AI tools are killing students' critical thinking. It's time to fight back
And yet, universities and K-12 institutions are agreeing to substantial deals and partnerships with generic AI platforms, such as ChatGPT EDU, to bring these destructive tools into their classrooms, encouraging their use among the student body even as the correlation between usage of current AI tools and critical thinking shows devastating negative effects. Reading competencies are down for the fourth straight year and 50% of students admit to using ChatGPT for a quiz, test or essay.
We've all had some version of the same conversation about COVID's effects on students. Many lost an entire year or more and were just passed through to the next grade level. It was a disastrous effect for students who were already behind the curve. In effect, direct answer generation AI tools are creating a 'COVID 2.0'' generation of students who won't lose just one year but a significant portion of their educational experience. Their development and personal agency is diminishing every day by using AI as a tool for shortcuts and cheating.
It's Worse than you Think
There's a reason we don't allow children to drive a car before a certain age. There's a level of responsibility society has determined is necessary to drive a powerful machine. AI is a powerful machine but we're handing our children the keys to a Mustang GPT with no training and no protections. Predictably, it's not going well.
You may be wondering why a founder of an edtech AI platform is critical of AI in education. To be clear, I know that AI can have an immensely positive impact on education. I know that AI can act as a force-multiplier for teachers and it can open up a world of knowledge and inspiration for every student, everywhere.
AI can do all of these things but not the way we're currently using it. Not with generic AI platforms like ChatGPT that simply give students the answers.
AI makes things substantially easier, and that's amazing. I use AI, including ChatGPT, consistently every day and it makes me and my team 10x more productive. I've seen some amazing things, like a 6-year-old building a functioning app using AI, and so many others releasing a massive amount of creativity. But we cannot teach children that life is as easy as sticking in a prompt and waiting for an output, there will always be hard problems that require critical thinking and a lack of tools.
As a recent student, I have seen the outsized role this technology plays in our day-to-day lives, the immense ramifications of irresponsible integration, and that the situation is far worse than even the media is portraying it right now.
Let me repeat that: the situation is far worse than even the media is portraying it right now. Seemingly every headline regarding AI in education highlights the devastating impacts and, for maybe the first time in history, the media is actually downplaying the ramifications.
A friend and recent graduate told me that he hasn't typed an assignment in two years; he's simply copied and pasted from ChatGPT every single time. He just graduated from a top-tier university and is wholly unprepared for the workforce. Have an issue? Oh ill just ChatGPT it, no how, no why. This is the norm now, it's not an outlier.
As 96% of teachers acknowledge AI is the future of education, change must be made today or this and subsequent generations of students will continue to see their critical thinking, literacy, attention spans, and ability to contribute to the workforce severely degraded. This change must begin with an acknowledgement by the wider educational and technology communities: generic productivity AI platforms, like ChatGPT, are not a solution to integrating AI into classrooms.
There is Hope, if We Act. Right. Now.
Every school needs to make a simple declaration today: they will not use platforms that do not focus on ethical and responsible use of AI for studying and learning. This means tools like ChatGPT, which allow for direct answer generation, have no place in our educational system.
The promotion of purpose-built AI learning platforms that don't give students the answer will provide schools and teachers, regardless of their bandwidth, with a foundation to take confident steps forward and create a better future for students.
Tech Leaders and Educators Must Work Together to Establish Guidelines
The education establishment is in a tough spot right now. They know they need to implement AI solutions into their classrooms to prepare students for the workforce of the future, but the leadership often doesn't see alternatives to generic tools like ChatGPT. Universities are eager to remain competitive and educators on every level want to give their students the best chance to succeed in the AI world.
We have to start with a set of core principals that we all agree is in the best interests of our students and in the best interests of society:
Responsible AI edtech companies must work hand-in-hand with educators at every level to develop and enhance AI platforms built for true learning.
Generic direct answer generation AI tools, like ChatGPT, have no place in the classroom.
AI must be used as a tool for learning, not shortcuts and cheating.
AI will never replace teachers. AI is a tool to help teachers, to save them time and free them up to focus on their students.
Any AI tool introduced to classrooms must be designed to promote responsible studying and true learning.
This is a list that will grow and evolve over time, but we have to start somewhere.
Tomorrow is Too Late
We have an opportunity right now, today, to act. We're already seeing the devastating effects of ChatGPT on our students and the worst side effects won't even show up for years to come. We have a chance to change course and realize all of the amazing things AI can bring to our students but only if we act now.
It's time to introduce responsible AI use to every student, everywhere, including productivity tips, prompt strategies, collaborative tutors, and true workforce prep for the AI world.
AI can have such a positive impact on education. It can help us realize true equality of opportunity for every student who wants to succeed.
The time to act is now. There are alternatives. There is a better way and a better future.
If we don't act soon, we risk lobotomizing an entire generation and making them completely dependent on AI systems to do everything for them; but maybe that's what some want . . .
Let's get to work.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Major Bank Thinks Bitcoin Is Going To Get Less Volatile — Is It Time To Invest?
If you've been on the sidelines watching bitcoin's wild price swings with caution, you're not alone. For years, bitcoin has had dramatic ups and downs, making everyday investors nervous about jumping in. However, this might be changing. As reported by CoinDesk, a report from Deutsche Bank suggests that bitcoin's volatility is likely to continue falling. It pointed to growing mainstream acceptance and an increase in the digital currency's adoption by companies, retail investors and governments. Read Next: Learn More: And if the trend continues, bitcoin could become more like traditional assets and even more attractive to long-term investors. What does this mean for conservative investors? Is it time to invest? Why Bitcoin's Volatility Is Easing Up Since its creation, bitcoin's price has been nothing but a wild ride. However, according to Deutsche Bank, several key factors are helping reduce volatility. For one, there's growing institutional adoption. More companies, retail investors and governments are embracing bitcoin, not just as a speculative asset but as a long-term investment. Second, there's more regulatory clarity. During the recent U.S. Crypto Week in Washington, D.C., the GENIUS Act, which aims to set a regulatory framework for stablecoins, was signed into law. The CLARITY Act, which would establish regulatory guidelines for cryptocurrencies, has also passed in the House. Check Out: A More Mature Market Could Attract Long-Term Investors Deutsche Bank sees the decline in volatility as a sign of a maturing market. If bitcoin continues on this path, it may start to look more like a digital version of gold — a stable store of value rather than a risky bet. That shift could attract more conservative investors, including pension funds and sovereign wealth funds, who previously stayed away due to high risk and regulatory uncertainty. Is It Time To Invest? Bitcoin becoming less volatile doesn't guarantee that prices will only go up. It means the market could behave more predictably over time. If you've been hesitant about buying bitcoin because of the wild price swings, this trend toward stability might offer a more comfortable entry point. Still, it's important to remember that bitcoin is not without risk. It remains a high-risk, high-reward asset, and it's still influenced by news, regulatory decisions and shifting investor sentiment. But if Deutsche Bank is right and bitcoin's volatility is declining, then we may be looking at a new chapter for crypto — one where long-term investors can invest in the crypto with a bit more peace of mind. More From GOBankingRates How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Your State? This article originally appeared on Major Bank Thinks Bitcoin Is Going To Get Less Volatile — Is It Time To Invest?
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Nvidia's (NVDA) Data Center Boom Continues — Analyst Lifts Price Target to $192
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of the . On July 23, Rothschild & Co Redburn's Timm Schulze‑Melander raised his price target on the stock to $192 from $173, maintaining a 'Buy' outlook. The firm said that earnings visibility is improving. Moreover, AI models' performance has improved roughly 5% per quarter since May 2023. This has, in turn, incited 'huge spending' on Nvidia data‑center compute. 'Nvidia is back to playing offense and recent sovereign investment deals improve earnings visibility. We raise our FY26-28 estimates between 1% and 5% and raise our price target to $192 from $178.' NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) specializes in AI-driven solutions, providing high-performance GPUs and platforms that power data centers, autonomous vehicles, robotics, and cloud services. While we acknowledge the potential of NVDA as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None.
CNET
27 minutes ago
- CNET
Ready, Set, Game: Fix Your Lag With These Tips
According to a report from Liquid Web, over 95% of users who were surveyed in a pool of 1,000 complained about experiencing latency issues while gaming. That same report showed that these gamers were known to play games on PC, Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo. Anyone who's spent time gaming online knows the frustration -- you pull the trigger or dive for a tackle, but thanks to lag, your action lands way too late. That's high ping in action, and it's a serious problem. It doesn't just slow you down, it gives everyone else an edge while you're stuck playing catch-up. A strong, stable connection with low ping isn't a luxury for online gaming -- it's a necessity. With the tech available today, there's no reason to settle for a laggy experience. There are ways to optimize your internet connection. If you're dealing with high ping, the first move is figuring out how bad it is. Once you've measured it, you can take steps. Whether that's tweaking your setup or upgrading your equipment to lower your ping and keep your games fast and responsive. First off, what is ping? Put simply, ping is a test of latency, or how long it takes your computer or console to send data back and forth from a specific server somewhere on the internet. Think of it as a courier. Whenever you use the internet for anything, you're sending a courier out to fetch whatever data you need to stream a show, use an app or play a game online. In this sense, your internet speed represents how much data can be carried at once, typically in megabits per second, or Mbps. Meanwhile, the ping tells you how long -- the latency -- the trip takes in milliseconds. Locating local internet providers You'll want to shoot for a ping of around 50 milliseconds or lower for online gaming. Over 50ms isn't terrible, but you definitely want to land under 100ms. After that, lag can become an issue. A good speed test will indicate where your ping is. There are plenty of free speed tests that can provide a detailed assessment of your home network's performance. Screenshot by Ry Crist/CNET Take a quick internet speed test Better yet, do a series of them -- and at different times of day, if you can. Your goal is simply to get a baseline sense of what your average speeds and ping look like before you start making changes. Oftentimes, the right set of tests can point you in the right direction as you start trying to speed things up. For instance, running speed tests on a computer that's wired to your modem and then comparing those results with what you see when you're wired to the router can help you figure out if it might be time to get a new one. Enlarge Image Looking to measure the ping to a specific site or server? Windows users can open the Command Prompt and typing "ping" followed by a space and then a URL or IP address. Screenshot by Ry Crist/CNET There are lots of free speed testing tools on the web these days. Claiming over 55 billion speed tests since 2006, the most popular is probably the Ookla Speedtest -- it's fast, simple and easy to use, and I like that it gives you control over which nearby server you're using. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) The speed test is another good option that includes a latency measurement, and if you'd like, SpeedSmart's speed test lets you measure the ping to servers all over the globe. For example, I was able to measure a latency of 30ms to a server about 750 miles away from me in New York, then 290ms to a server located in Sydney, roughly 10,000 miles away. The distance makes a huge difference. Whichever speed test you're using, start fresh by rebooting all of your hardware first -- then grab an Ethernet cable and connect your laptop or console directly to your router. From there, a speed test will tell you what your ping looks like before your router starts transmitting the signal throughout your home. After that, you can unplug and do several Wi-Fi speed tests at different spots around the house to see how much the numbers change. Enlarge Image If you switch from a wireless to a wired connection, you'll see faster speeds and reductions in ping in your speed tests. How big of a difference depends on your router and the speed of your connection. Ry Crist/CNET Play plugged in, if possible In my home, the ping went up by about 20% after unplugging and doing a wireless speed test at close range. It likely would have gone up even more if I had tested the wireless connection at a greater distance. A good set of powerline adapters can deliver speeds and latency close to what you'd expect from a direct, wired connection with your router. Josh Miller/CNET That's why most online gamers will tell you to use a wired connection whenever possible. That's all well and good if your computer or gaming console is in the same room as your router. Experts recommend placing your router is at a central location. However, if you're using a bedroom or a back room for gaming, then the wired approach probably sounds less feasible. One potential solution is mesh router systems. A mesh router isn't quite as good as plugging directly into the router, but a wired Ethernet connection from a mesh node to your gaming system will be better than a completely wireless connection. Check your cables While we're talking about the importance of a wired connection -- it's worthwhile to make sure that you're using up-to-date cables that can support today's top internet speeds. Just don't expect them to do much of anything as far as ping is concerned. In fact, during a recent run of speed tests, I tested both a 300Mbps fiber connection and a 50Mbps cable connection using multiple speed-check services at different times of day. I ran each round of tests four times -- once with the laptop connected to the modem via Wi-Fi, and then once again using a wired connection to the modem with each of the three most common types of Ethernet cables: Cat 5, Cat 5e and Cat 6. On both networks, the Cat 6 cable connection returned the highest average download speeds, but the type of cable didn't have a noticeable effect on ping, with all three averaging out to within 2ms of one another. Still, Ethernet cables with the Cat 5e or Cat 6 designation are your clear best bet, as they're made to handle top speeds of up to 1,000 or even 10,000Mbps. Outdated Cat 5 cables aren't designed for speeds higher than 100Mbps, and they don't do as much to prevent interference as signals pass through the copper wiring inside. If you're using cables like that, then it's worth picking up some new ones. Optimize your wireless setup Proper cabling is nice, but maybe you're playing a game on your phone, tablet or another device that can't easily benefit from a wired connection. In that case, upgrading to a better router might be the right play -- but you'll want to make sure that you're getting the most out of your current setup first. To bring our metaphorical data courier back into it, stronger signal strength in your home makes the first and last leg of his journey easier and faster, which can help bring your ping down. To do so, follow the basic best practices for optimizing your network's signal strength. Start by making sure you've got the router in a good, open spot that's free from immediate obstructions. Wi-Fi signals tend to angle downward, so the higher you can get it up off of the floor, the better. The angle of the antennas can make a difference, too. If you can, try staggering them at 45-degree intervals: one straight up, the next diagonal, the next straight back. It might take some experimentation, but you might be able to find a much steadier connection with just a few quick tweaks. Once you've done everything you can to optimize your router's performance, you'll want to run some final speed tests to see how much of a difference your efforts made. If you aren't able to get your ping below 50ms or so for a routine speed check to a server that's within a few hundred miles of you, then it's probably time to upgrade your equipment or internet provider. Is might be time for an equipment upgrade Upgrading to a good gaming router can definitely help, too. Along with fast speeds and powerful processors, most high-end options can prioritize gaming traffic above everything else to help keep your roommate's Netflix binge from slowing you down. Others promise to route your signal on the fastest possible path to whatever server your game is hosted on. That said, you'll want to be sure to understand the other factors in your home that might be affecting things before you spend hundreds on new networking hardware. Final option: Splurge on a new router Like I said, a fancy gaming router can help guarantee that your home's connection is optimized for gaming. If you're thinking about upgrading, start by looking for a feature called Quality of Service. It'll let you tell the router to prioritize gaming traffic above everything else, which comes in handy if you're sharing bandwidth with roommates or family members. CNET recommends the Linksys Velop Pro 6E. It performed the best in terms of overall jitter scores out of all the routers we've tested. Spending hundreds on a high-end gaming router is probably overkill for most people. However, some features could be worth it. Gianmarco Chumbe/James Martin/CNET Most gaming routers are aimed at die-hard gamers willing to spend big on their setups, so they aren't casual investments. Prices for current-gen models typically range from around $150 to as high as $500 or even more. That's a lot to pay for a bit less ping. That's why I'd rather try to improve my home's network conditions with a powerline adapter or, if I'm struggling with something that's at least 5 years old, with a more modest router upgrade.
