Stop Telling Students They Are CHEATING by Using AI

Here’s a scenario:

You are walking through a college campus to a class you are late for because you just came off of your morning shift. You have been working since 5AM. You can’t be late again, or you will fail the entire course due to policies in place. You start to run. Suddenly, the sidewalk juts into the opposite direction of the door to the building you need to get to… because it was designed to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye (mostly for those campus tours and board members). What do you do?

A. You continue on the sidewalk set before you

B. You walk on the grass directly to the door

I can tell you right now, I would be all over that grass. But why?

I believe that cutting corners… whether crossing the “don’t walk on the grass” field instead of using the pavement… to using brainpower to figure out how to maximize a new tool vs. do things the more difficult route… is a biological mechanism.

And I believe that whether we choose A or B in this scenario has nothing to do with us being “good” or “bad” or “rule followers” or “cheaters”… it has everything to do with VALUES, within the circumstances.

Why are we still talking about how to prevent students from doing something so “natural” vs. talking about why they don’t feel working through an assignment fully to learn about content is valuable anymore???

In my time in higher ed, students told me their pain points. Students are frustrated. And understandably so. While the world has rapidly evolved alongside technology over the past few decades, the systematic treatment of learning has not.

Therefore, even though more students than ever now work full-time, push themselves to be that much more competitive in a workforce ill-prepared to help them succeed, have personally witnessed leadership and the mega-rich cut their own corners to shoot like a rocket into the stratosphere while others struggle to buy eggs…today’s students have concluded that “getting the grade” is the ultimate goal… not learning. Just “get that diploma” which even entry-level jobs require. Just “do whatever is necessary” to stay afloat financially, which grades often influence for those using grants and scholarships.

I would propose students’ have shifted their value systems because they don’t feel their educations are actually valuable… they are just means to an end. We are still asking students to work through courses, content, subjects, which do not contribute to their success in their fields, careers, and lifestyles. We aren’t SHOWING them the value of the requirements of the degree. The WHY behind the ask.

In a previous life, I was an academic advisor for Construction Management and Engineering students. Part of my job was to build their first schedules… which ended up being mostly Liberal Arts courses (courses outside of their major disciplines). I ALWAYS explained the why.

I explained to the CM students: You will want to be able to throw out quotes and anecdotes during networking events with potential clients, which you can only gain through the humanities. These memorable stories will help you stand out from your competition.

I explained to my Engineering students: The same elements you use in your math, science and engineering courses will be enhanced through your understanding of art and writing. We are all taking a large block of a substance and whittling it away to make something beautiful and something that is uniquely our own. Being well-rounded will make you a better innovator.

I bet you that this sort of approach for students is rare. No one is helping them see the BENEFITS of learning thoroughly byt using their problem solving and high-level coginitive abilities as part of the greater whole of their lives. Instead they are being threatened with punishment by not innately believing in the system which feels was created to make them fail vs. succeed.

So educators, before you point fingers at a generation. Maybe try to use some empathy and understanding into their motivations, their experiences, and the outcomes gained from their choices.

LinkedIn Post (with original Essay)

Original Substack Post

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