Artificial intelligence has transformed the way classrooms look and function, leaving schools grappling with how to curb cheating and manage its excessive use. Take-home homework is quickly becoming a thing of the past.
Across the United States (US), high school and college educators say AI has become so widespread among students that assigning writing outside the classroom now feels like an open invitation to cheat, as per a report by the Associated Press.
“The cheating is off the charts. It’s the worst I’ve seen in my entire career,” says Casey Cuny, who has taught English for 23 years, adding “Anything you send home, you have to assume is being AI’ed.”
The challenge for educators now is not whether students are using AI but how schools can adapt their teaching and assessment methods in a world where AI is everywhere.
As AI tools become more advanced and integrated into daily life, they are forcing a reevaluation of what academic dishonesty even means.
“We have to ask ourselves, what is cheating? Because I think the lines are getting blurred.” says Cuny, a 2024 recipient of California’s Teacher of the Year award.
At Valencia High School in Southern California, Cuny has moved most writing assignments back into the classroom. He monitors student laptop screens from his desktop and can lock them or block certain sites if needed.
Cuny is not alone. In rural Oregon, teacher Kelly Gibson has made the same shift, adding more verbal assessments to ensure students can explain what they have read, added AP.
“I used to give a writing prompt and say, ‘In two weeks I want a five-paragraph essay. These days, I can’t do that. That’s almost begging teenagers to cheat,” says Gibson.
Even standard assignments, like an essay on the relevance of social class in The Great Gatsby, now start with students asking ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas. The chatbot offers not only suggestions but also outlines and quotes, and even asks if it should draft sections of the essay.
AI bans are softening
When ChatGPT first launched in late 2022, many schools immediately banned it. But over the past year, attitudes have shifted. The term “AI literacy” has become a buzzword, with a growing focus on teaching students to use AI responsibly.
Universities are also taking steps to provide clearer policies. The University of California, Berkeley, for example, recently emailed faculty new AI guidance, including sample syllabus statements for courses that either require, limit, or completely ban AI use.
“In the absence of such a statement, students may be more likely to use these technologies inappropriately,” the email said.
Emily DeJeu, who teaches communication at CMU’s business school, has completely eliminated take-home writing assignments. Instead, she uses in-class laptop quizzes in a “lockdown browser” that prevents students from leaving the screen.
“To expect an 18-year-old to exercise great discipline is unreasonable, that’s why it’s up to instructors to put up guardrails,” DeJeu says.