I do agree with the assigned article regarding writing and learning in a world with rapidly
advancing technology such as AI. Despite my initial skepticism about the statement that writing
can make you smarter, I absolutely see the benefit that learning to write can have to improve
critical thinking skills. That being said, all people learn in different ways; some learn best by
doing, others by reading or observing, and still others by listening or talking things through with
peers. Are we to say that those who struggle with translating their thoughts and ideas to words
written on paper cannot be as smart as those who are more naturally equipped to do so? There is
definitely advantage to learning and developing this valuable skill of writing well, but I do not
think “perfecting it”, as argued by Morgan Housel in the article (Stillman, 2023), is the best way
for everyone to improve their own intellect.
I personally have used ChatGPT, mostly to experiment with what it can offer. I do think it
can be used well as a tool for brainstorming ideas, checking grammar and spelling, and providing
relevant information. It can also be an accessibility tool for neurodiverse learners. I have thought
a lot about how AI such as ChatGPT is a tool akin to calculators. In primary school we were
often told that we needed to learn the core skills and concepts of mathematics because we would
not always have a calculator in our pockets. Now that we do have those calculators in our
pockets, Chen (2023) states that “… it has not resulted in the removal of basic mathematical
computation from the curriculum: Students still know how to do long division and calculate
exponents without technological assistance.” Chen (2023) also notes that it has been argued “by
no longer requiring mastery of proficiency… AI may actually raise the bar.” Just as we had to
learn how and when to do our work both with and without calculators, so will we have to learn
the same with AI.
With new technology comes risk, reward, and sometimes even paradigm shifts. I believe
that the best defense against the pitfalls of AI use in writing and education is a good offense. If
used appropriately as a tool or a resource, with proper acknowledgement and edification of its
flaws, AI could be significant to improving educational outcomes for many learners. One way it
can be used as a tool is when it is provided information and assists the user mostly with
formatting or enhancing the quality of something that already exists. I think this is the case for
our cover letters and resumes. Later assignments appear to require more of those critical thinking
and analytical skills, and the goal of those is to showcase development of those skills from what
we are learning in this class. Using AI for those purposes would be ineffective and would not
allow for students to show growth or achievement of these goals.
References
Chen, C. (2023, March 9). AI Will Transform Teaching and Learning. Let’s Get it Right.
https://hai.stanford.edu/news/ai-will-transform-teaching-and-learning-lets-get-it-right
Stillman, J. (2023, April 10). Why Learning to Write Well Is Still Important in the Age of A.I.
Inc.Com. https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/why-learning-to-write-well-is-still-important-inage-of-ai.html