Opinion: A new AI tool can write essays, even poems. How should we teach students to use it?

Jonathan Howell, associate professor in the Linguistics Department, wrote an opinion piece for NJ.com in response to Gov. Phil Murphy’s signing of bill S588, a law that requires information literacy to be taught to students in K-12.

Howell is in great support of this development. “The soon-to-be-created information literacy curriculum offers an opportunity for more intentional, thoughtful and nuanced discussions around information and trust. It will allow educators to create engaging, authentic activities that let students explore the benefits and limitations of the current information landscape.”

In a world where AI writing has begun to creep into the classroom, we may be tempted to think students don’t need our help at all given their fluency with technology. “In the absence of guided classroom discussions about the digital world, however, students invent their own folk beliefs,” Howell said.

“We can do better,” Howell insisted. “…let’s not assume that there will be an easy answer or that students will naturally figure it out on their own.”

Read the full Op-ed

Story by Donaelle Benoit