Chapman students, faculty evaluate artificial intelligence use in the classroom
The rapidly evolving nature of generative AI has brought both its benefits and problems for those attending and working at Chapman University. Photo collage by EMILY PARIS, Photo Editor
Artificial intelligence is a buzzword in this day and age. When referring to AI models that produce content based on user inputs, it is most often referring to generative AI. Generative AI is commonly defined as machine learning tools that utilize analysis of existing images, videos, sounds and text to generate new forms of content based on what a user inputs. Generative AI models have seen a prominent rise in the public conscience in the present decade, championed by models such as Chat GPT and Midjourney.
This has filtered down to various aspects of daily life, especially for students and faculty at Chapman University. The university has gone so far as to create a hub that can address various questions and concerns about generative AI in a classroom environment.
Generative AI carries with it many ethical considerations, especially within a higher education environment.
“One of the things that we emphasize in the Leatherby Libraries’ student-focused workshops and programs is the concept of AI literacy,” said Douglas Dechow, the assistant dean for research and data services, and Taylor Green, the chair of research and instructional services. “AI literacy is about understanding the fundamentals of how AI works and can be used so that students can critically engage with these tools from an informed position.”
Presently, Chapman has recommendations on how professors address the use of generative AI in their syllabi. It recommends that instructors make it clear what uses of generative AI are acceptable and what are not, but notably states that not permitting any use of AI at all is not recommended. The university states that AI is already present in students’ lives, which may include how they write, study and learn in ways that instructors won’t immediately understand.
“Most technologies bring new challenges and concerns along with benefits. Because tools like ChatGPT can be used to generate essays and answer homework questions, there’s an ongoing campus discussion around issues of plagiarism and assignments that are challenging for an AI to complete.”
Chapman also advises students about what information should and should not be put into generative AI. Rather than shying away from generative AI altogether, Chapman instead seeks to push for a responsible usage of it. Chapman acknowledges that while students can reduce or restrict the usage of AI and avoid it in their personal lives, it is a growing technology whose presence in the world is unlikely to be reduced anytime soon.
“The problem with using AI to assist in writing or to, God forbid, ‘finish’ other people's works is that this data is entered into the algorithm forever,” said creative writing major Aaron Grossmann. “A writer asking for how to finish a sentence that enters the paragraph leading up to it to provide context is also allowing the algorithm to endlessly mix and remix that exact same paragraph forever.”
Luciana Paventy, a junior creative writing major who is minoring in graphic design, spoke on her thoughts about AI being used in the fields of art and graphic design.
“It is hard for me to justify a way in which AI can be used ethically and beneficially within art and graphic design,” Paventy said. “I try to avoid it at all costs. However, if required of me, it can be useful in the research stage of graphic design.”
Chapman also has various recommendations on how AI can be used responsibly within the classroom. However, it also includes considerations on what the basis of the information gathered from AI is. While generative models have received much attention for their growing capabilities, it is worth mentioning that they are not flawless and that their answers should still be put under careful examination.
“AI is taking away from the creative thought process that everyone's body naturally goes through every moment of the day,” Paventy said. “It allows for art to be developed with the click of a button, which is not only threatening to jobs within the art world, but it also limits the joy we can receive from art.”
“Art created by human hands portrays all kinds of emotions and different people will resonate with different pieces. However, with AI, you can lean on someone else’s knowledge to create art and design, taking away the impact it can provide”
Despite all of this, there is still conflict among educators and students alike as to whether or not this approach to AI is ideal. While it keeps students informed about generative AI and provides them with ways to avoid harmful uses of it, the ethics of even permitting AI at all come under question in certain circumstances.
“These algorithms have already scraped whatever public writing they can access, and there are plenty of foolish individuals who have taken other people's work and entered it into these databases without the original author's permission,” Grossmann said. “A.I. is a helpful tool, but it is not a true creator or originator, and it cannot think through a work the same way that a genuine human writer can at this moment in time.”
Writers and artists in the industry have especially pushed back against generative AI models since they pose a growing threat to their livelihoods. For Chapman students as well, AI can both be a help and a hindrance to their current education and future career paths.
“I think that although the university is doing its best to provide ethical uses on AI, as well as staying up to date on the technology, I strongly believe its use in class should be avoided,” Paventy said. “I see a lot of professors attempting to incorporate AI into their lesson plans as a way to familiarize students with the ‘allowed’ ways to use AI, but in my opinion, this only further perpetuates the dangers of AI and allows it to work its way into more aspects of our lives.”