STAR Innovator Spotlight – Dr. Roark
How AI Can Influence Human Creativity
The use – and misuse – of artificial intelligence in the workplace and academia is on the rise. The prevalence of AI has sparked concerns among workers, many who fear they will be replaced by AI, and educators who are concerned the technology will interfere with and stifle the learning process.
Dr. Jarrod Roark, STA English teacher, has recognized the need to address the proper and creative use of AI to ensure students are equipped with AI-related knowledge that “could be profound in a variety of career fields and paths.”
In the classroom, Roark encourages students to use AI constructively by outlining specific parameters for use in academic activities. He promotes its use for creative purposes, in particular by seniors as they prepare for their capstone projects. “By using AI properly and in an innovative fashion, students can learn how this powerful technology can influence their work in deep and meaningful ways,” says Roark. He continues, “Through education, we can prepare students to be more adept and ready for the world they’re entering, which will continue to introduce new and unexpected changes and technologies.”
To further promote the responsible use of AI, Roark is teaching an Interim Week Class in January 2025 called, “Artificial Intelligence and Human Creativity,” which will delve into how industries and fields such as advertising, securities, engineering, and even visual arts, use AI in ethical and innovative ways. His goal is to help students understand how to use this technology for their own creative purposes.
Roark believes that through education, students become more prepared for the world and the situations they will face on a daily basis in the workplace and elsewhere. He believes that when subjects such as AI are prohibited and ignored in the classroom, that aspect of preparation is lost and students can easily turn towards misuse of AI. “I feel like I would be doing a disservice to my students if I ignored AI and pretended like it wasn’t a reality,” states Roark. Instead, learning how to operate and use AI responsibly offers a new realm of possibilities for creation and invention.
Margaret Lewis, Class of 2025, contributed to this story