As an adult with a generally optimistic view of technology, I recently had a rude awakening. A third-grader said she and her friends were using Google’s Gemini on a Chromebook provided by her school to take funny pictures of poop and dinosaurs.
He acknowledged that technically Gemini wasn’t supposed to be used this way, but he understood that they had access to the tool. Finishing your assigned school work a few minutes early gives you time to play with your Chromebook.
I didn’t like the idea of them having access to generative AI image creation tools without supervision. This is something that is not allowed at home. (Even though it technically violated school rules, I wasn’t blocked or restricted.)
I’m not the only parent worried about AI making its way into elementary school classrooms. In recent weeks, several articles about AI and Chromebooks in schools have sparked a lot of discussion among parents. And from what I’ve observed, the tone of that conversation ranges from frustration to fear.
A recent New York Magazine article, “Help! My preschool is going all-in on AI,” details how some New York public schools are using AI programs. Proponents say it offers new features that allow lessons to be customized to each child’s needs. Some New York parents are organizing to protest. At a public meeting for parents to discuss AI policy with the city’s Ministry of Education, one parent accused the prime minister of “experimenting on children.”
There have been complaints about devices in the classroom for years, but the introduction of AI, which many adults are wary of, has heightened concerns.
In The New Yorker, Jessica Winter examines how AI is being incorporated into K-12 education, particularly through school-mandated programs on Chromebooks and iPads. She points out that no one seems to be asking that question. Do you really want this?
When faced with the mantra we hear over and over again: AI already exists, we just have to program it, it’s important to sometimes take a step back and ask a simple question: “Does this actually work?” Is this really any good?
There are some really unpleasant details in this story, like one study that showed that “one in five student interactions with generative AI involved cheating, self-harm, bullying, or other problem behaviors.”
(Meanwhile, Princeton University, the pinnacle of higher education, just this week decided to introduce proctor-supervised exams, rather than the long-standing honors system in which faculty typically left the room during exams, in response to concerns about rampant AI cheating.)
AI in schools isn’t the only thing parents are concerned about
AI isn’t the only thing under the microscope.
I have been involved in parent groups on social media for a long time. There, people complain about apps their children are using to teach them math and English. NBC wrote an article about parent backlash against a popular math program. Some parents say they plan to exclude their children from the program and other technology-related offerings at school.
And I don’t know if all the technology is actually helping us. It’s too early to tell whether AI-powered learning is good or bad, but computers in classrooms don’t seem to be doing us much good. Stanford University’s Educational Opportunity Project has released a new report showing that reading and math test scores are declining nationwide, in some cases for all grade levels below the same schools in 2015.
The reasons for this decline are complex and likely influenced by COVID-19, but one thing many education watchers continue to point to is screen time (both at home and in class).
As a parent who graduated from middle school when our only access to technology was once a week in the computer lab learning Mavis Beacon typing, I’m not digitally native enough to understand how all the technology in the classroom is impacting my kids. (I’m a technology reporter!)
But we’re seeing concerns erupt among parents in public schools about how much screen time and technology their children are using for instruction. School-issued Chromebooks saw a lot of adoption during the pandemic and appear to be here to stay, but they’ve been a big target of backlash.
I am personally skeptical of the value of Chromebooks, iPads, and AI tools compared to pencil and paper, especially in early grades. My personal stance is in favor of learning what AI is and how it works. It is prohibited to use it to teach math or reading.
Are you a parent or educator grappling with this issue in your school? We’d love to hear from you: katie.notopoulos@businessinsider.com