AI & Student Integrity

A Brave New World

By Katrina McDowell on Oct 25, 2023 in Technology

AI is advancing at a rapid pace. Education institutions should have clear academic integrity policies, communicate expectations to students and provide resources for them to understand and avoid academic misconduct. AI should complement these efforts rather than replace them entirely. Here are some various ways AI promotes student integrity.

One of the most significant advancements in AI is Chat GPT and utilizing it for various content. However, how can educators ensure students are not just using it and turning in papers? Utilizing a plagiarism detector tool, teachers can scan academic papers, essays and assignments to identify instances of plagiarism by comparing the text to a vast database of educational and online content.

These tools can help educators and institutions ensure students submit original work. In addition, if it is the middle of the year and suddenly the student makes a significant improvement and does not indicate such a leap in understanding or skill, the inconsistent performance is a sign that the student may have used external help.

Gone are the days of easy cheating for online exams. AI proctoring solutions can monitor students’ behavior during tests for virtual learning and online classes. AI proctoring solutions use webcams and microphone feeds to detect suspicious behavior, such as looking away from the screen, talking to someone off-screen or using prohibited resources that can be flagged for review. AI can also employ facial recognition to verify the identity of the person taking the exam.

AI proctoring solutions may lock down the test taker’s browser, limiting their ability to access external websites during an exam. AI proctoring can also work with recruiters to ensure the integrity of the candidate’s assessment and streamline the evaluation process. A study by IBM found that behavioral and cognitive assessments using AI technology improved the accuracy of predicting job performance by 90%.

AI algorithms can assist in identifying patterns of suspicious communications by monitoring communication channels such as chat messages or discussion forums. AI can help identify students discussing or sharing answers during exams or assignments. Some learning management systems and online platforms keep student activity logs, showing when and how often students access course materials. Unusual access patterns, like accessing all course material just before an exam, might indicate the potential for cheating.

AI should complement work life for both educators and students. Students can now use various writing assistants like Grammarly to improve their writing skills by providing real-time feedback on grammar, style and citation errors. This reduces plagiarism and encourages students to develop their writing skills. AI can also tailor personalized learning plans for individual students’ needs, providing them with customized resources and assignments that match their skill levels and learning styles, which can be helpful for those being homeschooled. This reduces the incentive for students to cheat since they are more likely to engage with appropriately challenging and engaging material.

AI can assist teachers with grading assignments and tests, ensuring that grading is consistent and fair. Automated assessments can also provide quick feedback to students to help them learn from mistakes and improve their understanding of the material. Educators can also investigate data analytics to see how students interact with online learning platforms, which can reveal patterns of behavior that might indicate cheating. For example, if a student completes an assignment much faster than their usual pace, it could raise some suspicion.

Of course, this all might raise a concern of AI being replaced for jobs, but according to Forbes, staying ahead of the curve and teaching yourself to use new tools as they become available is critical to thriving in the age of AI.