Is AI needed in the classroom? Is there an overreliance on AI platforms? Are children loosing critical thinking skills for the sake of work completion?
Growing up there was an art to writing, not saying that art is completely lost, however, because certain tools weren't available, there were certain bases you had to cover to write proficiently.
Before the writing process even began, research papers required you to go to your local library and search the catalogues for books that matched your topic. This was also a great time to meet up with your friends, goof off a little bit, and also bounce ideas off each other.
Then there was the process of note taking and organizing your thoughts in an outline. Next came the rough draft, a pencil and white out would become your best friends during this phase. If you had parents like mine, they would do proofreading, which would require you to make more edits, to then go to school and turn in your rough draft for your teacher to make additional edits. Once the teacher gave you that paper back with red marks and comments, you went to work on your final draft. Now later on down the road we would use the computer to type up our final drafts, but the computer was FORBIDDEN during the rough draft process.
Times change and people must change along with them, I get that, but at what cost are we rushing change for the sake of capitalism and a false sense of IMPROVEMENT or ADVANCEMENT? Its too soon and not enough data has been compiled on the benefits of AI in the classroom space, however, the mass push for incorporating AI in educational spaces is a bit troubling in my opinion. I get the arguments that students are already using AI therefore we must teach them how to use it safely, a notion that was talked about in an in class reading by Zack Teitel entitled, Teaching AI: It's Just Sex-ed, but AI isn't like sex-ed. There has been years of data and research supporting the implementation of sex-ed classes especially related to public health concerns.
There is already a public outcry over low reading and writing capabilities for American students (Americans as a whole), does society truly think that pushing generative AI platforms in the classroom in a cooperative learning capacity will improve those scores? State mandated tested doesn't allow for these AI programs, nor do the ACT's or high school exit exams. Instead of pumping money and funding into these programs how about districts allocate the funds where they belong. Make classroom sizes smaller by paying teachers respectable wages in order to retain educators. Invest money into school libraries and writing tools that students can use during their writing processes in a productive manner.
(Don't get me started on the environmental implications. If you are interested in viewing some real time water drainage from AI centers, check out this article by Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-ai-impacts-data-centers-water-data/)
After listening to the podcast and reading the attached article by Chanae Bond, I feel like this article as well as the Leon Furze readings resonate with me the best. While I don't believe any of the readings went "too far", I am not in alignment with articles like Brookings (2026), where we come up with ideas and methods to incorporate AI into learning spaces.
I get it, AI is here and it's here to stay for the time being, however, that doesn't mean we allow it to replace the productive struggle that students need in order to be successful in life. Dealing with the ebbs and flows of critical thinking and writing is a sensitive one, which has already been subject to many hindrances throughout the years.
Why continue to add to the problem.
I love how you mentioned the writing process that we used to go through! From going to the library to find books on our chosen topic, to getting red marks and comments from our teachers about the ways we can improve! I honestly completely forgot about that whole process until you mentioned it, but I really miss going through all of that. Yes, it may seem like a lot to some people, but that's what made us understand the process even more than just copying and pasting a prompt into ChatGPT. That writing process we grew up on actually made us use our brains while going through it step-by-step, in order to become better readers and writers!
ReplyDeleteHey Cheresse! Your perspective on whether or not AI should be used in writing definitely caught my attention. I liked how you explored the tension between the convenience of AI and the importance of maintaining authentic human expression. It made me think about how writing is more than just producing words on a page. Writing is often a reflection of someone’s voice, experiences, and personal way of thinking.
ReplyDeleteOne part of the AI debate that stood out to me while reading your post is the idea that AI can be helpful as a tool but becomes problematic when it replaces the human thinking behind the work. Some writers argue that AI works best when it assists with brainstorming, research, or editing, while the core ideas and voice still come from the writer. When AI is used to generate the entire piece, the writing can lose the individuality and tone that make someone’s voice unique.
Your post also reminded me that writing is an important learning process. When students struggle through drafting, revising, and figuring out what they really want to say, they are developing critical thinking skills that AI cannot replicate. If AI does all the composing, students might miss the opportunity to develop their own ideas and style.
Overall, your post raised an important question that many educators and writers are still trying to figure out. AI is clearly becoming a bigger part of how people work and create, but it also challenges us to think about what we value most about writing. For me, that human voice and authenticity are still what make writing meaningful.
Hi Cheresse! I reaaaally appreciated this post and how you take it back to look at what the writing process is, what is has been for most of us growing up, and the beauty of it and it's struggle! I struggled in all of my classes and this struggle comes with working extremely hard, patience, looking into outside sources (like books and adults), being bored, etc. Whenever I used to struggle with my writing and have stumps on processing what to write, I always would go to my mom to help me work it through! So, I really related to your idea of going to your mom and getting correction and then getting additional corrections from the teacher! I really don't use AI for this reason, because I like physical resources to rely on like my mom, other adults, and actual sources like books and articles. I also think it's important for students to feel the struggle and feeling of being bored! Which I think is a huge part of the writing process, at least for me! But there was no better feeling when I overcame those obstacles and finished my writing piece!
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