The evolution of assessment: AI Tools, Integrity Challenges & Simulations

While plagiarism tools can identify content that’s copied, they may not detect sophisticated forms of cheating, such as outsourcing. That’s because many of the tools used by universities are still in their infancy and students are being creative in bypassing detection capabilities.

In addition, ensuring the authenticity of students’ work online is a huge challenge. With remote learning becoming more common, universities must use robust authentication methods to verify identities and prevent academic dishonesty.

While it may be tempting to ban the use of generative AI tools for students, many experts believe the solution is to incorporate the use of the tools into the curriculum and classroom. 

When talking about AI and plagiarism, Sheehan told ComputerWorld: “Students will use [chatbot generated content] as a first draft.” Students will say “I need some ideas, give me some. Great! Now, I’ll just go off and research further and add to it, add research and references to it and it becomes almost impossible to detect that. Many institutions are saying – Maybe this is something we should encourage students to do.”

So what can educators do to maintain the integrity of assignments and assessments in this age of AI?

The Rise of Controlled Environments & Simulation Testing

To ensure integrity, many universities are using controlled assessments. This way, students can be monitored to prevent cheating and ensure fairness. 

Examples of controlled testing include

• In-person exams
• Proctored online assessments
• Testing centers 

In recent years, there has also been a growing trend towards simulation-style testing. The reason is that this type of assessment replicates real-world scenarios and requires students to apply theory to practical situations. 

For example, flight simulations, virtual patient simulations and digital marketing simulations can effectively provide hands-on experience without risk and help students cultivate essential soft or professional skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving. 

How can Universities Help Students Use AI Responsibly?

The simple fact is that AI tools are here to stay and students want to use them. In fact, 39% of students would shun a school that banned generative AI tech according to a College Rover survey.

So how can universities facilitate the use of AI in the classroom and maintain academic integrity – and encourage students to do the same)? 

Some simple ways universities can ensure that students use AI tools ethically and responsibly are:

• Give students access to AI tools and provide training on how to use them
• Develop guidelines on the ethical implications and bias in AI tools
• Develop and communicate academic integrity policies – be clear on how AI can be used!
• Be clear on the learning outcomes that will be measured
• Discuss if and how the use of AI tools will be considered in the evaluation of student’s performance
• Provide students with examples or demonstrate of how to use AI (e.g. ChatGPT prompts)

Conclusion

As AI tools like Perplexity become more commonly used by students, universities must adapt to ensure the integrity of their evaluation processes. 

Controlled environment assessments and simulation-style testing offer solutions to the challenges posed by AI, enabling universities to maintain academic standards while setting students up for career success. 

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