Closing Out 2024 with Brisk and Bold Ideas in AI
Exploring Brisk Inspect Writing Tool , Ethical Challenges, and Future Trends
As we approach the holiday season, it’s the perfect time to reflect on how technology, particularly AI, continues to shape our schools and libraries. This week's newsletter dives into Brisk's innovative writing tool, explores the ethics of AI in education, and provides a curated reading list to keep you informed on the latest trends.
I'll be taking some time off for the holidays to recharge and prepare for more exciting content in the New Year. This will be the last newsletter for 2024, and I’ll be back in January 2025 with more tools, resources, and insights to share. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season and a wonderful start to the New Year!
Notebook LM Deep Dive:
AI Tool of the Week: Brisk – Inspect Writing
This week’s featured tool is Brisk’s Inspect Writing, a cutting-edge AI solution that revolutionizes how educators provide feedback on student writing. Unlike traditional plagiarism detectors, which focus solely on originality and often inaccurately label legitimate student work as AI-generated, Inspect Writing emphasizes constructive support over punitive measures.
Why Inspect Writing Instead of Plagiarism Detectors?
Recent studies and educator experiences reveal that AI plagiarism detectors are often unreliable, flagging genuine, original student work as AI-generated or failing to detect subtle forms of academic dishonesty. These inaccuracies create mistrust between students and educators, ultimately disrupting the learning process.
Brisk's Inspect Writing tool offers a refreshing alternative:
Focus on Improvement: Highlights areas where students can improve, such as structure, clarity, and argumentation.
Data-Driven Insights: Teachers can better understand trends in their students' writing abilities, enabling tailored instruction.
Encouraging Growth: It fosters trust and promotes a growth mindset by guiding students toward stronger writing skills without penalizing them unfairly.
Key Features
Automated Feedback: Quickly identifies areas of strength and weakness in grammar, organization, and style.
Detailed Analytics: Provides educators with individual and class-wide reports to inform teaching strategies.
User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies the writing evaluation process, saving valuable time for both educators and students.
For an example of ethical AI in action, explore Brisk’s Inspect Writing tool here.
Here is a video about how to use it:
Ethics Corner: Critical Thinking and Ethics in the Age of Generative AI
This week's Ethics Corner explores findings from the report Critical Thinking and Ethics in the Age of Generative AI in Education. This comprehensive study examines how generative AI is reshaping the educational landscape, offering both transformative opportunities and profound ethical challenges. You can access the full report here: Critical Thinking and Ethics in Generative AI.
Overview of the Report
The study examines the integration of generative AI in K-12 and higher education, focusing on its potential benefits, ethical dilemmas, and how educators are navigating this evolving landscape. Key themes include:
The promise of AI in education: AI enables personalized learning, supports critical thinking, and offers creative solutions to classroom challenges.
Ethical challenges: Issues such as privacy, algorithmic bias, academic integrity, and equitable access demand careful consideration.
Teacher decision-making: Educators grapple with balancing rule-based (deontological) ethics with outcome-driven (consequentialist) approaches when incorporating AI.
Key Findings and Implications
Generative AI's Role in Education
The report emphasizes that generative AI tools, such as Brisk's Inspect Writing, provide a pathway to enhance education by focusing on constructive feedback and skill development rather than punitive measures like AI detection.Educator Perspectives on Ethics
Teachers exhibit diverse attitudes toward AI adoption. Some prioritize strict ethical guidelines, such as prohibiting AI use, while others focus on using AI to achieve positive educational outcomes, such as improving equity and access to resources.Limitations of AI Detection Tools
The report highlights the inefficiency of AI plagiarism detectors, which often yield inaccurate results and risk penalizing students unfairly. This underscores the value of tools like Brisk's Inspect Writing, which focus on building student skills ethically and effectively.Fostering Critical Thinking
Generative AI should not replace critical thinking but enhance it. By integrating AI responsibly, educators can nurture students who are not only knowledgeable but also capable of navigating ethical and intellectual challenges.
AI Reading List
Here are three insightful articles exploring AI's transformative role in education and its ethical implications:
"10 AI Trends in Education for a More Efficient and Effective Classroom"
Magic EdTech highlights ten key trends shaping AI's role in education, from automating routine tasks to fostering innovative learning experiences.
Read it here."Putting People First as Higher Ed Grapples with AI"
EdSurge dives into how higher education institutions are navigating the integration of AI while prioritizing human connections and ethical considerations.
Read it here."AI Is Already Advancing Higher Education"
Inside Higher Ed explores the evolving impact of AI in higher education, from enhancing learning experiences to streamlining administrative processes.
Read it here.
As we wrap up this year, I want to thank you for being part of this journey in exploring AI’s potential in education. I’ll be taking a break for the holidays and will return with new tools, resources, and insights in January 2025. Wishing you and your families a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year!
Warm regards,
Elissa Malespina
BONUS Content:
What could your library do with $500K? Carnegie Corporation of New York has announced a new grant opportunity that will invest $5 million in public libraries to support English language learning and youth programs in U.S. communities.
Learn more about the criteria for selection: https://carnegie.io/3OMoP1a
Complete the eligibility survey by January 10, 2025: https://carnegie.io/3ZK2NCy