That tempter of old has crept again into the garden offering forbidden knowledge, knowledge unearned and undeserved, once again.
Tony Wan writes a wonderful article on the subject of AI, covering key points we must all remember as we rush to bite the apple from the tree of knowledge, forbidden fruit.
It doesn’t offer any real answers to the question of AI in schools short circuiting and potentially atrophying student’s critical thinking. That aside, it is worth reading, especially this point:
When groundbreaking technologies enter schools, old skills and habits make way for new ones. Some we may not miss much, like cursive handwriting. Other conveniences come at a cost: Typing on keyboards has largely replaced writing by hand, even though research shows the latter is better for memory and learning (and for carpal dexterity). Reading in print improves comprehension more than digital text, even though our eyes are fixated on screens these days.
So what do we gain and lose when students use artificial intelligence to write?
via Tony Wan’s EdSurge article, What Do We Gain and Lose When Students Use AI to Write?
Alas, I have made my way back to cursive writing, reading in print, an old man doddering among the ruins of yesteryear, and it is bliss to slow my mind down. Perhaps, that is the result of AI, an accelerated movement to a stunning conclusion that forces us back to basics, an ejection from the digital paradise.