We are not even three months into 2023 and yet you could already call this the year of artificial intelligence. Although the idea of AI has been around for some time, the recent developments have been remarkable, particularly in terms of accessibility to the public. The advancements have been so fast that society has had a hard time deciding how to proceed. One of the more challenging dilemmas is AI’s implications on education and students. Many schools have called for a ban on the use of AI, but is this truly the best course of action? I contend that AI should not be banned in schools for several reasons. First, there are more effective ways to combat plagiarism and cheating. Second, AI can be a powerful tool for enhancing student learning. Finally, since AI will undoubtedly be an integral part of our future, it makes sense to begin implementing it now.

For years, many have criticized the grading system for evaluating student performance. In his academic journal, The Case Against Grades, Alfie Kohn outlines the many problems with the grading system. Kohn argues that grades decrease student interest in learning, encourage students to seek out easy tasks, and lead to a reduction in the quality of student thinking. Moreover, he contends that motivation to earn good grades is extrinsic, resulting in a focus on grades rather than on learning. Perhaps most concerning is Kohn’s claim that a grading-focused environment is linked to higher levels of plagiarism and cheating (Kohn, 2013). The biggest concern with AI in schools is its potential to be used to plagiarise and cheat, some schools have decided to ban its use because of this. However, “Mr. Sid Dobrin, chair of the English department at the University of Florida believes that banning AI won’t solve anything and that students are plagiarising assignments because they can be plagiarised…Some professors are redesigning their courses entirely, making changes that include more oral exams, group work, and handwritten assessments in lieu of typed ones”(Huang, 2023). Making these changes in how students are assessed removes opportunities for plagiarism and cheating while also creating a more engaging curriculum.

AI also has tremendous potential for enhancing student learning. In his academic journal, Artificial Intelligence Applications to Support K–12 Teachers and Teaching, Robert Murphy highlights the ways in which AI can benefit both teachers and students. Murphy mentions how AI can be used to create personalized curricula that adjust the difficulty of questions based on each student’s level of knowledge. This feature helps keep students engaged by providing a challenge that is neither too easy nor too difficult. Additionally, AI can be used to identify students who may be falling behind and provide them with additional resources to help them catch up. Finally, AI can be used to provide students with learning and attention challenges, such as ADHD, dyslexia, and dysgraphia, with an educational experience that is tailored to their needs (Murphy, 2019).

Lastly, since AI will inevitably be a part of our future, why wait to implement it? Although some people are skeptical of AI and not fully on board with its use, the technology is here to stay. Companies like Microsoft and Google are racing to develop more advanced AI, and countries are competing to develop more sophisticated AI technology. In his academic journal, Cai Cuihong says “The world is thus embarking upon, or perhaps could be said to have already started, a new cold war, this time driven by AI” (Cuihong, 2019). With so much emphasis being placed on AI research and development, the technology will develop fast and could have a big impact on our everyday lives. With that in mind, it makes the most sense to begin implementing it into our lives now.

While it is understandable that some schools have banned AI with it being a new technology and how it was quickly used unjustly, this is only a short-term solution and as time goes on it will get more and more difficult to detect it. Instead of trying to ban it, schools should embrace AI because there are better ways to combat these issues, such as changing assessments to include more oral exams, group work, and handwritten assignments. Additionally, it has tremendous potential for enhancing student learning, such as through personalized curricula and tailored support for students with learning challenges. Finally, since AI is here to stay and will only become more integrated into our lives, it makes sense to begin implementing it now rather than waiting.

References

Cuihong, C. (2019, October 1). The shaping of strategic stability by artificial intelligence. JSTOR. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep24532.16

Huang, K. (2023, January 21). Alarmed by Ai Chatbots, universities start revamping how they teach. Nexis Uni. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://www.todayonline.com/world/alarmed-ai-chatbots-universities-start-revamping-how-they-teach-2090501

Kohn, A. (2013, November 13). The case against grades. JSTOR. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://www.jstor.org/stable/42982088

Murphy, R. (2019, January 1). Artificial intelligence applications to support K-12 teachers and teaching. JSTOR. Retrieved March 12, 2023, from https://library.villanova.edu/Find/Record/2847893/Details 

Body Shaming

Body shaming is considered a big social problem today. Nowadays, if you start to judge a person about their body, you would get critic pretty harshly. Following social standards has ingrained deep inside our subconscious, so it is hard for anyone to get out of social norms. A few years ago, it started the trend to love your own body and self, and more people start to embrace the differences in each body shape. However, it is hard to erase the social standards due to images from models and idols, especially Kpop idols, the industry where many idols have to lose weight and keep fit in an unhealthy way. It also influences the audience because they would love to have a body that is beautiful as their idol. It is not a new trend on social media but a year ago, at the Oscars, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock for body-shaming Will’s wife. Social media see that a lot of people support Chris Rock because Chris is a comedian himself, so joking is inevitable. Of course, not everyone supports the use of violence but they also don’t feel pleased when people take lightly body shaming someone with alopecia areata. But no matter what, I still feel that body-shaming is not advisable even though the joke may be harmless. However, I can see some of the brands are trying to change for example The Parade, a lingerie brand has marketed its brand by having models with a different types of bodies and colors, which got a lot of praise from the customers who have got used to seeing same body type models for lingerie for some famous brand such as Victoria’s Secret.

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

Mini Assignment #1

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!

For process post #12 we will be looking at developing community guidelines that are suitable for my site. Community guidelines are very important to protecting all users of the internet no matter who you are. This is especially important on the internet as there is no way to verify if a person is who they really say they are on the internet. For example, I could make a Twitter profile saying that I am Mr. Beast, a famous Youtuber and some might believe it. As a site owner I have the responsibility to protect all users that may comment or interact with my website, or else I could be held accountable legally. This ranges from “Internet trolls … [which] … are doing it for the “lulz,” or laughs” to “harassment … [and] violent threats” (Stein, 2016). 

As this is process post #12, I will hash out 12 rules that all users will have to follow in which I believe protect them the best.

1. All users must register with an account before posting
2. Prevents random spammers and bots, especially with reCAPTCHA
3. No files may be uploaded
4. Prevents viruses from being spread
5. All posts must be verified by a moderator before posting
6. Ensures that nothing slips through the cracks
7. Word limit will be imposed
8. Ensures that trolls cannot spam
9. Suspicious activity will be flagged with a plugin, then reviewed.
10. Ensures that there is always a watchful eye
11. Users must be respectful
12. Ensures that everyone is respectful
13. Users must not use inappropriate or offensive language
14. Makes it appropriate for all audiences.
15. Out of control discussions will result in a mute/ban
16. Ensures that no conversations cause too much controversy
17. No copyrighted content may be posted
18. Protects me legally and ensures that I cannot be legally responsible.
19. All conversations must be lawful
20. Same as point #9
21. False or misleading information will result in a fact check and/or removal from the comments if it is fake.
22. Ensures that my website is not a source of misinformation
23. Have fun, this is a place for constructive criticism and discussion, please do not take everything seriously. 
24. Keeps everything casual and fun

All these rules are designed to ensure that everyone can participate without being bombarded with misinformation or trolls. The Guardian’s article also influenced some of these rules, as they found that “The vast majority of blocked comments, therefore, were blocked because they were considered abusive to some degree, or were otherwise disruptive to the conversation (they were off-topic, for example)” (Gardiner et al., 2016). This is why I included things like the out-of-control discussion clause, because if someone is actively trying to pull people away from the conversation, how can people properly create constructive criticism? Coming up with these community guidelines has taught me that running a platform which involves social discussion is a lot more complicated than originally thought. People are just complicated creatures, and especially when social manners are involved, as you cannot guess most people’s next actions. 

References:

• Becky Gardiner, Mahana Mansfield, Ian Anderson, Josh Holder, Daan Louter and Monica Ulmanu. 2016. “The dark side of Guardian comments”
• Stein, Joel. 2016. “How Trolls Are Ruining the Internet”