We are now in a world where AI is changing how we test and evaluate our students. Generative AI tools have shaken up assessment, bringing exciting possibilities but also challenges. These tools can crunch through mountains of data, give instant feedback, summarise huge chunks of information and churn out graphs that seem eerily credible. What can we do to address the use of this super-intelligent tutor at our students’ fingertips?
Our response to the use of GenAI tools and assignments needs to be appropriate and balanced. We should not be going to the extreme and making all assessments proctored or distrust every submission from students. Ideally, we would embrace the use of GenAI tools, while putting in place measures to prevent misuse.
Here are some steps we can take to make our assignments smarter, without letting the technology take over.
Try out the GenAI tools
To review an assignment’s vulnerability against the use of GenAI tools, we need to test it out. Our digital native students are well equipped to use these tools and are adept in finding ways to manipulate various strategies to help them in their studies.
As GenAI tools advance in data processing and writing capabilities, it’s crucial to keep up to date with these technologies. By testing GenAI’s abilities to complete our assignments, we can learn how to make the necessary adjustments to the questions posed. As we continually use these tools, we will then also find innovative ways to incorporate them and develop even more sophisticated student tasks.
Review items to be assessed
GenAI tools excel in writing, grammar correction, idea generation and quick summarisation. Our students also use these tools to rephrase content or conclude paragraphs. For each task that is easily accomplished by the tool, the marks allocated should be adjusted accordingly.
This warrants a second glance at the learning outcomes covered by the assignment. In most cases, teaching staff greatly reduce the marks for writing or report structure as these can be easily covered by GenAI tools. The focus of assignments should shift towards encouraging students to solve more complex or content-specific problems that requires deeper thinking and interpretation.
Make the assessment authentic
To focus assessments on higher-order thinking, ground the tasks in real-life situations. In authentic assessments, the problem to be solved comes from industry partners and there are numerous variables and perspectives to consider. There is also not one perfect answer to solve everything. Our students are also taught critical thinking and design thinking skills, and are encouraged to look for innovative solutions.
To develop such assessments, we look for opportunities with industry partners to share the challenges they face, and then ask students to help in developing solutions to these problems. Industry partners working with our teaching staff are invited to attend seminars and answer questions students might have about the problem.
Students can also use GenAI tools to help them come up with solutions, whether it is a solution to an industry problem or an end product such as an advertisement or poster. The students’ solutions are presented to the industry partner, who will then help assess and provide feedback from their perspective. It is the assignments based in real-life specific contexts for which the GenAI tool will have difficulty formulating answers.
Embrace the use of the tools
As we delve into the use of GenAI tools, we should also let our students apply them to aid in addressing complex issues and consider analysing the tools’ efficacy and weaknesses. For example, students might employ a GenAI tool to identify challenges within a specified industry and develop viable solutions. This is then followed by critically assessing the suggestions and justifying their final decisions.
In another assignment, students generate a response from a public relations firm to a complaint, evaluating its weaknesses and strengths. This process is a step toward aiding students to integrate these tools into their future professional endeavours.
Offer guidance to students
Given the evolving nature of GenAI tools, it’s crucial to guide students on their proper use. This includes reminding them of the university’s academic integrity policy and advising against posting confidential information in GenAI tools or using generated content as their own.
Teaching staff should outline how GenAI tools are to be appropriately used for tasks such as brainstorming, consolidating points, suggesting ways to organise a structure or refine language, and highlight potential inaccuracies and misuse consequences. This is a necessary step because most of our students aspire to excel and secure a high-quality degree. It’s essential to encourage them to maintain responsibility and integrity in their academic endeavours.
We recommend regular check-ins during assignments, requiring meetings with teaching staff to review progress and understanding. During these meetings, students must present their work-in-progress and answer questions, which can also be integrated into the assessment criteria. This ensures that students demonstrate their learning through the assignment.
The integration of GenAI tools into assignments challenges us to improve our assessment strategies, and we should continuously educate ourselves about the capabilities and limitations of GenAI tools. As these tools evolve, our assessment practices must also adapt to maintain the integrity of our educational outcomes.
As we continue to develop higher-quality and authentic assessments, we can learn to maximise the capabilities of GenAI tools in an environment that fosters engaged and innovative learning.
Miriam Wun is senior educational developer at Singapore Institute of Technology.
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