As AI tools proliferate, the traditional book report and take-home essays are fading into obsolescence. High school and college educators report that assigning writing tasks outside of class has become akin to inviting students to cheat.
The cheating is unprecedented. It’s the worst I’ve seen in my entire career, states Casey Cuny, a veteran English teacher. Today, educators must operate under the assumption that any work sent home could be processed by AI.
With AI technology transforming educational methodologies, teachers are exploring how to maintain academic integrity while incorporating technological advancements into their lessons. Many instructors, therefore, are reconsidering what defines cheating in this context.
We have to ask ourselves, what is cheating? Cuny reflects, noting the increasingly blurred lines.
At Valencia High School, Cuny has moved the majority of writing to in-class sessions, using software to monitor students’ activities and strategically incorporating AI to enhance learning as opposed to facilitating dishonesty.
Similarly, in rural Oregon, teacher Kelly Gibson has also shifted to in-class writing and verbal assessments. “Assigning lengthy writing tasks feels like encouraging cheating,” she admits.
AI helps students brainstorm ideas for essays, such as analyzing class structures in classic literature, with tools like ChatGPT offering support within moments. The experience often leaves students struggling with the ethical boundaries of using AI tools.
Many students recognize the benefits of AI, but express uncertainty about the boundaries of acceptable use. College sophomore Lily Brown exemplifies this dilemma as she seeks to balance leveraging AI for outlining essays versus concerns of cheating.
As schools grapple with how to implement AI usage policies, there remains significant variability in regulations, leading to confusion among students. Indeed, while some educators incorporate technologies like Grammarly, others remain strictly against these tools.
In response to the growing complexity of AI's role in education, several institutions have begun drafting more comprehensive guidelines for AI, with universities emphasizing the need for clear communication about how AI should be integrated into coursework.
With debates ongoing over the integrity of student work in the age of AI, teachers are now adapting traditional assessment methods, moving towards in-class quizzes and timed tests to ensure fairness and discipline.
