Survey Responses Part 5
COALITION UTAH asked State Board 7 candidates about AI & TECH-DEPENDENT LEARNING. Here's what they had to say...
AI & Tech Dependent Learning - 10
A) What is your opinion on teachers’ and students’ use of AI tools becoming the “new norm” in education?
B) If you are generally supportive of AI in schools, why? If not, why not?
C) Will you commit to votes & policy positions that are consistent with your answer?
A) I’m opposed to AI being the norm in education. Buying into all the new ideas and technologies that come along has given us the poor education outcomes that we now see.
B) I’d like to see all Utah K-12 students receive a Classical Education.
C) I commit to votes and policy that move us back to education outcomes that have worked in the past.
A) I am hesitant when it comes to using AI in schools. We are embarking in newly charted territories. I don’t like the idea of students using chatGPT.
B) Researchers say that using Al will impede with development of important and essential skills, such as critical thinking and problem solving. This will have negative affects in our students’ academic and life-long success. There is also a bias when using AI. Just ask how many genders there are!
C) I will absolutely commit to vote on policy positions that are consistent with my concerns.
A) All Software, All Software…is completely dependent upon the integrity, ideology, objectivity and HONESTY of those who create it. (This includes election software and programmers fyi.)
B) If you want to have an AI class as an elective that could be beneficial potentially.
C) [Not provided]
A) While AI is remarkable and not going away, teachers need to be extremely careful in how they implement this tool in their classroom, and cognizant about the age group they are teaching and whether the use of AI is appropriate or not. For example, I do not allow the sixth graders I teach to use AI when formulating claim and evidence writing because it is crucial that they can provide reasoning to back up their argument and understand what makes their writing strong or weak and not regurgitate what an AI tool can produce.
B) [Not provided]
C) [Not provided]
A) AI is a tool, not a be all, that ends all. In 1979, when I was in high school taking AP Calculus we were not allowed to use the new thing, the TI-30 or even the basic function calculator. We were learning slide rule calculus without a slide rule. As an AP Teacher in both Precalculus and previously Physics, I have taught my students how to use the calculator for the calculator portions to the fullest. Yet, I taught them the foundation of how do to the math and physics without a calculator for the non-calculator portion.
In real life they will use a caluclator, the more effective they are at the conceptual learning, the better the calculator will be as a tool, but I must teach them the tool as well as the math.
B) The same with AI. AI has wonderful aspects and potential, but the better the knowledge, the better it will be used as a tool. It is going to be a tool in the coming world. Great for research or just learning or answering questions for the curious query. Indexes we used in libraries are now at the touch of a smart device. It will find what is available out there in seconds. It has its down side too. We need to teach students how to avoid those downsides and to use AI in an ethical manner. Once again the schools answering the bell to social issues.
Let’s not be caught as those who were convinced the calculator would make math student dumb, on the contrary the calculator has allowed me to teach concepts better and more in depth than my AP Calculus teacher was allowed to teach me.
C) [Not provided]
A) I think we need to be extremely careful with the use of AI in schools. I don’t see us getting entirely away from it, but I think there need to be careful parameters put into place with it.
B) I don’t have all of the answers for using AI in the classroom. I think this is one place that the more input from as many stakeholders as possible will allow for more informed decisions and better policies
C) [Not provided]
AI & Tech Dependent Learning - 11
Utah’s schools universally offer students 1-to-1 devices, and the bulk of instruction and curriculum is being delivered through Chromebooks, increasing students’ daily screentime to unprecedented levels.
A) Do you believe that schools should be required to offer students tech-free options as a learning alternative in courses that are not tech-specific (e.g., computer programming, word processing, etc.)? Why or why not?
B) Will you commit to votes & policy positions that are consistent with your answer?
A)I believe tech-free options for learning should be provided for all students. To protect from data-mining, insure student privacy and protect them from harmful websites.
B) I would vote to ensure tech free options.
A) I believe schools should be required to offer students tech free options. I have personally seen my kids struggle with doing homework (especially math) and watching lessons on chrome books. It is so hard to monitor kids on chrome books to make sure they are staying focused and on task. Math especially should be completed with paper and pencil. Studies have shown that when students write with paper and pencil it improves material retention and comprehension.
I’ve been reading the book Glow Kids and the studies are alarming and data shows that schools need to “radically” reduce screen time in schools so kids can develop both the attention and the ability to think. Our children deserve the quality education we received. I am very passionate about drastically reducing the amount of time our kids are using a chrome book in school. There are dozens of studies supporting
parents’ efforts and reasoning to ditch the chrome books and go back to pencil and paper.
B) A thousand percent, YES!
A) For sure! If you’re not going to get rid of it all together the option should absolutely be available to the student at the parents request again parental control should be at the forefront of this decision as all others.
Parent can read a textbook and see what their children are learning not necessarily so with the Chromebook.
B) [Not provided]
A) This is the point I have most consistently talked about in my conversations with SCC members. I am extremely concerned at not only the time spent on devices, but the types of learning programs that provide immediate stimuli and don’t promote higher levels of learning or critical thinking.
B) I absolutely commit to supporting policy that provides options to students to learn without the reliance on said devices.
A) Where? The beauty of teaching is to teach, to explain, to demostrate, “I do,” “We do,” “Match the teacher,” You do,” to encourage and see lights go on in my students eyes. That is my high. How can I excite students about what I find to be the best knowledge, skill, or practice if all I do is use a program on the Chromebook. As a Principal, I have fought this with math progams to the point of being a pain in the side of the District Asst. Superintendent over Curriculum. Whoever thinks this has not been in the classroom and seeing the learning that occurs. As Todd Whitaker preaches, great learning comes from great teachers, not programs. Guess who makes great programs work? Great teachers!!! Has nothing to do with some program. A bad teacher can’t do a great program either. Utah has so many great teachers that adequate teachers look inadequate. We have 5 universities that are great at teaching education.
The Chromebook is a tool. A tool used by a great teacher with great students is amazing. There is no question that is asked and then followed by, “I will research it and bring it back to the class.” The internet is free and full of answers. We are trying to teach life-long learners, not just while you are in my class learners. Chromebooks, laptops, Ipads, and much more are part of that life-long learning.
If parents don’t want their child to have a Chromebook checked out to their student that is their right. We can find alternative ways to enrich and remediate their child. Their right, our responsibility.
B) [Not provided]
A) I feel that our youth are getting too much exposure to screens and the internet. With the use of computers and tablets in schools the ability of parents to limit screen time is hindered. And with the increased screen time comes increased access to the internet.
I do feel that parents should be able to request low tech or no tech solutions to learning. And educators should not be able to push the parents and students to use higher tech to make their jobs easier.
B) [None provided]
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