On November 30, 2022, OpenAI launched the first model of ChatGPT.

The premise is simple: a user types in a prompt, ChatGPT scans the internet, and then assembles an answer. Chatbots, generative AI models similar to ChatGPT, have kickstarted an AI revolution across the internet. Many chatbots have found their way into schools and, as such, have caused controversy. This is especially true in the English classrooms of NUHS teachers Mrs. Nelson, Mr. Van Leeuwe, and Mrs. Marlow.

For the NUHS English department, the core of all AI policy and problems is student originality. “We want to know what your thoughts, abilities, and skills are and what your own interpretations are and to demonstrate your own analysis and critical thinking,” Mr. Van Leeuwe said. “So most of us generally frown on using ChatGPT because what happens is you feed it a question and it spits out an answer and you just copy and paste it and put your name on the top and hand it in.” Mrs. Marlow added that AI “makes the shortcut to cheating even easier.”

While similar to problems caused by phones, the answer on whether to integrate AI into the classroom remains uncertain. Mrs. Nelson said that the English Department has talked about incorporating AI into the curriculum, like the Freshman email presentations, but the question of originality comes back. “Is [AI] really an interesting tool? Absolutely it is. But I’d rather see the student’s own work with paper and pencil,” Mrs. Nelson said. Mr. Van Leeuwe said, “If I was asking you just to study or learn about something. … That would be one avenue … you learning as opposed to [a student saying] ‘I’m pretending that I wrote this’ and they didn’t.” For Mrs. Marlow, “there is a fine line between using it for idea generation … vs having it create something for you without any original thought.”

While many are nervous about the future of academic integrity, the teachers believe the future is in good hands. “What they say is today, AI is the worst it is going to be. It’s only going to get better,” Mrs. Marlow said.

Mrs. Nelson said, “Year after year, students amaze me with their ability to see through all the baloney, for lack of a different word. I have great faith in what the future brings. Your generation is going to be the one that is going to tell me what to do with it because I’ll just keep giving you paper and pencils and going from there. And you all get to tell me how this can be a really good thing.” 

*As the digital age reshapes the landscape of education, the story of NUHS’s engagement with AI reflects a broader narrative unfolding across classrooms worldwide. It’s a tale of tension between innovation and tradition, where educators grapple with the promises and pitfalls of technological advancement. Yet, amidst the debate, one principle remains steadfast: the quest for authentic learning experiences that cultivate curiosity, critical thinking, and genuine creativity. As NUHS teachers chart a course forward, they exemplify a commitment to nurturing not just minds, but also the ethical compasses of tomorrow’s leaders. In the evolving narrative of education, the closing chapter is yet unwritten, but with each deliberation and decision, NUHS and institutions like it shape a narrative that embraces both the brilliance of human ingenuity and the possibilities of artificial intelligence.*