In my previous article, I explored the emotional responses of faculty to the introduction of Generative AI (GenAI) into our educational setting. These reactions, ranging from apprehension to excitement, underscored the profound impact this technology could have on teaching and learning. Understanding these diverse perspectives was crucial for moving the conversation forward.
Recognizing the complex nature of this undertaking, I partnered with a respected English teacher known for his critical perspective on technology. This collaboration was essential. His insights provided a valuable counterpoint, ensuring a balanced approach and demonstrating to the faculty that our exploration of GenAI was thoughtful and comprehensive, not a rush to implementation. This partnership fostered trust and underscored our commitment to thoroughly understanding GenAI before establishing policies, guidelines, or student implementation strategies.
This collaborative spirit and shared values guided our next step: utilizing case studies to ground discussions about GenAI’s impact. While teachers naturally share anecdotes and experiences, we wanted to move beyond storytelling to a more structured and analytical approach. We developed case studies that presented realistic dilemmas arising from GenAI use in the classroom. Each case study began with a “setup,” a short vignette describing a specific scenario, followed by a series of thought-provoking questions designed to stimulate discussion and critical thinking.
Below is an example:
Example 1: For Teachers
A social studies student used ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas, organize their thoughts, and develop ideas for a project. The student is using GenAI as a thought partner. However, subsequent work on the project and any work turned in to the teacher for a grade will be done without any direct Generative AI usage. In other words, the student chooses their own words based on the ideas that they have developed with the AI thought partner. So far, this student’s teacher has been silent on whether using AI is authorized at any point in the process.
The dilemma:
- What are the pros and cons of this approach from the student’s point of view?
- What are the pros and cons of this approach from the teacher’s point of view?
- To what extent is the student “cheating” on the finished project turned into the teacher? To what extent should the student disclose what ideas came from GenAI?
- How would the student know where their brain ended and AI began?
- To what extent is the student diminishing their educational experience by relying on GenAI for their ideas?
- To what extent is the student gaining new perspectives by going to GenAI for their ideas, and what is the student gaining?
- What is the role of the teacher in trying to support the student in understanding what is lost and what is gained?
We developed eight case studies for teachers representing various perspectives and challenges related to GenAI in education. We emphasized that these were human-generated scenarios, subject to imperfections, and reiterated the importance of respectful dialogue, referencing our initial conversations about shared values and diverse viewpoints. We divided the faculty into interdepartmental groups, allowing teachers to share discipline-specific experiences and insights. Each group was given approximately twenty minutes to discuss as many scenarios as possible.
When you read the setup for the dilemma, you, the reader, should be able to see where this situation originated and either recognize part of your own experience or understand the situation from another perspective. This approach was necessary because we wanted the educators speaking about these issues to understand we have a common goal: helping students navigate this new technological landscape while we, as professionals, are trying to come to terms with this disruption.
The faculty feedback was immediate and insightful. One teacher observed, “These questions aren’t just about Generative AI; they reflect complex issues we’ve grappled with for years.” This observation resonated deeply and highlighted a crucial point: Many concerns surrounding GenAI are not unique to this technology. They are fundamental questions about education that educators have long pondered but often lack the time to address amidst the demands of daily teaching.
Example 2: For Parents
Setup for the dilemma: Your child has an essay due for English class and is struggling to get started. They tell you they will use ChatGPT to brainstorm suggestions but will write the rest of the paper independently. If you are hesitant about the strategy, ask them how long they have struggled to develop ideas. They tell you they have only been working for a few minutes but just want to finish.
Dilemma:
- To what extent should you encourage your student to struggle to develop ideas for their English paper?
- To what extent should they rely on ChatGPT to generate ideas for them?
- To what extent do you encourage them to speak with their teacher to help them brainstorm ideas?
- To what extent should students report their use of ChatGPT to the teacher when submitting their work?
We replicated this experience using case studies for parents. We offered a workshop under a structure in place for parents to learn about technology to support their children at home. We have heard from community members that they did not know what to do at home and wanted to know how we approached Generative AI in schools. Again, before diving into a solution, we wanted parents to understand the challenges and obstacles we were all facing in the classroom and at home. Through the case studies, parents could see themselves in them and share their experiences at home. They were able to articulate their fears and concerns relating to GenAI and how they feel the school could partner with them. The meeting was not solutions-based but one in which we explored our questions and how to address them together.
Through these conversations with the teachers and parents, we can now leverage Generative AI to do a few things for us:
- Teachers can use Generative AI to do some “busy work.” I use this term very carefully. Unfortunately, in a world where teachers are undervalued, we must be cautious about what we describe as busy work. The Center of Teacher and Learning at North Michigan University has a resource that helps teachers with this approach. The most important part of what a teacher does is make connections with their students so they can learn and grow. They must decide what they can allow Generative AI to do for them so they can maximize their time with students.
- Give us time to focus on the tough questions regarding our education structures. We have been “doing school” the same way for too long. Generative AI will not replace teachers, which is my first point. However, we can use it as the catalyst for conversations to do things differently.
- It is time to change teaching and learning processes to align with our values. Generative AI might allow teachers to explore their future assessment strategies or new depths of learning that they may not have felt comfortable with in the past. They could look at their curriculums and standards and use Generative AI to leverage some of what they think students have learned and enhance or challenge them in new ways that they did not initially feel possible.
- Can we advance education beyond how we traditionally know it today? Generative AI will allow us to ask deep and meaningful questions about why and how we do what we do. Is the subject-specific approach and bell ringing still right for the world we live in today? These are the tough questions we can try to answer. We will not use GenAI to answer them; instead, we will ask it to give us the space to have these conversations.
These possibilities will unfold with time and a deeper understanding of GenAI. Our current focus on asking questions and seeking contextually appropriate answers, exemplified by our use of case studies, is essential. Cultivating a shared understanding of GenAI’s impact on our school community will pave the way for informed decision-making and effective implementation. This approach may not be universally applicable, but it reflects our commitment to a thoughtful and collaborative exploration of this transformative technology.
About the author
Meredith Dutra has been an educator for over fifteen years and is currently the technology integration specialist at Scarsdale High School. Before joining Scarsdale High School in the fall of 2019, she was a classroom social studies teacher and K-12 STEM coordinator. Meredith’s career allows her to see education differently, involving planning, implementation, and action. She is passionate about embedding real-world applications in the classroom that students can use beyond their K-12 experience. She realizes the need for in-depth media literacy, including artificial intelligence, and has made it one of her top priorities for students and teachers today. In 2023, Meredith won the Lower Hudson Regional Information Center award for Outstanding Innovative Educator for her work in supporting teachers and students through their exploration of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Meredith has a master’s in instructional technology from Pace University and an M.A. in educational leadership from Bank Street Graduate School of Education in New York City.
