Since the emergence of artificial intelligence, particularly tools like ChatGPT, the educational landscape has changed significantly. High school teachers are faced with a real challenge from the cheating facilitated by these technologies. They are focusing on deploying creative and bold strategies to maintain academic integrity while adapting to this new digital era. This article explores the methods implemented by these educators to address the situation and the concerns surrounding it.
A new era of evaluation
Teachers must adapt to a reality where AI has invaded the usual learning and evaluation practices. Grégoire, a physics-chemistry teacher, was one of the first to notice that his students were submitting assignments that he suspected were written by AIs. Faced with this situation, he made a radical decision: he eliminated homework. For him, allowing students to rely on software to complete educational tasks devalues learning.
The acceptance of AI in classrooms
Christophe Cailleaux, a history-geography teacher, testifies that the use of artificial intelligence has become widely normalized. Of his 31 students, only five have never used these tools. The shame of cheating with AI seems to have disappeared, creating a new perspective on pedagogy and assessment methods. During training sessions, he has noticed an increase in the number of teachers concerned about the impact of AI on the academic environment.
Heightened vigilance against cheating
To combat cheating practices related to artificial intelligence, teachers are intensifying their vigilance during exams. Rigorous monitoring methods have been implemented, such as banning headphones and checking bags. A notable incident occurred when a student was caught cheating using an AI service, highlighting the daily challenges teachers face.
A feeling of helplessness
Despite their efforts, many teachers feel helpless in the face of new forms of cheating. The difficulty in detecting the use of AI in student submissions causes a certain frustration. Online tools designed to detect submissions written by automated systems often yield contradictory results. Thus, the personal knowledge of students becomes one of the last resorts for identifying anomalies in submitted work.
Oral solutions to the writing challenge
To break out of this deadlock, some teachers do not hesitate to organize oral exams to validate their students’ skills. Grégoire took this initiative after noticing that some papers exceeded the usual level of the students. This type of evaluation becomes an effective means to distinguish the true knowledge of students from AI-assisted productions.
Creativity and cunning to counter cheats
Other teachers, like a literature professor, are adopting innovative approaches to detect the use of AI. By assigning homework that requires specific knowledge not accessible through a simple online search, she is able to identify students resorting to tools like ChatGPT. Her experience has revealed that the majority of students had not even watched the assigned documentaries, merely relying on artificial intelligence to answer the questions.
A troubling dialogue with the institution
Teachers advocate for greater recognition of their skills in identifying the effects of AI on academic results. Christophe Cailleaux has called on the Ministry of National Education to implement measures that promote dialogue between teachers and administration on these troubling issues. In June, a framework for the use of artificial intelligence in education was established, including considerations on cheating that were previously overlooked.
The awareness of students
Students, for their part, are also beginning to become aware of the issues related to the use of AI tools. Many of them realize that relying solely on these technologies harms their learning, comparing the situation to cheating during a physical exercise. They see the danger of external help on their intellectual and personal development while also enjoying the convenience that these tools provide.
A need for education in the face of AI
As training on the use of AI will be integrated into the curriculum for students starting in the 2025 school year, teachers hope that this will contribute to a better understanding of the issues associated with these technologies. This initiative represents a step toward an education adapted to contemporary challenges but also raises concerns about the haste with which digital education is being implemented.
Despite the challenges posed by technological evolution and its consequences on education, it is crucial to continue to engage in dialogue and adapt. Educators find themselves at the heart of a constant struggle to maintain the integrity of learning while leveraging the potential advancements offered by new technologies. The road remains long to find a balance between innovation and traditional pedagogy.
