Beyond The Degree

College, Critical Thinking, and ChatGPT: A Twenty-Year Adjunct’s Perspective

What one student taught me about the real cost of cutting corners. She said, “But they’re getting smarter, and I feel like I’m getting dumber.”

Styled photograph of photorealistic students in a college classroom. [Conceptualized by Dave Hallmon, ]. Midjourney.com, 2025.

Every professor has that one moment — when a student lingers after class, eyes uncertain, voice low: “Is it cheating to use ChatGPT… just to get started?”

At first, it feels innocent, like outlining in pencil before rewriting in ink. But after nearly 20 years teaching across disciplines at two universities, I’ve learned to hear the question behind the question.

Because this isn’t really about cheating; it’s about something deeper unraveling.

What I’ve Learned After Teaching Undergraduate Students for 20 Years

The Great Temptation

If you’ve read my previous posts, you know I don’t believe in fear-mongering. I’ve watched students code brilliant projects, write nuanced philosophy papers, and build Excel dashboards from…