As artificial intelligence begins to reshape our world, it is also reaching into the classroom.
Leading educator Dr. Jonathan Strecker of Valley School of Ligonier has written “Emergence: How Modern Convenience is Dumbing Down Our Children and What Parents and Schools Can Do About It.”
In his book, Strecker contends we’re facing a wave of what he calls “fake intelligence.”
“Fake intelligence is the idea that children seek out completion of an assignment rather than developing competence within the assignment,” Strecker told CBN News.
He also argues students often turn to artificial intelligence to skip the struggle of completing schoolwork.
“A child may be asked to do a book report. Well, they can easily get on AI now. AI can read that book in just a matter of seconds. It can produce a report even at their age level so that if they’re in sixth grade, they can say, ‘Give me a report at a sixth-grade level, and make it sound like me,'” Strecker explained.
Science shows the brain grows and changes most when people actively problem-solve and complete difficult tasks repeatedly, through a process called neuroplasticity.
Strecker said, “It’s in that moment of struggle that your brain primes itself for deep learning. And this is why we have to be careful that as teachers and parents, we’re not satisfied with completion of an assignment. It’s the competence that the child is developing along the way.”
When AI does the heavy lifting, Strecker said it can inhibit a child’s thinking skills.
“When we think about developing our own intelligence, it’s not just intellect; we’re not just walking around as rational beings all the time. We have connections with other people. We have emotions that we feel how other people feel. This is where I think we need to switch up as schools and parents to really focus on these core values of what it means to be human rather than just try to compete all out with AI on intellect. I think we can use AI as a benefit to us intellectually but not lose our humanity in the process,” Strecker commented.
Strecker recommends parents use a simple three-step process when navigating AI school assignments.
“The first thing is to pause,” Strecker said. “Do not just immediately put something into ChatGPT and ask it to create. So, what I mean by pause is have your child put down what they already know, create the first draft, write it out, struggle.”
Strecker added, “The second part is you have to use it purposefully. So, if you say, ‘Write my essay,’ it’ll do exactly that. But the better way is to say, ‘Hey, please review what I have just written. Give me advice for what I could add,’ and let the AI act as a tutor without just completing it for you. And third, you have to go back and proof what you’ve done.”
Meanwhile, Strecker maintains he is not anti-AI, just cautious about over-relying on it.
“If we don’t use it the right way, I have grave concerns. I am pro-human development, and that’s where I think our focus needs to be,” said Strecker.
