There’s no putting AI back in the magic lamp. It’s here to stay, so it’s worthwhile acknowledging that AI can be a helpful tool in many areas. Some students use AI to create study guides and flash cards, families use AI to help plan vacations, and busy moms use AI to brainstorm birthday party ideas and activities. But it also has some serious drawbacks with long term consequences when it comes to student writing. Here are some reasons that parents and teachers should work to eliminate AI in writing assignments:
- Lack of Critical Thinking: Critical thinking is the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue or article to form a judgment. Critical thinking is what allows a student to read something and decide if it is true or false. It allows them to make their own decisions and judgements that, in extreme circumstances, keep them safe and growing in their knowledge of the world around them. Essentially…critical thinking develops leaders not sheep. When students rely on AI to generate essays or responses, they do not engage deeply with the material to form their own perspectives. Writing is an excellent exercise for developing critical thinking, and relying on AI can make students miss out on the process of analyzing, synthesizing, and reflecting on the subject matter.
- Plagiarism Concerns: Using AI to generate written work can result in plagiarism, even if the student doesn’t intend to cheat. AI-generated work might be very similar to other sources, and if students don’t properly cite their sources or modify the text for academic purposes, it could be considered academic dishonesty, and their integrity may be questioned.
- Reduced Writing Skills: Writing is a skill that improves with practice. If students use AI to write their papers, they might not develop essential writing skills such as structure, grammar, clarity, and style. These skills are important not just for academic success, but for effective communication in general which can have long term implications. If a student doesn’t take the time to learn proper writing skills without AI, they will “miss the boat” and find themselves lacking in the work force when it comes to both written and verbal communication.
- Reduced Confidence: Heavy reliance on AI tools often results in a lack of self-confidence. Students often rely on technology out of laziness or time constraints, but over time, they become dependent and realize that they cannot do as well on their own, contributing to a lack of confidence in their own abilities. Ultimately, a lack of confidence in their own ability to write and communicate inhibits students’ independent and creative thinking which holds them back.
- Inaccurate Information: While AI tools can write text, they may sometimes provide inaccurate information. If students are not vigilant (or don’t have the critical thinking to know better), they might inadvertently use incorrect details or ideas that AI tools generate without proper fact-checking.
It cannot be over-emphasized how important it is for students to learn how to write well without AI assistance. Ideally, parents and teachers would partner to eliminate AI use and work together for a fitting solution when it is discovered. Punishment and failing grades are not always the answer. I would much rather see an honest and frank conversation between parent and student about the pitfalls of AI use and an opportunity from the teacher to redo the paper or assignment. This allows the student to see that they CAN do the work independently and builds that much needed confidence. It is also important to note that educators and parents should not be solely looking for excellent, perfect papers. The goal in writing education is not perfection but to see growth and improvement from assignment to assignment.
Most important: There is no shortcut when learning to write.