use AI tools while boosting their learning along the way. Here’s what I mean by this, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 825 show:

This is The Perna Syndicate, and I’m glad you are here! As we continue our conversation about AI, I wanted to share a couple ways educators can leverage their influence with students as they use this rising technology.

The first is to be clear about expectations around AI. On the first day of class, there should be no question about how AI should and shouldn’t be used to complete assignments. Part of this is teaching students how to cite AI. The temptation to plagiarize can be lessened if students know to include AI as a source if it’s used in their work.

Another strategy is to focus on quality over quantity. It’s more important to produce a really compelling essay of five pages than to turn in a 10-page paper padded out with filler. In light of how easy AI can make it to include all that fluff, maybe we reconsider length requirements and instead focus on the technical merits of the work.

And lastly, we should create moments where students must show their work on the spot and demonstrate they understand the process. 

I believe educators are our best hope of making AI tools an aid to learning, rather than a replacement for it. Students who use AI can and should be held to a different standard. It’s up to us to help them perform at a higher level, both today in their education and, someday, in their future careers.

Thank you for tuning in to The Perna Syndicate this week! I’m your host Mark Perna, and I look forward to seeing you back here next week for more on the classroom and workforce of the future. Take care!