ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
I N T H E C L A S S R O O M
PALMER TRINITY SCHOOL IS PURPOSEFULLY AND INTENTIONALLY INTEGRATING AI TO ENRICH OUR
CLASSROOMS AND EMPOWER OUR STUDENTS.
BY A DR I A NN A T R UBY, A C A DEMIC DE A N A ND G U S S A B O G A L , DIR E C T OR OF T E C HNOL O G Y
Building on a history of balancing innovative and traditional
instruction, we've long utilized AI tools like ALEKS, IXL,
No Red Ink, and Khan Academy to personalize learning,
well before the widespread emergence of large language
models such as ChatGPT. At PTS, we distinguish these
established AI resources, which enhance learning in
specific subjects, from a source such as ChatGPT, a tool
often used by students for tasks like summarizing and
writing. Broadly speaking, AI has already been a valuable
part of PTS' educational landscape for some time.
As an educator, I find the speed at which new AI
educational tools emerge is simultaneously fascinating
and dizzying. The truth is that there is no clear or agreed
upon path forward. To illustrate the point, let's consider a
few articles published over the last three years: In Stephen
Marche's December 2022 article in The Atlantic, "The
College Essay is Dead" he argues, among other points,
that the rise of large language models like ChatGPT may
inevitably make the need for humanities teachers obsolete
and the proficiency of writing skills seem superfluous.
By July 2023, the Harvard Graduate School of Education
presented a very different sentiment on the role of AI in the
article "Embracing Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom,"
by Elizabeth M. Ross in which she urges educators to
acknowledge the widespread use of these tools by students
and to recognize the tools' potential to enhance teaching.
The takeaway here: appropriate application of AI tools
sparks students' imagination, leading to deeper and more
meaningful learning experiences. More recently, the August
2024 Edutopia article "Why I'm Banning AI in the Classroom
this Year," by Andrew Boryga highlights the pessimism
and growing frustration among teachers regarding the
misuse of AI where students take short cuts, plagiarize,
and submit AI-generated content as their own work.
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