By Melissa Polen
About a year ago, you could have found me in my office dreading the thought of grading homework. I was worried that I had somehow become the “AI Police,” which was never a role I wanted. Each time I read a paper that felt like it had been written by AI (the word “delve” has suddenly become extremely popular), I turned to several AI detection tools, only to grow more frustrated when each one delivered a different and inconsistent percentage.
After talking with colleagues, I realized I needed to step away from the detection tools altogether. While they might offer a hint about what was happening in a paper, they were not going to tell me the full story of a student’s writing process. For that, I needed to speak directly with the student. I chose a different approach rooted in curiosity and placed the responsibility back on the student.
This curiosity-driven approach allowed me to stay true to my classroom policies while also giving students the opportunity to explain how they wrote their assignment. Perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps it was not AI. If a student could walk me through their choices, their process and their reasoning, I was happy to hear it. When I suspected inappropriate AI use, I assigned a zero and invited the student to meet with me. Generally, students who had not used AI were comfortable explaining their work. Those who had used it often avoided the meeting entirely.
AI has created an interesting tension in my courses. On one hand, I want students to learn how to use these tools because the business industry expects them to understand the fundamentals. On the other hand, I want students to think critically and explain their ideas without relying on AI. To help strike this balance, I introduced Respondus Lockdown Browser for certain assignments. I wanted it to be very clear that there is a time and a place for AI. In most of my classes, students still complete at least one assignment where AI use is encouraged. Those assignments remain open. For assignments where I want to hear their voice and reduce AI use, the lockdown browser (with monitoring) is required.
So far, the results have been positive. At first, I was met with some resistance. Students joked that I was not teaching life-saving skills, so why would I need a lockdown browser? Over time, they adjusted, and using the browser has become second nature. When determining what was needed to help reduce the use of AI, I needed to find something that made me feel comfortable. I could not fathom the idea of going through another term dreading work that I truly loved doing. Is it possible that some students will still find a way to cheat, regardless of how much I clarify AI expectations or use monitoring software? Of course! No way will ever be foolproof.
While I am content with my current approach, I do not see this as the final stop on my path. AI continues to change, and I know I must be willing to evolve with it. My classes will shift and my assignments will adapt, but my commitment to staying curious and having real conversations with students will remain the same.
If you are interested in learning more about Respondus Lockdown Browser, I encourage you to chat with the Rogue Online team. I am always happy to share more about my journey as well!
For more information, please contact Melissa Polen by email or on Teams.