Abstract
In Autumn 2023, a simple Artificial Intelligence powered tool was developed
for Master’s students to ensure that their writing was clear, well-structured and
appropriate for their programme, without undermining the academic integrity of
the essay. The tool was designed so that all students, no matter their nationality,
English proficiency or educational background, could use it to improve their essays
and coursework and ascertain that their arguments were put forward in a clear and
cogent manner, without the risk of falling foul of the University’s academic malpractice
regulations.
Following the release of ChatGPT-3.5 in November 2020 (Marr, 2023), and its
popularity and ease of use, concern was raised amongst the higher education
community (Douglas Heaven, 2023). A new form of contract cheating, where a student
seeks the help of others to complete their assignment, was enabled by AI as students
could now simply ask the AI tool to complete their essays for them. Furthermore, these
AI tools were either free of charge, or very low cost, and were very simple to use.
Discussions with colleagues in various third level institutes revealed strategies such as
limiting assessments which could be completed by AI to recent events,1
or to change
the focus of written assessments to reflection pieces.2
However, as the AI models have
evolved and become more robust, such strategies are no longer effective. Alternative
assessment strategies, such as shifting to in-person exams or conducting viva voce
examinations, have been discussed in faculty meetings across many universities.
However, these alternative assessment strategies raise concerns regarding access
and inclusion, as they may disadvantage students who have varying levels of comfort
and ability with oral examinations. They may also not be the appropriate way in which
to assess students on certain learning outcomes. This highlights the need for inclusive
assessment approaches that accommodate diverse needs and ensure equitable
opportunities for all students to demonstrate their knowledge.
for Master’s students to ensure that their writing was clear, well-structured and
appropriate for their programme, without undermining the academic integrity of
the essay. The tool was designed so that all students, no matter their nationality,
English proficiency or educational background, could use it to improve their essays
and coursework and ascertain that their arguments were put forward in a clear and
cogent manner, without the risk of falling foul of the University’s academic malpractice
regulations.
Following the release of ChatGPT-3.5 in November 2020 (Marr, 2023), and its
popularity and ease of use, concern was raised amongst the higher education
community (Douglas Heaven, 2023). A new form of contract cheating, where a student
seeks the help of others to complete their assignment, was enabled by AI as students
could now simply ask the AI tool to complete their essays for them. Furthermore, these
AI tools were either free of charge, or very low cost, and were very simple to use.
Discussions with colleagues in various third level institutes revealed strategies such as
limiting assessments which could be completed by AI to recent events,1
or to change
the focus of written assessments to reflection pieces.2
However, as the AI models have
evolved and become more robust, such strategies are no longer effective. Alternative
assessment strategies, such as shifting to in-person exams or conducting viva voce
examinations, have been discussed in faculty meetings across many universities.
However, these alternative assessment strategies raise concerns regarding access
and inclusion, as they may disadvantage students who have varying levels of comfort
and ability with oral examinations. They may also not be the appropriate way in which
to assess students on certain learning outcomes. This highlights the need for inclusive
assessment approaches that accommodate diverse needs and ensure equitable
opportunities for all students to demonstrate their knowledge.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences in the Era of GenerativeAI: Case Studies from around Ireland |
| Editors | Jenny Costello, Zeljka Doljanin, Naomi McAreavey, Fionnuala Walsh |
| Place of Publication | Dublin, Ireland |
| Publisher | UCD Dublin |
| Chapter | 14 |
| Pages | 191-202 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Jan 2025 |
Keywords
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- academic integrity
- Fair and Ethical Artificial Intelligence Coursework Aids
- Coursework Aids
- ChatGPT
- higher education (HE)