by May G., Saratoga
Open TikTok, Instagram, or even Facebook, and the same thing pops up: AI is everywhere. It edits your photos, suggests videos, and even finishes your sentences. So why is school trying to pretend it doesn’t exist? Tools like ChatGPT are becoming increasingly popular, and some teachers have suggested requiring all homework assignments to be handwritten and done in class to prevent the use of AI; however, this has consequences. Teachers should not remove at-home homework assignments because it would take away essential learning opportunities and ignore the reality that AI is becoming a major part of the world in which students are growing up.
First, teachers shouldn’t remove homework because it would make it harder for students to learn. From experience, subjects like math, physics, and chemistry depend on consistent practice, something that can’t simply be replaced with in-class work. Many of these subjects require time to problem-solve on your own, and ChatGPT doesn’t even become reliable for them. Banning homework would deprive students of the opportunity to strengthen what they learn in class independently.
Second, teachers shouldn’t assign only in-class work, because it’s unrealistic to pretend AI doesn’t exist when the world is so fast-paced and evolving. Social media, workplaces, and even everyday tools use AI constantly, and students need to understand how to use it once they leave school. Restricting AI essentially makes students unprepared, even though schools try to prepare people for the real world. It’s ironic. Students should be taught how to use it ethically and to aid their learning instead.
Some people believe only in-class work is necessary. These people believe that AI could be used irresponsibly. But there is a balanced approach. My English teacher often gives us time in class to start our essays so we don’t feel rushed. She knows that students typically resort to ChatGPT when they’re stressed/cramming. We then take our essays home to revise, and she can see our progress through the shared Google Docs. Finally, we submit through Turnitin.com to check originality. She doesn’t punish students by taking away homework; instead, she supports honest work and teaches us to manage our time and resources responsibly. Additionally, my brother’s university, UIUC, deliberately encourages the use of AI to help students in engineering fields. They give students premium ChatGPT accounts because they know debugging code is much more suited and more efficient for tools like AI.
Overall, teachers should not eliminate at-home homework assignments. Handwritten assignments, especially, take unnecessary time and energy for both students and teachers. For students, having to write everything is much more time-consuming and more challenging to revise. Additionally, teachers would have to read everyone’s handwriting, which is a hardship. Finally, having only in-class assignments deprives students of essential learning opportunities. It overlooks the fact that AI is becoming an integral part of the world where students are growing up.