How AI Has Changed Student Cheating — And How to Respond
Jan 7, 2025
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Trisha Bertram Gallant, Director of the Academic Integrity Office at UC San Diego and co-author of "The Opposite of Cheating," delves into the complexities of student cheating in the AI era. She discusses the importance of understanding students' motivations behind cheating and how this can inform teaching practices. The conversation emphasizes the need for educators to adapt assessment methods to prioritize creativity and engagement. Trisha also highlights the evolving role of academic integrity amidst new technologies, calling for collaboration and open dialogue between students and educators.
Understanding the motivations behind student cheating allows educators to provide empathetic support rather than punitive measures.
The rise of AI tools necessitates a shift from traditional assessments to mastery-based evaluations that prioritize learning processes.
Creating an engaged classroom environment by addressing outdated teaching practices can significantly discourage cheating and promote academic integrity.
Deep dives
The Impact of AI Tools on Academic Integrity
The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT has introduced new challenges to academic integrity, fundamentally altering how students perceive cheating. Unlike previous resources that students might question, AI tools often seem more authoritative and correct, leading students to rely on them without critical evaluation. This increased accessibility and anonymity of AI resources creates an environment where cheating becomes more tempting and less visible. Despite these changes, educators are encouraged to focus on teaching integrity rather than solely recalibrating policies regarding academic misconduct.
Understanding Why Students Cheat
Many educators hold misconceptions about the motivations behind student cheating, often assuming that only 'bad' students cheat or that it is merely a calculated decision to avoid failure. In reality, cheating is a common human behavior, influenced by situational factors rather than purely moral failings. Understanding this can help educators reframe their approach to cheating, fostering a more empathetic view that considers the developmental stages of students. Recognizing the pressure and uncertainty students face can shift the focus from punishment to constructive support.
The Role of Educators in Reinforcing Integrity
Teachers play a critical role in shaping the classroom environment that influences student behavior regarding integrity and cheating. The podcast discusses how certain teaching practices can unintentionally encourage cheating, such as the use of outdated assessments that students find easy to game. Professors who disengage or exhibit inconsistent policies can foster a culture where cheating becomes normalized among students. By creating a supportive and engaged classroom atmosphere, educators can promote integrity as a normative behavior.
Adapting Educational Assessments to Maintain Integrity
The shift toward remote education and online assessments during the pandemic highlighted the need for re-evaluation of traditional testing methods. High-stakes testing environments often exacerbate issues of cheating, prompting educators to consider alternative assessment strategies that emphasize mastery rather than rote memorization. Implementing individualized and mastery-based assessments enables students to demonstrate their knowledge authentically and reduces the temptation to cheat. By restructuring assessments to focus on learning processes, educators can foster deeper engagement and accountability.
Building a Culture of Learning and Integrity
The conversation surrounding academic integrity emphasizes the necessity for educators to cultivate an environment that prioritizes teaching and student development over punitive measures for cheating. It is vital for teachers to engage in open dialogues with students about the role of AI and its implications for learning, shifting the focus from avoiding cheating to facilitating genuine understanding. This collaborative approach can help students link their educational experiences with their moral decision-making. Ultimately, by fostering relationships built on trust and integrity, educators can motivate students to embrace ethical learning practices.
One long-time expert on preventing student cheating argues that understanding why students cheat is key to making adjustments in teaching to prevent cheating with AI. It's the argument of Tricia Bertram Gallant, a longtime expert in academic integrity who is director of the Academic Integrity Office at the University of California San Diego who co-wrote a new book, “The Opposite of Cheating: Teaching for Integrity in the Age of AI.
See show notes at EdSurge.com: https://www.edsurge.com/news/2025-01-07-ai-has-changed-student-cheating-but-strategies-to-stop-it-remain-consistent
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