AI in school improves grades, but it impairs learning; what can be done?
When a student asks ChatGPT, Gemini, or any other artificial intelligence to do a task for them, they are not cheating the teacher, the school, or the university: they are cheating themselves.
A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania revealed that the more AI is used in this way, the worse the learning results of young people, as their ability to discern and understand concepts is atrophied.
From the 'copialina' to the emergence of the internet, students have never had such a sophisticated tool, capable of generating personalized texts and assignments simply by writing a 'good prompt ', that is, a very detailed order of what is needed.
Continuing to use AI in this way will transform us from a great tool to support us in learning more and better into mental sluggards , discouraged by genuine learning. According to experts, the frustration inherent in the process of not understanding a problem, of trial and error, must be maintained, as this is an essential component of cognitive development. AI, by offering instant solutions, can curtail this valuable experience.
Nicholas Carr, an American technology and business writer, warns that when software is used to automate a task, three scenarios can occur: the skill in that activity improves, it atrophies, or it simply never develops.
And this would primarily affect students on their way to becoming professionals in a field of knowledge.
The risk increases with the continued use of artificial intelligence. It's undeniable that generative AI is a great aid for improving performance in specific tasks, but its overreliance can lead to a reduction in the frequency of human task performance. In the medium and long term, this translates into a deterioration of skills.
The big concern is that today's students will be tomorrow's professionals. Professionals who, while mastering an AI algorithm, may lack a deep understanding of the underlying processes.
Today, students are using AI for everything from reading and writing texts and content to summarizing concepts and discerning relevant information. These are fundamental tasks for daily life and the development of critical thinking that we are entrusting to AI, impacting the foundations of learning.
The 2024 University of Pennsylvania study found that “access to ChatGPT significantly improves grades, but removing access to the technology results in students performing worse than those who never had it.” This paradox highlights the disturbing reality that AI doesn’t foster learning, but rather the “illusion of learning.” If students fail to acquire essential basic skills due to their reliance on AI, their ability to even take advantage of this technology will also be compromised.
How to use it?- You must first thoroughly understand the problem before consulting AI. Try to solve it first.
- Don't ask for a complete solution. It's better to ask the AI for explanations of concepts and clarifications on specific errors.
- Use AI to provide clues . Treat AI as a tutor that provides guidance.
- Verify and understand the AI's responses. Don't just copy and paste, but analyze the logic behind the information provided.
- Don't rely on AI for basic tasks. Reading, summarizing, group discussions, searching for sources, corroborating, and writing—this avoids stunting fundamental skills.
- Practice without AI regularly. Have study sessions where no AI tool is used to assess your true level of understanding.
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