As a new school year begins, the educational system faces an unprecedented crisis. Artificial intelligence has become an essential tool for students and teachers alike, but this rapid shift has led to chaos, where rules are unclear and the very purpose of education is called into question.
Article contents:
- Introduction: New school year, new chaos
- Full normalization: Students use it for everything
- Teachers’ and professors’ “blind spot”
- “Pedagogical debt”: How AI exposed the system’s flaws
- Two paths forward: Practical skills or a return to the classics?
- A symptom of a bigger illness: The hyper-productivity culture
- Is the “slow school” movement the solution?
- Conclusion: Education at a crossroads
Introduction: New school year, new chaos
As a new school year kicks off, there is an undeniable reality: artificial intelligence has become an integral part of the educational landscape. AI-written essays, homework solved by it, and even curricula developed by teachers with its help. For the first time, high school and university graduates will have spent their entire academic lives with chatbots at their fingertips. This wide and rapid adoption has turned schools and universities into a kind of “utter chaos,” where everyone seems to be using the technology, but no one quite knows the rules.
Full normalization: Students use it for everything
For students, using artificial intelligence is no longer controversial or concerning. It has become the new normal. Students talk openly about using ChatGPT and similar services for everything, not just school assignments. Writer Ian Bogost says: “Whatever they want to do, they ask ChatGPT now.” The stigma or confusion that existed in the early years has faded, and artificial intelligence has become the default option, the primary tool they turn to.
Teachers’ and professors’ “blind spot”
In contrast, many teachers and professors seem to be living in a state of oblivious ignorance or dismissal. After the initial panic in 2022 and 2023, a feeling prevailed that “it’s still there, but we have time. No need to worry about it right away.” Bogost argues that this reaction is worse than the original panic because it ignores how deeply and quickly students have adopted these technologies. Even teachers who use artificial intelligence themselves to write recommendation letters or articles still view it as an occasional tool, rather than part of their daily habits, unlike their students.
“Pedagogical debt”: How AI exposed the system’s flaws
Bogost argues that artificial intelligence did not create the crisis; rather, it exposed a crisis that already existed, which he calls “pedagogical debt.” This concept is similar to “technical debt” in software development, where easy and convenient decisions are made in the short term, but create problems in the long term. In education, this debt manifests as large classrooms, assignments that do not allow for continuous interaction, and methods that have not been updated. Bogost says: “We managed to survive under the weight of pedagogical debt, and now something has happened. AI entered the scene and all those bad or questionable decisions… came back to haunt us.”
Two paths forward: Practical skills or a return to the classics?
Faced with this crisis, two opposing trends are emerging. The first calls for more practical, skill-based education. For example, the College Board announced new courses in business management and cybersecurity. The second trend worries that over-reliance on these tools erodes critical thinking skills and calls for a return to reading classics and handwritten essays.
A symptom of a bigger illness: The hyper-productivity culture
Many view the AI problem in education as merely a symptom of a larger cultural illness. Students use AI exactly as it was designed: to make themselves more productive. Laila Shroff says: “If they do the same thing in an office, they might get a bonus.” Students feel there is too much they have to do, and artificial intelligence is simply a tool to get tasks done as quickly as possible to move on to the next task. The students Bogost spoke with said: “Your boss won’t care how you get things done, only that they get done as efficiently as possible.” And they are not wrong about that.
Is the “slow school” movement the solution?
One proposed solution is the idea of the “slow school” movement. This does not necessarily mean excluding artificial intelligence, but rather slowing down the pace of work and giving students more time to do things more deeply and richly. However, this solution seems idealistic in the face of the performance and productivity culture that dominates society. Bogost says: “This doesn’t feel like a moment of triumph for deliberation and meaning in America. Instead, it feels like you’re always going to be fighting against the drive to perform more and more.”
Conclusion: Education at a crossroads
Artificial intelligence has broken the existing educational system, or at least exposed its deep fractures. Its presence can no longer be ignored or treated as a marginal tool. It requires a radical redesign of educational practices and a rethinking of the purpose of education itself. Is the goal to accomplish tasks efficiently, or to develop critical thinking and creativity? The answer to this question will shape the future of education in the age of artificial intelligence and determine whether this current chaos will lead to a better system or a deeper decline.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do students use artificial intelligence in their studies?
They use it for almost everything: writing essays, solving problems, research, summarizing texts, and even communicating with teachers.
2. Is using artificial intelligence considered cheating?
Rules are still unclear and vary from institution to institution. What is considered acceptable assistance in one place may be considered cheating in another, and this is part of the current chaos.
3. What is “pedagogical debt”?
It is a term describing how old and ineffective educational practices (such as large classes and superficial assessments) accumulated over time, and artificial intelligence came along to expose the weakness and fragility of this system.
4. How can teachers adapt to this situation?
It requires a change in teaching and assessment methods, focusing on tasks that artificial intelligence cannot easily perform, such as critical thinking, creativity, classroom discussions, and practical projects.
