By Lily Mitchell
Managing Editor
As we inevitably engage with the advancement of global technology, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become more and more prominent in classrooms, specifically in English classes. Some students are using it responsibly, while others are using it for AI plagiarism.
Students face more temptation to cheat when under enormous pressure. At this time of the semester, many students experience stress regarding finals. With readily available Generative AI websites like ChatGPT, it is hard for English teachers not to worry about their students plagiarizing assignments.
“I do have concerns that my students could utilize things like ChatGPT,” said Costa English Teacher Maddie Hutchinson. “I work hard to maintain faith in my classes, but I have yet to encounter a year without multiple plagiarism or cheating incidents. Unfortunately, I and multiple of my colleagues have encountered students using AI for their assignments.”
The launch of ChatGPT has led to an uptick in cheating in many English classrooms at Costa. In response, teachers like Hutchinson have taken a step back to reevaluate their assessments and classroom processes.
“I am someone who works hard to update content and assignments every year to match the needs of my students and address whatever is happening in the world,” said Hutchinson. “With the development of AI, I am not surprised that I’ve needed to adjust, and it is not a bad thing.”
While some students have been using AI to copy and paste their assignments or essays, others are using it for idea generating and research. AP English Language, AP Seminar, and AP Research teacher Lindsey Valbuena believes ChatGPT can be fine for brainstorming, searching for sources, or idea generating, however, she stresses the importance of not trusting its accuracy. Many Generative AI produced results are skewed and unusable.
“I recently had a student on a timed write have one of their quotes auto corrected in the document, which shows how AI can change your work for the worse,” said Valbuena. “Especially when using ChatGPT, everything needs to be double checked and not considered a final product. ChatGPT is not a safe place to trust your thoughts.”
Although Generative AI can be used responsibly, many students are not taught how to do so. Hutchinson believes anyone who uses AI should go through significant training regarding how to use it responsibly, ethically, and appropriately. Young students accumulate crucial learning skills when they go through the process of trial and error by brainstorming, researching properly, and locating reputable sources. According to Hutchinson, AI circumvents the learning process and cuts down on the skills young people develop by going through these steps themselves.
“I fear we’re putting the cart before the horse and focusing on the benefits without addressing the logistical and systemic problems,” said Hutchinson. “This can lead to major issues after folks become dependent upon this technology.”
According to Hutchinson, because AI pulls content from the internet, it can reflect the ideas of others rather than the authentic thoughts of the student using it. For this reason, it is important for students to rely on themselves to generate their own ideas, no matter how much trial and error is involved in their intellectual development.
“There is significant bias within AI. For example, it has produced images that show racist undertones, which is just one reason why I would struggle to fully trust in its reliability,” said Hutchinson.
Although students may use ChatGPT for their essays or homework assignments, some believe AI will never be able to replace the human authenticity in writing. According to Hutchinson, there is inherently an emotional, even vulnerable element to English, and AI cannot properly include that sense of human emotion.
“When I think about English, I think about the process of reflecting, creating, analyzing, and self-expression,” said Hutchinson. “I don’t think AI can ever grasp the complexities of stories that stem from the depth of humanity, from sorrow and loss, and triumph and love.”
According to Valbuena, the Costa faculty has spent a lot of time trying to create a discipline matrix for academic integrity that is feared, yet holds students accountable for the choices that they make. Valbuena, along with the rest of the English Department, follows the ethics policy put forth by Mira Costa in addition to having a private discussion with the student accused of cheating through the use of AI.
“I hold true to the policies outlined in those documents, however I do try to make sure that for any case of plagiarism it involves a conversation,” said Valbuena. “My goal is to get across to my students that I care about their writing and instill some sense of confidence that they don’t need ChatGPT. At the end of the day it is up to the student to learn and grow as a writer.”
Although Hutchinson is hopeful for a world where AI advancement enhances education, she stresses the fact that it will take significant training, support, and accountability measures.
“I hope, regardless of what the future of AI is, it looks honest, ethical, equitable, and fair, said Hutchinson. I certainly hope developers and enthusiasts are placing as much emphasis on integrity as they are with general creation.”
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