lynn / clarissaJun 2, 2025

As someone who works in higher-ed and also has taught middle school and high school aged kids, my opinion is not that LLM use is exploding among students because they're lazy or stupid or anything else

it's because our educational system has prioritized a very transactional "do this bullshit, and you get the credentials you need to have a life" approach for

well

maybe forever, really

and no one should be surprised that adversarial approaches by teachers and administrators are being met with an adversarial approach by students

Show threadIanJun 2, 2025
@left_adjoint I've always thought it was ironic that students were encouraged to study for a test. All that does is test their ability to study, not their actual knowledge or problem solving skills.
Show threadlynn / clarissaJun 2, 2025
@soviut and even worse timed exams are sometimes just a test of their ability to overcome anxiety and not even of their ability to study!
Show threadCourt Cantrell does not complyJun 2, 2025

@left_adjoint @soviut My 12yo, who has ADHD, just finished 6th grade here in Oklahoma. I can say unequivocally that the only things her tests demonstrate is how well she takes tests and/or navigates on a computer (because *all* of her tests are on the computer).

I know one parent who occasionally does her child's school work--and I can't blame her, because the system has taught this family that what's important is getting correct assignments turned in on time. That 12yo's actual learning...
1/2

Show threadIanJun 2, 2025
@courtcan @left_adjoint I don't mind test taking on a computer. I just think tests shouldn't be studied for; they're meant to be a measurement, not a goal.
Show threadCourt Cantrell does not complyJun 2, 2025
@soviut @left_adjoint I'm kind of okay with them being on the computer and kind of not. The action of writing by hand, especially in cursive, has been proven to increase electrical activity in the brain and activate neutral pathways that typing doesn't. It also improves motor control, spelling, and memory. So, although I see the benefit of testing on the computer (if only to streamline the grading process for teachers), I feel that our kids are really missing out on growing their brains.
Show threadIan

@courtcan @left_adjoint I am incredibly dubious about cursive writing having any affect on their brains. That would mean that anyone writing in non-latin languages isn't getting the same stimulus.

Kids write, draw and colour constantly. Taking a test on a computer isn't going to affect that.

In fact, kids aren't spending nearly enough time on keyboards. We've got a whole generation of people entering the workforce who can't touch type and have to look at the keys.

Jun 2, 2025 at 9:55pmWeb