Question: How Do You Define the Boundaries of Acceptable AI Use for Your Students?
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When it comes to student AI use, it’s no longer a matter of if or when. A recent Pew Research Center survey shows that 26 percent of students used ChatGPT for their schoolwork in 2024. That figure doubled from just 13 percent in 2023.
More than half the students said using ChatGPT to research new topics is acceptable, while far fewer approved of using it to solve math problems (29 percent) or write their essays (18 percent). These numbers represent students who openly admit to using AI—though many more could potentially operate under the radar. As another school year approaches, we wanted to explore where you draw the line: How do you define the boundaries of acceptable AI use for your students?
While some cases are clear-cut, others exist in a murky gray area. For example:
- A high school student bounces ideas back and forth with AI, refining arguments and exploring counterpoints, before writing their book report themselves.
- A middle school English language learner uses AI to decode complex language and cultural references in a word problem—not to solve it, but to translate it into clearer terms. The student then solves the problem independently.
- A high school student uses AI to scan thousands of websites and identify relevant sources for a paper. They still read, analyze, and synthesize all sources themselves, but their use of AI compresses hours of research down to mere minutes.
Whether you allow or prohibit the use of AI, students should know what to expect. “Students need to understand the rationale for these kinds of decisions as part of their own emerging AI literacy,” science teacher Jen Stauffer and middle school history teacher Jonathan Gold write.
Tell us where you draw the line: How might we help students recognize when their AI use crosses over from refining their thinking to replacing it? What could these conversations look like inside your classroom? Share your thoughts in the comments.
More on Student AI Use
Are you looking for resources? Check out our ChatGPT & Generative AI and Technology Integration pages. In addition, you may be interested in the following:
At Edutopia, we’re looking for educators to share their strategies. If you have ideas that go beyond what can be shared in the comments, visit our Write for Us page.