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Refund Request Exposes Tension Between Technological Innovation And Quality In Higher Education After Discovery Of AI Use In Lesson Preparation
Ella Stapleton, a student at Northeastern University in Boston, decided to request a refund of her tuition after discovering that her professor was using artificial intelligence tools to prepare course content. The case reignited the debate over the role of AI in higher education.
Discovery In Didactic Material Generated Reaction
It all started in February when Ella accessed the slides for a class on organizational behavior, essential for her business administration degree.
Among the materials, she found a question sent to the ChatGPT asking the tool to “provide more details on leadership models.” The student decided to investigate.
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Analyzing other classes, Ella realized that the use of AI was not an isolated incident. The slides contained spelling errors, text distortions, and images with body parts out of place.
The student deemed the use inappropriate, especially since the professor himself prohibited the use of artificial intelligence in academic activities, according to the syllabus.
High Tuition Increased Dissatisfaction
The amount paid for the course was another factor that led to dissatisfaction. This subject alone cost US$ 8,000, equivalent to R$ 45.3 thousand. Outraged, Ella initiated a process within the university to request a refund. There were several meetings with academic authorities.
Despite the efforts, the final response came after graduation: the refund was denied. The university argued that it supports the use of AI to enhance teaching and research. The case drew attention for occurring at one of the most respected universities in the U.S.
Professor Says He Used AI As Support
The professor in question, Rick Arrowood, stated to The New York Times that he has been teaching for almost twenty years. He said he used tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gamma to give new format to the content.
According to him, the texts were reviewed before being delivered. He also explained that he prefers to promote discussions in class and that the slides were merely support materials.
Complaints At Other Universities Increase
The controversy goes beyond Northeastern. On the site “Rate My Professors,” where students evaluate teachers, complaints about excessive use of AI have multiplied.
Students point out the contradiction in cases where use is prohibited for students but freely applied by faculty. Many question why to pay so much for something that AI could provide for free.
Another Case Led To University Transfer
Another similar case occurred at Southern New Hampshire University. A 22-year-old student, identified as Marie, wrote a three-page essay for an online anthropology course. When viewing the grade, she saw that she had received an “A,” the equivalent of the highest grade.
However, the professor’s comment showed a conversation with ChatGPT, in which she asked for “very nice feedback.”
Marie suspected that her work hadn’t been read. The professor claimed to have read the text but used ChatGPT as a guide, which was allowed by the institution. The situation repeated itself in another subject. The student then decided to transfer to another university.
University Defends Use With Supervision
The vice president of artificial intelligence at Southern New Hampshire, Robert MacAuslan, stated to the Times that the university is betting on the use of AI to transform education.
There are specific rules for students and faculty, focusing on supervision and creativity. However, these same rules prohibited AI-generated feedback, like what occurred with Marie.
Professors Divided On Ethical Use Of AI
The topic has also generated discussions among professors. The Times spoke with faculty who have a history of complaints regarding the use of AI.
Anonimously, many defended the use of tools as a way to save time and handle heavy workloads. For them, AI acts as an automated assistant.
But not everyone agrees. There are disagreements about using technology for grading, correcting assignments, and creating teaching materials. Some believe that AI should only be used in technical courses, such as computer science, where the subject is part of the training.
Lack Of Transparency Is Common Complaint
Despite differing opinions, one point is common: lack of transparency. Students and professors agree that it is necessary to make clear when AI is being used. Katy Pearce, a professor at the University of Washington, decided to tackle the challenge in another way.
She developed a personalized chatbot trained with older versions of papers she had graded. Thus, the tool can simulate the professor herself and offer answers at any time.
According to Katy, the idea helps shy students who do not feel comfortable asking questions in class.
Teacher Training May Be Impacted
For the professor, however, the future of teaching assistants is at risk. She believes that AI may soon fully take over this role. The lingering question is how to train new teachers in a scenario where human presence may become less and less necessary.
The discussion about the use of AI in education continues without consensus. In the meantime, students, teachers, and universities attempt to find a balance between innovation, quality, and academic ethics.
With information from UOL.
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