Latest news with #JonathanSim
Independent Singapore
24-05-2025
- Science
- Independent Singapore
Students in Singapore admit using AI to not 'waste' time on hard subjects, raising concerns among teachers
Photo: Depositphotos/ChinaImages(for illustration purposes only) SINGAPORE: A recent survey involving 500 secondary school students in Singapore revealed that all of them use artificial intelligence (AI) for homework. However, some students said they are using it to not 'waste' time on difficult subjects, worrying educators. One Secondary 2 student admitted she uses AI for maths because she finds the subject hard and doesn't want to 'waste' her time. 'I find maths quite hard, so I don't even really bother,' she said. While the Ministry of Education has developed an AI-in-Education Ethics Primer, education expert Jonathan Sim said, 'There isn't any very clear guidance across the board.' According to Malay Mail , citing the survey by Channel News Asia (CNA) , 84% of secondary school students use AI for their homework at least once a week. Of these, 43% use AI once a week, 29% several times a week, 4% several times a day, and 8% once a day. The rest of the students use it at least monthly. The report noted that students mainly turn to AI to generate assignment ideas (86%), solve maths problems (63%), and proofread their work (47%). One Secondary 3 student said that when she feels 'stuck' with her English compositions, she just gets ChatGPT to list some ideas to get her 'brain juices flowing'. Many students openly talk about using AI, with some teachers even encouraging responsible use. Still, despite AI being commonly used, only 51% of students attend schools with clear rules on its use, while 33% are unsure of their school's policies. Teachers in the city-state hold widely varying views on AI use. Mr Sim noted that while some educators are 'very excited' about it, others are unsure how to deal with it and prefer to act as if it doesn't exist. Mr Sim also mentioned how unreliable AI detection tools are. He warned that this inconsistency could harm teacher-student relationships. 'If the student writes like us, and it gets constantly flagged… That's going to affect the student and the student's motivation to learn.' /TISG Read also: 'Human judgment remains crucial' — Experts explain why AI still can't replace humans in today's workforce Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)
Malay Mail
23-05-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
AI use in Singapore classrooms outpaces policy, raising concerns among educators
SINGAPORE, May 23 — Every secondary school student surveyed in Singapore admits to using artificial intelligence for homework, according to new research involving 500 students. The comprehensive study found that 29 per cent of secondary students use AI several times per week, with the remainder using it at least monthly for academic work, according to a CNA feature. Students primarily use AI for generating assignment ideas (86 per cent), solving mathematics problems (63 per cent), and proofreading work (47 per cent). Secondary 3 student Rebekah Low explains her approach: 'If I feel I'm stuck, I'd just get ChatGPT to list some ideas, just to get the brain juices flowing.' Many students openly discuss their AI usage, with teachers often knowing about and sometimes encouraging responsible use. 'It's still essentially our own work,' said Low, noting how her English teacher encourages students to use AI for generating ideas 'in point form' and to 'really think' before elaborating. However, only 51 per cent of secondary students attend schools with clear AI usage rules, while 33 per cent remain unsure about their school's policies. Teachers across Singapore hold widely varying views on AI use, with education expert Jonathan Sim noting: 'On one end, you have some teachers who are very excited... You also have some who don't know how to deal with it — 'let's just pretend it doesn't exist.'' AI detection tools prove unreliable, with Sim demonstrating how the same work received vastly different AI scores across platforms, leading him to conclude: 'That's how unreliable (AI detection) is.' Sim warns that inconsistent detection could damage teacher-student relationships: 'If the student writes like us, and it gets constantly flagged... that's going to affect the student and the student's motivation to learn.' The Ministry of Education has developed an AI-in-Education Ethics Primer, but Sim notes 'there isn't any very clear guidance across the board.' Some students show concerning attitudes, with Secondary 2 student Dorelle Ong admitting she uses AI when she doesn't want to 'waste' her time, saying about math: 'I find maths quite hard, so I don't even really bother.' The survey reveals a significant disconnect between widespread AI adoption and institutional preparedness to handle it. Educational leaders are calling for clearer guidelines, with Sim urging: 'Minimally, we should make clear how much AI should be used.'
