By Bethany Davis
Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than ever, becoming more integrated into everyday life. One of the foremost places seeking higher regulation for the tool is schools.
The Collegiate asked Grand Rapids Community College students about their usage of websites and apps like ChatGPT and their feelings on how teachers address AI. One concern found was the false detection of AI in genuine student work.
“When I was taking my English placement test I had to take it twice,” said 18-year-old Victoria Wheeler, a student at GRCC from Grand Rapids. “I took it from home, and then they told me they detected AI. I was very shocked.”
AI detectors are often built using similar programming to ChatGPT, yet no detector is 100% accurate. Despite her circumstances, Wheeler was understanding.
“I was pretty annoyed at first. I was like, ‘What do you mean AI? This is all my writing,’” she said. “But I guess I did take it from a home computer, so it makes sense.”
As AI continues to evolve, its impact on education moves unprecedentedly, and most teachers didn’t sign up for the job expecting AI to be a new daily concern. On top of organizing lesson plans, they now face the demand to adapt, embrace and set limits on AI in the classroom.
Sofia Benson is a 19-year-old GRCC student from Jenison who said her professors have not been overly concerned with AI.
“I’ve had professors have no plagiarization and AI rules,” Benson said. “I haven’t had any that were extra crazy about it. It was all reasonable.”
This seemed to be the norm in most classrooms regarding their policies. However, sometimes the lines between AI usage and plagiarism can be blurry and it may seem unclear where the boundary is drawn. To gain a better understanding, Faculty Director of the AI Incubator at GRCC, Jonnathan Resendiz, shared his thoughts on how AI fits into higher education.
In regards to AI in general, Resendiz said, “I see AI as a really helpful tool when used the right way. It can make studying and research easier, but like any tool, it needs to be used wisely.”
While this reaffirms the relevance of AI and growing technology in education, it still doesn’t create clear lines.
Thinking of how students can ethically use these tools, Resendiz goes further, “I’ve noticed students using AI like ChatGPT,” he said. “…Students should use AI to learn, not to do all the work for them. It’s best to use AI for hints or to check your work. Always make sure you’re doing your own thinking and follow your school’s rules.”
Resendiz also believes in a future with more AI in the classrooms.
“AI can make learning more fun and interactive. It might help students learn at their own pace and explore subjects in new ways,” Resendiz said. “It could even free up teachers to be more creative in their teaching…I do see a future where AI has a bigger role in shaping how we learn… even influencing school policies to keep up with new tech.”
As AI is growing into an unavoidable part of education, students and teachers must navigate its challenges together, and the conversation is far from over.
