Some Ankeny schools are using AI in classrooms - Axios Des Moines
AI tools like ChatGPT are creating challenges for educators as they tackle plagiarism and misinformation, but local teachers are also finding ways to embrace the technology.
Why it matters:
While some schools label ChatGPT as a "cheating tool," local educators are leveraging it to improve student learning and tailor instruction.
State of play:
At Parkview Middle School in Ankeny, teachers are using ChatGPT and the education-specific Magic School AI to help in two different ways.
Zoom in:
For ESOL teacher Alexa Long, Magic School AI bridges language gaps with her students and their families, especially for less common languages not covered by Google Translate, like those used in some African villages, she tells Axios.
Jennifer Janes, a reading interventionist, says ChatGPT helps her create more tailored reading passages for skills she's trying to teach.
Reality check:
Both teachers say their students are not using AI programs by themselves in class.
The big picture:
AI programs can be helpful tools, but it's important to have parameters and proceed with caution, Hyesun You, assistant professor at the University of Iowa's College of Education, tells Axios.
Zoom out:
In Colorado, multiple districts are embracing AI and using it to help create homework assignments, sharpen writing skills, and even improve bus routes, Axios Denver reports.
Yes, but:
AI-driven student learning has a long way to go. A study by Wharton School in Philadelphia found that students who used AI tools performed worse on exams because they were used to using it for copying and pasting answers.
The bottom line:
The key for educators, and the rest of us, is making sure to use AI judiciously, You says.
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