Australian universities to return to ‘pen and paper’ exams after student AI use

A number of Australian universities are to return to ‘pen and paper’ assessments after students were caught using artificial intelligence (AI) software to write essays. 

The Group of Eight institutions, leading research-intensive universities across Australia, said that they had revised assessments and how they would be run in response to the emergent technology. 

Dr Matthew Brown, the group’s Deputy Chief Executive, said its institutions were proactively tackling AI through targeted technological detection strategies, staff training, and redesigning assessments. 

He said: “Our universities have revised how they will run assessments in 2023. They will include greater use of pen and paper exams and tests and tests only for units with low integrity risks. 

“Assessment redesign is critical, and this work is ongoing for our universities as we seek to get ahead of AI developments.” 

The use of this software, such as Chat GPT, has now been classified as cheating, with the University of Sydney’s latest academic integrity policy specifically citing generating content using AI. 

Using AI in this way undermines academic integrity and is a significant issue facing all education and training institutions, nationally and internationally

– University of Sydney

A spokesperson for the institution said while few instances of cheating had been observed, and cases were generally of a low standard, the university was preparing for change by redesigning assessments and improving detection strategies. 

They added: “We also know AI can help students learn, and will form part of the tools we use at work in the future – so we need to teach our students how to use it legitimately.” 

They warned that if students submitted AI-written work as their own, it was plagiarism: “Using AI in this way undermines academic integrity and is a significant issue facing all education and training institutions, nationally and internationally.” 

Elsewhere, the Australian National University has changed assessment designs to rely on laboratory activities and fieldwork, as well as the introduction of more oral presentations. 

Chat GPT has already been banned across all devices in New York’s public schools due to concerns over its “negative impact on student learning” and the potential for plagiarism. 

We don’t want to destroy literacy, but did calculators destroy numeracy?

– Toby Walsh

Toby Walsh, Scientia professor of AI at the University of New South Wales, said that teachers were in “crisis meetings” about marking exams, and that those in the sector were still learning how to deal with plagiarism while receiving the benefits of the software. 

He said: “People are already using it to submit essays. We should’ve been aware this was coming … and we do tend to sleepwalk into the future. But it’s a step-change – it’s accessible, it’s got a nice interface and it’s easy to play with. 

“There are technical solutions – digital watermarking, but you can just run another program over it to destroy the watermark. It’s an arms race that’s never going to finish, and you’re never going to win. 

“Teachers hate marking essays, and with suitable prompts it can be used to mark and provide feedback teachers wouldn’t have the time or patience to. 

“We don’t want to destroy literacy, but did calculators destroy numeracy?”