I asked Wendy if I could read the paper she turned in, and when I opened the document, I was surprised to see the topic: critical pedagogy, the philosophy of education pioneered by Paulo Freire. The philosophy examines the influence of social and political forces on learning and classroom dynamics. Her opening line: “To what extent is schooling hindering students’ cognitive ability to think critically?” Later, I asked Wendy if she recognized the irony in using AI to write not just a paper on critical pedagogy but one that argues learning is what “makes us truly human.” She wasn’t sure what to make of the question. “I use AI a lot. Like, every day,” she said. “And I do believe it could take away that critical-thinking part. But it’s just — now that we rely on it, we can’t really imagine living without it.”

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[–] axont@hexbear.net 24 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I used to work for a company that would write papers for students. A lot of them were like composition 101 level 500 word essays but I also did a few grad school assignments lol. Like I did a master's thesis in health admin, one in art history, and one in nursing education.

I guess I'm out of a job though since now chatgpt will do this for free

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[–] Frogmanfromlake@hexbear.net 21 points 1 week ago (4 children)

How bad is AI usage and lack of literacy/reading comprehension in the global north? Is it as dire as articles like this make it out to be? I wonder how leftists in these countries will prepare for an increasingly illiterate working class that lacks the attention span to watch videos explaining theory while right-wing memes make their points in a handful of words.

[–] MayoPete@hexbear.net 24 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

We can make the same kind of propaganda for these people:

LANDLORD TAKE MONEY WITHOUT WORK

LANDLORD BAD

KILL YOUR LOCAL LANDLORD

[–] Madzielle@lemmy.dbzer0.com 23 points 1 week ago

My son is in 6th grade. He reads a lot and have kept him from device over use. He's no unsupervised time on the Internet, appropriate for a not yet 12 year old. His teachers love me. I love them.

Doesnt mean shit though, when some other boy sneaks in a burner phone to look up porn in the bathroom and show his peers. Any kid who has unrestricted access to the internet is going to be exposed to degeneracy, and I don't just mean the porn. My son understands screen addiction. Something I'm really proud of, but also sad about because he sees it in his peers.

[–] Losurdo_Enjoyer@hexbear.net 17 points 1 week ago

How bad is AI usage and lack of literacy/reading comprehension in the global north?

literacy/reading comprehension is shockingly terrible in amerikkka, no clue about elsewhere in europe/japan/etc. however, this predates the rise of LLMs by decades, i think they have very little to do with increasing illiteracy.

[–] trinicorn@hexbear.net 16 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I wonder how leftists in these countries will prepare for an increasingly illiterate working class

honestly considering the origin story of a lot of AES I don't think literacy is a prereq.

attention span I guess might be more of an issue, but I think deteriorating living conditions will make reality harder to ignore. I don't really think we win by winning over an actual majority of people with reasoned argument, we win by being in the right place at the right time on the right side of declining living conditions. You need an organized core who have at least some solid basis in theory, but the broader movement around that core don't have to already understand the theory to be on our side, though hopefully they will learn it as they go

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[–] Dirt_Owl@hexbear.net 20 points 1 week ago (14 children)

This sounds like they made up a young person to get mad at tbh. I don't think most students use AI to that extent.

In all honesty though, the whole way we teach needs to be overhauled. So much of these classes amounts to busywork and teaching stuff that isn't relevant. But the biggest problem of all are these classes are rushed and that results in students being dumped with a continuous stream of too much information, all of which they can't realistically remember in a short amount of time. That, and due to pressure on teachers to teach the entirety of a subject in a stupidly short amount of time, we are increasingly seeing teachers basically tell students to teach themselves.

If students do resort to chatgpt, which I think is rare, it's because the quality of teaching has gone down the tubes. Not the teachers fault, just the stupid way the whole thing is structured.

[–] imogen_underscore@hexbear.net 22 points 1 week ago (1 children)

my sister said every single person in her undergrad is using it and you're just falling behind on doing menial assignments as efficiently if you don't

[–] Dirt_Owl@hexbear.net 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

That's why I tend to see this as a problem with how our system handles education. Either the tests are assignments are in fact menial or the professors aren't communicating their importance.

[–] imogen_underscore@hexbear.net 18 points 1 week ago

i agree it's clearly a symptom of a greater problem. education as a commodity & visa to the corporate world rather than being something beautiful and fundamental that instils a love of learning and knowledge. the rot has been there in the academy (and high school, etc.) for decades or longer this stuff just reveals it.

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[–] Parsani@hexbear.net 18 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Pour one out for all the adjuncts who have to read a thousand first year chatgpt papers

[–] Bolshechick@hexbear.net 17 points 1 week ago

They'll probably just get chatgpt to read and grade the papers for them

We're so cooked lol

[–] imogen_underscore@hexbear.net 16 points 1 week ago (1 children)

yea i graduated just before the proliferation (although in my final year everyone was cheating in more old-school ways, as we were in online college due to covid). my sister is finishing her teaching undergrad currently and she says everyone uses it, you're just falling behind in efficiency with menial assignments (lesson plans, etc.) if you don't.

[–] simontherockjohnson@lemmy.ml 16 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

she says everyone uses it, you’re just falling behind in efficiency with menial assignments (lesson plans, etc.) if you don’t.

I went to an engineering school and in undergrad people who had the same opinion typically just did their assignments as a group and copied each other. The reality is that they didn't want to put in the 10 hours-ish a day that the job of being a student technically entails, each 4 credit course is supposed to be ~12-16 hours. a week. Some places it's longer/shorted depending on the school/curriculum. If you're taking a full semester which is typically 16 credits at many places, that's 48-64 hours a week.

It's a lot of time. I feel for people who struggle with it because they have to work, I did as well, but a lot of kids just wanted to party.

[–] CeliacMcCarthy@hexbear.net 15 points 1 week ago

actual for real no-foolin' new dark age

[–] GeneralSwitch2Boycott@hexbear.net 15 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Is there a certain segment of society that this applies to or is it widespread throughout? Because there must be some people who know this is bad right?

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[–] Losurdo_Enjoyer@hexbear.net 15 points 1 week ago

critical support to LLMs in the war on pointless bullshit homework

[–] sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml 14 points 1 week ago (2 children)

It is literally everyone. I do not know a student that does not use AI. It is so hard to find the motivation to struggle through my work when I know my peers have it so much easier.

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