Reflection #7 – Educational Uses of Gen AI
When I first started using generative AI tools like ChatGPT, I saw them mostly as a shortcut a quick way to get answers when I didn’t understand something. But over time, I’ve realized that it’s not about having the AI do my work; it’s about using it as a tool to help me learn better. Now, I see it as a kind of digital learning partner one that helps me summarize, problem-solve, and think through new ideas in more depth.
One of the main ways I use AI is to summarize textbook chapters and assigned readings. In my psychology classes, for example, we often get long readings full of new terminology and theory. I’ll paste in sections and ask AI to highlight key terms or explain how certain concepts connect. It’s especially helpful when I’m trying to understand dense or technical language. Then, when I go back to the text, I already have a clearer sense of what I’m looking for and how everything fits together.
In my environmental chemistry course, AI has been a great resource for checking equations and reviewing problem-solving steps. For example, when calculating atmospheric pressure at different altitudes, I used AI to walk me through each step, explaining the formulas and conversions involved. It didn’t just give me the answer it explained why each step worked. That made a huge difference for me in actually understanding the process rather than just memorizing it.
I also use AI to brainstorm ideas for projects and format my writing. Sometimes when I’m not sure how to start, I’ll ask it for a few possible approaches or ways to organize my ideas. It’s a good way to get past writer’s block and see different directions before deciding which one fits best.
That said, I’ve learned that AI isn’t always right, and it’s important to stay cautious. Sometimes when I ask it to help me find sources or data, it will make things up it might create fake article titles or cite authors that don’t exist. I’ve realized that when it doesn’t know something, it tends to fill in the blanks rather than admit it. So now, I always double-check everything, especially when using it for research. I confirm sources through my library database or Google Scholar, and I treat AI-generated information as a starting point, not a final answer.
Even with those limits, I find AI incredibly helpful for learning when I use it responsibly. It helps me stay organized, confident, and engaged, while still making sure I remain in charge of my own learning. I think that’s the most important part remembering that critical thinking and verification still belong to me, not the technology.
Generative AI has become one of my most useful learning tools because it pushes me to ask better questions, think more critically, and reflect more deeply. It helps me understand content in a clearer way, but it also challenges me to verify, compare, and evaluate what I read.
