A new study from Seattle-based education research organization foundry10 found that 30% of students and teachers surveyed are using AI to help with the college essay and letters of recommendation process.
But while generative AI may help level the playing field by providing students who normally wouldn’t have access to college tutors or advisors, the ethical implications of using these tools are still unclear, at all levels of education.
“This is a huge question in education right now,” said Jennifer Rubin, a senior researcher at foundry10. “What does ethical use of generative AI look like?”
In the study, Rubin found a range in the way students utilized AI. Of the 30% who used generative AI for help on their essays, 50% used it for brainstorming ideas, 48% used it for spelling and grammar checks, 47% had it create an essay outline, 32% used it to generate a first draft, and 20% used it to create a final draft.
“There’s a range of activities and they really vary in regards to ethics as to what use can look like as opposed to questionable use,” Rubin said. “Generating a first essay and final essay draft is the ethically-murky area.”
Brainstorming, spell checking, and outline formation are viewed as more ethical. That’s on par with how a college admissions coach or tutor would help a student in the application process, Rubin said. Yet, it isn’t seen as a valid tool.
“There’s a bias against students who are using ChatGPT to help assist in the college essay writing process,” Rubin said.
That bias is held by students and teachers alike. In this same study, foundry10 polled teachers as well. Around 31% have used generative AI to craft letters of recommendations for students applying to colleges. They viewed their own use of AI as ethical — a timesaver for an increasingly demanding job— but viewed students using AI as unethical.
The difference, Rubin believes, is that when students utilize AI, they are viewed as taking a shortcut and not building necessary skills.
Part of the study included an experiment where people read the same paragraph from a college essay. While the paragraphs stayed the same, the information about how the student wrote the essay changed. One scenario explained the student received assistance from ChatGPT while writing the essay, another stated the student received help from a tutor. The control was a scenario where the student received no help. Participants answered questions about the student who wrote the paragraph.
Across the board, people rated the student who used ChatGPT as less competent, agentic, and likeable. On the other hand, students using a college admissions coach received an average competency rating.
“The generative AI approach was rated as less ethical and less beneficial,” Rubin said. “Surprisingly, participants rated this as more accessible than an admissions coach.”
College admissions tutoring and coaching has been on the rise for the better part of a decade. These for-hire people lay bare the application process and can often steer students in the right direction with their personal essays. They are sounding boards and guides which only those with means can utilize.
Rubin said she was a first-generation college student. The landscape was much different when she applied back in 2002, but it was still daunting for her. “At the time, I didn’t have resources to explore what the admissions cycle looked like and what made a good college essay,” she said. “I can see these [AI] tools as helping students who might not have access to those resources.”
Generative AI, which can be accessed for free via several available online tools, can do some of the work that a college coach could. For instance, Khan Academy last year launched an AI chatbot, Khanmigo, specifically designed to help students think through their college essays.
Rubin clarified that she didn’t believe generative AI would fix all the problems in college admissions. But, it can give students more agency over the process by helping them easily research what colleges match their interests, potential majors, and giving them a tool to help with their essays.
“Generative AI can potentially fill a gap,” Rubin said.
https://ift.tt/l2rUyFg August 21, 2024 at 02:18PM GeekWire
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