Artificial intelligence is ubiquitous. Just a year ago, it seemed like only an abstract concept, but now everyone is using ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI services to help with everything from health inquiries to what to make for dinner. With the rise of AI, several concerns have also come into play, such as whether it is ethical to use it for school assignments or how to properly ask questions to acquire the most accurate response. Most people use these services on a whim or whenever they have a pressing question. However, it would be more efficient and helpful to use AI properly by knowing how to use commands and directives that allow it to work most effectively.
High school students were thrown into the world of AI without a proper introduction. The Port Washington School District should have noticed this need for education and incorporated AI use training into their curriculum. Additionally, Schreiber should create an online tutorial that students could watch on their own time regarding the proper use of artificial intelligence. Still, some students feel that the best solution is for Schreiber to enforce a mandatory class on AI use. Considering how quickly AI went from an abstract concept to an everyday tool, it could take time to create this type of course. Another challenge regarding creating the class involves educating teachers and making sure they are sufficiently trained to teach this type of course. Additionally, it might be challenging to find the time and space in students’ already jam-packed schedules to take the class.
“No, there should not be a mandatory class, but you should still be able to take classes on AI as an elective. Teachers that teach core classes should have to incorporate AI into their curriculum as opposed to their current opposition toward AI completely,” said sophomore Jake Leber.
This opinion is consistent with what ChatGPT “thinks” as well. While it is important to know the ins and outs of this new AI frontier, it should not be mandatory for every student. After all, many students are able to figure out how and when to use AI completely on their own without the help of an academic course. It is possible that students can discover how best to use AI faster than a course can be created. Many students, however, are also reliant on AI for a multitude of tasks in their day-to-day lives.
“If I need help with something, AI is always there for assistance, and I use it a couple times a week on average,” said sophomore Zach Gould.
Many colleges are introducing AI majors, so students who are interested in pursuing career paths in AI can do so in college-accredited courses. University professors would be better trained to teach a course on AI than a high school teacher who is focused on a different subject. Hiring more teachers to teach AI may be outside of or over Schreiber’s budget, and running the class would require substantial funding.
Schreiber students are already inundated with mandatory classes required for graduation, so the addition of yet another required course would create scheduling problems and take away from electives. With all of the compelling classes offered at our school, it would be a shame to divert students away from trying creative arts or business electives if we were to squeeze in a class on AI. However, this class could be offered as an elective, so students who are truly interested in the field of artificial intelligence can choose to take it for credit.
“I use AI every day, and it helps me with the work and questions I have whenever I need it,” said sophomore Ruben Harooni.
Realistically, a class on AI is not feasible in the foreseeable future because these services are changing at such a rapid speed. By the time a curriculum is formulated, the technology will have already advanced. If students are truly curious about using AI effectively, they can ask ChatGPT to teach them. Students can pose questions to chatbots such as “How do I get the most factual answers from AI?” and “Is it ethical to use AI for assignments?” Furthermore, we need teachers for more complicated subjects such as math and science, but we can self-educate about AI fairly well with a little help from ChatGPT or other artificial intelligences.
It’s an exciting time to be in high school, with the advent of these new tools making much of our lives easier. However, students must still master high school-level classes without “cheating” using AI. Still, students should have access to these programs to help them study, brainstorm, organize, and have answers at their fingertips. But we can’t replace real-world knowledge with AI. Artificial intelligence is artificial, after all, and we need real intelligence to prepare for the future.