Suspense crime, Digital Desk : A Northeastern University Professor is facing backlash after students discovered he had been using ChatGPT to create his lecture outlines while advising students not to use AI tools themselves.
Ella Stapleton, a business student, pointed out problematic components in her professor Rick Arrowood’s class such as spelling errors, bizarre images with additional fingers, and blatant references to ChatGPT. “He’s telling us not to use it,” Stapleton told the New York Times. “And then he’s using it himself.”
Feeling cheated, Stapleton proposed an $8,000 tuition refund to the university. As a result, the administration organized several multi-hour meetings that extended until her graduation but ultimately denied her proposal.
Professors Acknowledges Use of AI Tools
Arrowood confessed to utilizing ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gamma, as well as some other tools, for lectures aiding with their preparation. He insisted that he did a review but neglected to pay attention to certain edits from the construction of the content. “In hindsight, I wish I would have looked at it more closely,” he said.
It has sparked controversy if educators should be allowed to use AI for course work when students are not allowed to. It seems that some faculty members view it as an unimportant concern while others are asking for more strict policies.
The Discussion on AI’s Educational Role is Ever Increasing
Faculty should be upfront about using AI tools, and Arrowood says they should be integrated into the lesson plan. “If my experience can be something people can learn from,” he said, “then, OK, that’s my happy spot.”
In a debate concerning equity and fairness, there appears to be a free-for-all rush that seems uncontrolled where AI tools can and should be utilized. Such debates are coming to the front as education institutions decide what aspects of AI are permissible in the academic world and the restrictions on these technologies.
Read More: Northeastern Professor Criticized for Using ChatGPT After Banning Student Use
