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It’s a simple question, asked in a small room in the basement of the Lansing Community College library. “So,” adjunct sociology professor Elizabeth Robison said, “how do you see AI affecting our society right now?”
During the "Sociological POV" podcast moderated by adjunct sociology professor Elizabeth Robison at Lansing Community College, the discussion revolved around the ethical use and social impact of artificial intelligence in society, particularly within the educational sector. LCC student Guutama, 32, emphasized AI's inevitable integration into daily life, affecting interactions, thought processes, and conclusion formation. Patrick Rogers, 37, a Central Michigan University social work student, expressed a pro-AI stance, highlighting its potential to revolutionize teaching by meeting individual learning needs. The conversation then shifted to AI's destructive potential in education. Recent studies indicate a significant global reliance on AI for brainstorming, tutoring, and exam preparation among students, posing challenges for educators in identifying AI-generated work. Professor Santiago Schnell of Dartmouth College suggests that generative AI merely exposes pre-existing issues in education, specifically that traditional assignments often fail to measure genuine learning outcomes. Guutama views AI as destructive if it encourages over-reliance, potentially leading to mental handicaps if students don't use it to challenge their own thinking. Conversely, Rogers, while acknowledging concerns, remains optimistic, believing AI, with its adaptive learning capacity, will evolve to teach effectively. He shared an anecdote about ChatGPT simplifying complex concepts for his 7-year-old son, demonstrating its potential for tailored explanations. Robison then prompted them to consider the relevance of traditional schooling in this new landscape.
Lansing Community College Provost Sally Welch addressed the challenges of detecting AI use in student assignments, noting the unreliability of current AI checker tools. Instead, the college encourages faculty to engage in direct conversations with students suspected of using AI, a method deemed effective but imperfect. Professor Elizabeth Robison revealed her technique for identifying AI use, which often involves spotting specific prompts students might have given to chatbots, such as requests to "make this text more casual" or "sound more human." Despite AI's propensity for error, Robison observed that many students implicitly trust it as an authoritative source of knowledge, often overlooking its capacity to introduce inaccuracies into their work. A study by Inside Higher Ed indicated that students primarily use AI to achieve higher grades and save time, with a concerning disregard for academic integrity policies. Robison expressed concern that this widespread AI use at the high end of academic performance obscures genuine talent, making it difficult to discern who is truly excelling. Consequently, she argued that the role of educators must fundamentally shift, moving beyond mere knowledge dissemination, as AI can access far more information than any individual. The focus for teachers must evolve to foster critical thinking, analysis, and judgment rather than just memorization or information recall.
Both Patrick Rogers and Guutama articulated their apprehension regarding the future trajectory of the conventional education system. Rogers acknowledged that while it's too early to definitively declare traditional education obsolete, the possibility exists. Guutama voiced significant concerns about the broader state of education, including the potential dismantling of federal oversight, and questioned the long-term viability of current career paths and degrees. The proposed solution points towards a fundamental redesign of educational approaches. Professor Robison shared a personal experience of feeling deceived by an artist she later suspected was an AI, reflecting a growing societal frustration. She also highlighted widespread dissatisfaction among students, families, and teachers, coupled with a perception that communities inadequately support the education system while simultaneously blaming schools for broader societal issues. Robison stressed the imperative for systemic change to uphold an equitable society, a goal she believes public education was originally designed to serve. In response to these challenges, LCC is actively adapting by providing faculty with three distinct policy options for AI use in courses: outright prohibition, permitted use with mandatory citation, or full integration with citation. During the fall term, most instructors opted for either complete prohibition or permitted use with citation. LCC also invests in professional development, hosting keynote speakers and panel discussions on AI's role in teaching. The Academic Senate has mandated divisions to present on their AI integration strategies, and a faculty fellow is dedicated to assisting instructors with AI. The national discourse, Welch noted, primarily centers on equipping students with AI skills for the workforce, and leveraging AI to cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, ultimately viewing AI as an additional valuable tool for both teaching and learning.