In a unanimous decision, Carroll Independent School District’s board of trustees gave the green light to new grading guidelines for the upcoming term that include an official stance on artificial intelligence.
The meeting held on July 24 tackled the issue of students leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to complete school tasks.
This issue is by no means limited to Carroll ISD, with educators at all levels now grappling with the pros and cons of AI technology.
As reported in The Dallas Express, some university professors have had to adapt their assignments to account for students being able to submit papers written by generative AI programs like ChatGPT and Bard.
Administrators have likewise had to consider changes to their institutions’ academic codes of conduct. For instance, a new definition of plagiarism might be expanded to include text written by AI.
In fact, as covered by The Dallas Express, AI has advanced to the point that it is likely even capable of passing business school.
With these advances in mind, Carroll ISD’s new AI policy doesn’t ban students from using it but instead aims to regulate it.
“We recognize the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to enhance learning experiences; however, we strictly prohibit the use of AI to plagiarize assignments,” the new grading guidelines read.
Noting that teachers will be coaching students on how to correctly and appropriately use AI to complete their school assignments, the guidelines outline three key expectations.
- Originality. Students will be held personally responsible for ensuring that their assignments present their thoughts and understanding of a given topic.
- Proper Attribution and Citation. Students incorporating AI-generated content into their work must acknowledge it by accurately citing the material and attributing the sources.
- Academic Integrity. Plagiarism will continue to be strictly prohibited, even when enabled by AI. This means students will be expected to uphold the “principles of academic integrity, honesty, and respect for intellectual property rights.”
Through these three principles, Carroll ISD’s new policy aims to strike a balance between embracing AI technology for more enriched learning experiences and promoting its prudent use among students.
“We’re not shying away from [AI],” explained Carroll Trustee Alex Sexton, according to Community Impact. “We’re going to embrace it. It’s going to happen anyway, so we might as well get on board.”
Other ISDs have actually turned to AI in order to boost school security, as previously reported in The Dallas Express.
For instance, Mansfield ISD is currently deliberating replacing metal detectors with AI scanners capable of detecting concealed weapons.
Frisco ISD is expanding its use of two tech-driven systems on its campuses next term: an ID system that tracks students on their daily commutes and video doorbells that provide another level of safety for students and staff.
