JOHNSON COUNTY, Ill. (KFVS) – As artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT become more common, school districts in the Heartland are working to keep students honest, while also adapting to a rapidly changing classroom.<\/p>\n
At Vienna High School in southern Illinois, the rise of AI is changing the way teachers teach and how they grade their students.<\/p>\n
For teachers like Laura Hosfeldt, the challenge isn\u2019t just catching students using AI, it\u2019s proving it.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo AI as a problem has really grown in the last few years. And I know this from the ones I have caught. I can\u2019t imagine all the ones I haven\u2019t,\u201d Hosfeldt said.<\/p>\n
She said it\u2019s a very fine line to walk.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like a constant battle to try to figure out. I don\u2019t wanna accuse a kid unjustly. If I\u2019m going to say, \u2018Hey, you cheated on this,\u2019 I need to know beyond a shadow of a doubt, but it\u2019s also hard to do that without feeling like every document I\u2019m grading feels like a forensic analysis,\u201d Hosfeldt explained.<\/p>\n
And with dozens of assignments coming in, there is only so much time in the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, as teachers, we don\u2019t have the time to run a document analysis on every single essay that is turned in,\u201d Hosfeldt added.<\/p>\n
So instead of the constant battle, some teachers are changing how they teach.<\/p>\n
\u201cI redesigned my entire curriculum. We actually did research into AI, and so it became a whole lot more ridiculous to have AI write you an essay on how AI is impacting a generation,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Vienna High School Superintendent Joshua Stafford said the issue of cheating isn\u2019t new; it is just the tools.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs students inappropriately use any tech tool, whether it is AI or a pen and paper, passing a note in class during a test, we have well-established policies to follow up on those things. To deter those things and build right practice and right character in our young people,\u201d Stafford said.<\/p>\n
As schools balance innovation with integrity, Stafford said one thing is clear: the classroom is evolving, and they are trying to stay one step ahead. <\/p>\n
That means many of his teachers are going back to basics, at least for now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen teachers say, \u2018Close the Chromebook. Put away the phone. Get out your paper and pencil. We are going to write this essay. We are gonna do these math problems,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
School leaders in Vienna say right now, it\u2019s about finding that balance with keeping students accountable, while teachers adjust to the new reality in the classrooms.<\/p>\n
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