Georgia Ross and Orion Kim

AI USAGE. With the increased popularity of AI after the release of ChatGPT, other AI softwares such as the writing assistant Notion AI became more well known. This graph shows the distribution of AI programs used by SPA students.

One percent. The term has come to mean a number of things, but most would be surprised to know that it’s the percent of on campus traffic to AI sites between October 2023 and January 2024.

Despite being in its infancy, generative AI has already entered classrooms and curriculums, promising to revolutionize the way students learn.

Information Technology System Specialist Chuck Andres believes that AI has many benefits and drawbacks.

“It takes more effort than you think … and you get something back that you might not be exactly looking for,” he said.

Out of the 25 generative AI websites where the most traffic occurs at SPA, Notion AI (37.9%) and Chat GPT (27.4%) take the strong lead.

Within the last few months, some teachers have begun to incorporate AI use into their classes.

“I’ve actually built a few assignments where students are instructed to engage with AI,” US Science teacher Amy Stading said. Part of the learning includes a follow-up Google Classroom discussion about appropriate use.

Stading appreciates how quickly ChatGPT helps her generate examples of a phenomenon, organize her ideas, and fine-tune and proofread her work.

“As an educator, one of my most important roles is to prepare students effectively for the world they will
move through … and rapidly evolving technology is part of that,” she said.

Stading explores the software herself, reads up on it, and creates her own guidelines in class, hoping to equip her students with the skills needed to use AI tools responsibly.

Secretary of the Student Technology Committee Lorenzo Good worries about the misinformation AI might spread: “I don’t think there are benefits,” he said.

Good finds that AI platforms can often regurgitate information that users aren’t actually asking about and send them down the wrong path.

“It can actually confuse you more … I think it’s better to use resources that are available like talking to your teacher,” Good said.

Andres agrees that the software can be challenging to use. But at the same time, he acknowledges that AI can offer clear benefits. He sees the advantage and convenience of AI in specific scenarios, such as for a more introverted student who may prefer finding answers online rather than seeking out a teacher.

“I am generally of the mind that tools are tools, not inherently good or bad. You have to figure out the best way to use them,” Andres said.

While AI use is present, it remains uncommon compared to other websites used on school WiFi.