Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly prominent in education, prompting educators and students at TCC to navigate its benefits, challenges and impact on academic integrity and learning practices.
According to the TCC website, the college’s policy on AI and academic integrity leaves it up to faculty to determine which AI tools can be used in the classroom. NE Campus English department chair Shewanda Riley said her department doesn’t have a set policy on AI, putting the decision in the educators’ hands.
“What we try to do is understand that everyone has a different perspective and our goal is to respect that,” Riley said. “Some educators want to experiment with AI and ChatGPT, while others don’t want it used at all. Then there are those in the middle still trying to figure out its place in academia.”
Academic freedom protects educators’ and students’ rights to express and form opinions in academic settings. Riley said she uses this freedom to test AI’s potential in her classroom.
“In my own classes, I’ve allowed students to complete one or two assignments using AI, just to see how it works within the curriculum,” Riley said. “For example, I had students use AI to create a song for a literary character, but I’ve also had experiences where I could tell students used AI to write a paper, which is considered plagiarism.”
NW biology department chair Daiju Hoshino said he has a similar perspective on exploring AI in education.
“The usage of GenAI — generative AI — in my department is mostly welcomed as long as it aids students’ learning,” Hoshino said. “I want students to care about the material. All instructors design assignments to help students understand the subject matter.”
While these department heads say they emphasize embracing the future and experimenting with AI, some TCC students say they have encountered more cautionary approaches.
“My teachers have been discouraging the use of AI since high school,” NE student Daniela Sanchez said. “I think AI should be used as a study resource or to perfect a paragraph you’re writing, but I’m against full-on copy-pasting or having it do your homework.”
NE student Cassandra Kerley said her instructors have also raised concerns about AI usage.
“AI is becoming so prevale warn against it,” Kerley said. “My biology teacher last semester actually collected everyone’s phones because students were using AI to scan problems during class. That’s cheating, but I think using AI to paraphrase a textbook or make study flashcards is OK.”
TR student Annabelle Hull said that while her teachers are also against AI, she believes it depends on how it’s used.
“AI isn’t cheating as long as you’re not just copying and pasting,” Hull said. “It’s about leveraging it as a resource rather than a shortcut to avoid learning.”
With AI making its way into classrooms, some educators are teaching students to use AI as a tool to enhance learning instead of hindering it.
“I think AI challenges students to be more creative because they have to decide what to do with its results,” Riley said. “You tweak the prompt, narrow it down, analyze the output and synthesize new ideas. That’s all part of critical thinking. But if you just accept the first result, that’s not going to help you.”
Hoshino said using AI still requires the skill and knowledge to process the outputs of AI.
“You still need a certain amount of knowledge stored in your brain to have a meaningful conversation with AI,” Hoshino said. “When the output comes, we need to understand, evaluate and analyze it to determine whether the information is reliable. Developing those skills takes training.”
Riley said she believes failing to teach students how to use AI effectively could hinder their future careers.
“For students entering the workforce, where they may be asked to use AI on the job, we need to train them on how to use it skillfully,” Riley said. “If we say no to AI entirely, they may lack the skills they need to succeed in their careers.”
As AI evolves, Riley said both students and instructors must prepare for the changes it will bring to education in the next five years.
“I think as AI becomes more precise, we’ll be challenged to update our curriculum and teaching methods,” Riley said. “It’s going to affect so many career fields. I’m not sure exactly what it will look like, and this is a cliché, but the sky’s the limit.”
Hoshino said research methods are already changing.
“These new models are outpacing Ph.D. students,” he said. “When I was a student, I spent five or six hours in the library collecting information. Now, AI can do that in minutes. But that doesn’t mean the information is reliable. You still need to verify it. Change is coming, and we need to adapt.”
