Beyond the Cheating Myth: How AI tools can transform from classroom contraband to learning partners
Kelly Davis is an edtech consultant and learning coach who builds bridges between education and technology, specializing in AI-powered personalized learning and helping companies create lasting educational impact. You can find her on LinkedIn and X.
"It's considered cheating and my teacher will find out," Kaitlin quickly interrupted as my screen share began to reveal ChatGPT.
“For brainstorming? We’re still just thinking and discovering what you’re going to write about. Do you really think she would know?” I questioned.
‘Well I don’t know, maybe, but it’s kinda scary,’ she hesitated.
“Let’s experiment on my screen for a second... What’s the assignment question again?” I prompted.
This fear, echoed by Kaitlin, my student ,highlighted a paradox in my attempt at advancing modern education. Despite the widespread availability of AI tools, only 4% of teens use them frequently for schoolwork, according to a recent Harvard study.
So why aren't more teens embracing AI? The answer lies in a complex web of fears and systemic challenges.
Avoiding Plagiarism
Many students, like Kaitlin, fear accusations of academic dishonesty. And this fear isn't unfounded – only 6% of American public school teachers believe AI tools produce more benefit than harm in education according to a study from Pew Research. But this perspective overlooks AI's potential as a powerful learning aid.
“No AI tools permitted in this course,’ is what the teacher told us,” Kaitlin shared.
Considering the evolution of other classroom tools. Calculators, once banned from tests, are now essential in advanced mathematics. Wikipedia, initially banned as a resource in my school years and dismissed as unreliable, has become a starting point for research and discovery. AI is following a similar path, but its adoption requires guidance and understanding.
So while AI may be the calculator in the classroom for 2025, the key is to reframe AI for effective adoption. Instead of a shortcut or cheating tool, it can be a catalyst for creativity and critical thinking. For brainstorming, outlining, and idea generation, AI can be an invaluable partner in the writing process. The goal isn't to replace student work but to enhance it.
Challenges in Integration
The way educators model and introduce these tools plays a crucial role in this shift. By responsibly integrating AI into learning, we can demonstrate effective use and help students develop essential skills for an AI-integrated future. This might involve using AI for initial concept exploration in writing assignments, analyzing AI-generated content for fact-checking practice, or leveraging AI tools for personalized grammar exercises in language learning.
I'm lucky enough to have students who are open to trying new things with AI, especially since as an independent learning coach, we can design sessions outside of traditional classroom constraints.
AI as a Learning Partner: Real Student Examples
With three different students, we found new ways to use AI as a learning partner:
Kaitlin: AI as a Thinking Partner
When digging into writing assignments with Kaitlin, we explored tools like ChatGPT and made sure to reflect and recognize what it was enabling us to do. We used it to brainstorm when beginning new assignments and again in the editing process when looking to refine specific sentences or ideas.
It took us beyond the built-in tools of a dictionary and thesaurus in Google Docs without compromising Kaitlin's creativity. By refining the prompts and using it for initial exploration of ideas, it became a thinking partner rather than a replacement for her own work.
Carlos: AI as a Reading Partner
In sessions with Carlos, we began to explore how Claude AI could be used for combining his interests to find his next book to read. He was interested in finding books related to one he just finished on Greek history and was seeking new books on history.
By plugging in his interests and ideas into Claude, we received personalized reading recommendations that matched his specific interests. This transformed AI into a reading partner that helped expand his literary horizons while maintaining his agency in the selection process.
David: AI as a Building Partner
In a recent session with David, we dug into AI tools like Grok to build a basic 2D game. I suggested at the start of our session that we try to 'vibe code' based on a flying game I found on Twitter over the weekend.
"Oh fly Pieter, I have been playing it all weekend," he replied. I was excited that he was able to tell me all about this game and show me how it works. When suggesting we build our own, he lit up from across the screen and said he had been creating these all weekend.
Within 5 minutes, he walked me through the process on Replit and we were soon playing ping pong in a simple 2D game. By using AI and simple tools and inspirations, it became a building partner that enhanced his creativity rather than replacing it.
Finding the Right Approach
I keep my approach experimental and playful as new AI tools emerge daily. Each student has different interests and comfort levels with technology. I always remind them that AI is a partner in the process—not doing the work for them. Students must own their work from prompt to publish.
AI should complement, not replace, a student's unique voice and originality. Our job as educators is to help students use AI to boost creativity while keeping humans at the center of learning.
The question isn't whether students will use AI, but how well they'll use it. As educators, we have a choice: fear the future or shape it.
When we move beyond the cheating myth, we open up new possibilities for personalized learning in our AI-integrated world.