An MCPS policy on the integration of new technologies in education first became available for public comment on Monday, Oct. 27, with the district seeking community feedback from students and teachers. The policy, entitled “Emerging Technologies in Education,” seeks to provide guidance on the integration of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, into the classroom for both student and teacher use.
The district has defined generative AI as “any technology capable of producing original content, including text, images, audio, video, or simulated data based on inputs or patterns.” It sets forth the guidelines that “teachers and staff may use generative AI tools to support instruction, personalize learning, and expand access to educational and operational resources,” and that “student use is subject to oversight to support active, authentic learning and transparency about AI-content in student work.”
Furthermore, the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations (MCCPTA) board voted to move the “MCCPTA Resolution on Responsible AI Use in MCPS Schools” to local parent-teacher associations on Wednesday, Dec. 10, in order to obtain a more diverse range of feedback on what guidelines should be included in the policy.
Their proposals include the urge for MCPS to develop strict guidelines on the use of AI to assess or grade a student, provide transparency about AI use in classrooms, require parental consent and afford families the ability to opt out before students can access AI on school-issued devices, among others.
The potential benefits and harms that a more lax or stricter AI policy could have on MCPS and its possible consequences for the broader educational landscape remain a hotly-contested topic, with a wide range of opinions among teachers, students and families at RM alone. Many students at RM expressed their thoughts about past AI use in schools and what considerations should be taken into account by the board, underlining the thin borderline between what constitutes ethical or unethical usages of the newfound technology.
Some students indicated that AI could potentially serve as a helpful tool in aiding and reinforcing student learning, as long as it is used by students to understand material taught in their classes. “I think it’s a really helpful resource that students can use,” freshman Noah Lee said. “Maybe not for getting answers, but maybe for getting ideas or explaining topics. I think [AI] teaching people, or helping people make tests for studying is really helpful.”
However, AI usage also entails concerns about student honesty, putting into question who is actually completing assignments. The rise in student usage of AI to aid with or even complete their classwork is a trend that has been felt by RM students as well. “[Students] use [AI] for every assignment now, and it’s very concerning,” sophomore Daniel Kalinsky said.
Lee agreed, emphasizing that AI detracts from students’ ability to master material on their own. “You can just use AI to cheat on everything, and you don’t really have to learn the material. You can just type it into AI,” he said.
However, the controversy over AI usage is not limited merely to students. For example, many students often worry about the possibility of teachers using AI to grade assignments. Students’ opinions on the topic largely trended towards opposing teacher usage of AI, though with some caveats. “I think that the teachers should use it for grading, but not for things that are for a lot of points and require a lot of detail, because AI is not always right,” Lee said.
Similarly, Kalinsky also disagreed with teacher usage of AI in grading, though the specifics still depend on how MCPS ends up deciding its policy. “[Teachers should] probably not [use AI to grade], but it really depends on how the MCPS grading policy is right now,” he said.
With regards to the possible new guidelines for AI usage set to be put forth by MCPS, and the deadline for public comments on “Emerging Technologies in Education” having passed on Jan. 26, most students agreed that some relaxation of current policies to allow for some ethical usage of AI would be beneficial. “I do think they should relax it, though I think they should lock some questions you could ask the AI,” Lee said.
Kalinsky agreed, drawing a distinction between the different usages of AI for studying versus plain cheating. “I think they can relax certain aspects, like if you need clarification or help on something that’s not directly copying things onto the platform, and getting the answers from it. I think implementing just the basics of AI is okay,” Kalinsky said.
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