Artificial Intelligence continues to make waves on college campuses around the country with Southern Maine Community College being no exception. Constant conversations and research into the capabilities of AI point to its position at the forefront of our collective consciousness. Many opinions circulate about what constitutes ethical use in education and in response Colleges and Universities are attempting to come together to form governing policy surrounding AI in schools. At the moment however, decisions around AI and academics are like the “wild wild west,” highly discretionary and highly individual to the institution. 

The question of how to control a volatile and rapidly advancing technology is not an easy one. Especially when extreme anti AI policies threaten to erode trust between students and teachers. AI has changed the landscape of learning by allowing immediate access to answers without the necessary context or supporting knowledge found through research. The arduous process of doing research and creating mental connections is what truly constitutes learning, not immediate conglomerate answers regurgitated by a computerized brain.

“The idea that we panic about it right now is a little extreme because artificial intelligence is not new” says Kate Sibole, the department chair of the Communications and New Media department at SMCC. Kate kindly agreed to meet with me on her lunch break to share her thoughts on the current landscape of AI in schools. “It’s the fact that it’s hitting [education] with the one two punch of student [and] teacher impact” she said, that has her worried. Kate describes that on the one hand there’s the “very distinct difference […] between learning and information” and on the other, there is the integrity of student teacher relationships; “if we tell students you absolutely may not use AI, are we trusting them?” “I really want students to take away the ability to connect with others and [the knowledge] that learning is very different than just looking at information.” Throughout our conversation the importance of understanding and recognizing “the truth” kept surfacing in combination with the inevitability that AI will only continue to gain ground within education. “Maybe part of enrolling AI into education is teaching and learning how to find the truth,” she said. The burden of forming strong ethics and habits surrounding the use of AI has fallen largely on school boards and faculty. According to Kate, this development only reinforces the importance of teaching students how to research properly, how to identify truth from falsehood and how to form their own opinions based on their findings. “I think what’s kind of scary for teachers now is we’ve come from such a different version of getting information” she said. “We have those experiences of having like 10 different books laid out on the table and digging through and finding those connections,” an experience that is arguably less necessary and far less common today. 

“It’s at least once a week that a teacher will email me like what do I do” she said when asked how big of an issue AI is for teachers at the school. At the time of our conversation the college had just issued some new policy surrounding AI. Artificial Intelligence policy gives “those [necessary] guide rails” to colleges and provides ways for students and teachers to “work together” while not shying away from the fact that “this is a thing that exists.”. “I think it could create more equity especially for students with disabilities” she remarked, ending with the statement; “I just don’t want to lose that human connection, that’s where the real learning is.” 

Our conversation ended with the cryptically humorous statement; “I’m glad I’m not 23 anymore” alluding to the growing difficulty she sees young people facing in the ever changing landscape of modern technology. More access does not always mean more freedom, especially when it comes to AI. However, the proposed benefits may outweigh the risks if we can work together to form a balanced and ethical relationship with AI that promotes deep and genuine learning.