By: Kat Littfin

Editorial Editor

Like nearly every secondary and post-secondary school across the country, Los Gatos High School has to deal with the onslaught of challenges that come with the increased use and commonality of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. With ChatGPT’s release in 2022, generative AI has become easily accessible. With AI’s growth, teachers have different approaches to regulating it in the classroom.

AI integrity violations tend to disproportionately affect English classes. English coursework encourages students to hone their writing, reading, and editing skills. Many teachers feel as though students who use AI in place of completing writing assignments themselves undermine their learning. In turn, teachers have resorted to using AI detection tools, including Turnitin and GPTZero, to catch students’ generative AI usage. Other teachers have also increased their in-class writing or changed their curricula in other ways to avoid cheating via AI. Brian Schunk–who teaches Philosophy and Ethics and AP Literature–has minimally adjusted his curriculum, explaining: “I don’t want to give up on assignments that I believe are interesting, challenging, and worthwhile learning opportunities just because students might be able to use AI to complete them. If I have to assign work that is less valuable for my students just to make cheating more difficult, then I’m doing a disservice to the students who do their work honestly. My job is to provide the best learning opportunities I can and then support my students in their efforts.” 

AI affects more than just the English department. AP Psychology teacher Chris Chiodo remarked that in terms of AI, she was concerned initially, noting that “[not using] AI involves a lot of self-control as a teenager– and self-control is not something teenagers possess in large quantities because their brains and thus their cognitive abilities aren’t fully developed yet.” Marcy Cooper echoed this sentiment, as she has noticed lower test scores on her exams in AP US Government that largely require critical thinking. She attributed these scores to students’ increased usage of AI tools. Additionally, AP Biology teacher Cathy Messenger noted that, at first, tools like ChatGPT were not very accurate when it came to AP Biology concepts, but AI search engines have since become more effective. “I don’t really want to change a lot,” Messenger said regarding her curriculum. She assigns many CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) writing assignments, which she has continued to do because of feedback from former students who have largely agreed that the CERs are valuable to their learning. When AI violations became a concern for these writings, Messenger adjusted her grading: “What I’m doing is really tightening up if people are not citing references when I’m seeing statements being made that are beyond what we covered in class.” 

Many teachers know their longstanding curricula benefit students, so they must find resourceful ways to prevent or deter AI use while still maintaining their worthwhile assignments. AI is difficult to deal with and regulate, but LGHS teachers and administrators are working hard to find solutions.