40% of Australia University Students Are Using AI When They're "Not Supposed To"
Plus, a survey of US high school students finds "many" using AI on assignments, even though they know it's cheating. Plus, a university rejects a grad application for AI use?
Issue 319
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Four in Ten University Students in Australia Admit to Using “AI in Assessment When I Was Not Supposed To”
According to a recent survey of some 8,000 students from four universities in Australia, four in ten are using AI on assessments when they know it’s not allowed.
Here’s where I remind you that surveys of self-reported, disapproved behavior undercount actual rates because people do not want to admit they did a bad or disfavored thing. On issues of academic misconduct in particular, the undercounts may be significant.
So, what’s the real percentage? 50%? 75%? 80%? Whatever it is, it’s a major portion and ought to be concerning. I mean, I’d think.
Other findings from the survey:
83% say they “use AI for my studies”
79% say they use AI to answer questions
68% say they use AI to “create text I can use”
Which I think answers our questions as to what the real rates of AI misuse are.
I also highlight that, when asked why students are using AI in their studies:
85% said “makes things easier”
85% said “makes things faster”
Faster and easier. Got it.
Also noteworthy is that, when asked specifically about AI and academic integrity:
71% said they think AI makes cheating easier
91% said they were worried about breaking university rules
Personally, my sense is that the students in that 91% are not worried about breaking the rules, they are worried about being caught breaking the rules. If 91% were actually worried about the rules, 40% would not admit to breaking them.
But whatever — a significant portion of university students in Australia is using AI on their coursework, to answer questions and produce text they can use. They’re doing it because it’s faster and easier than doing the actual work themselves.
Nothing to see here.
High School Student Surveys Students on AI and Cheating
An American High School student fielded a survey on AI use and cheating for her AP research class, according to local reporting.
The complete results were not fully published in the coverage. But here are some tidbits:
Over a third of the students surveyed reported using ChatGPT for schoolwork, with most admitting they used it not just to understand the material but to complete assignments. Despite recognizing the importance of academic integrity and knowing they shouldn’t use such tools to cheat, many still did.
“The survey was a reflection of what I gathered from the people in my school and my environment around me,” said [the student].
Again, self-report surveys undercount cheating. But I don’t know how much more on-the-dot we can get except reporting, “Despite recognizing the importance of academic integrity and knowing they shouldn’t use such tools to cheat, many still did.”
According to the article, our student:
also wonders whether her fellow students fully grasp the long-term consequences an overreliance on AI tools can spell for their future. If ChatGPT becomes a dangerous crutch for those who forgo exercising originality and critical thinking skills in school, it could spill into their professional lives.
“If you’re using these services to cheat and you’re not truly understanding the material, it is going impact a lot of people in college and beyond post-secondary education and into the workforce,” she said.
Yup.
If you’re using AI to cheat in high school, you are going to use it to cheat in college, and you’re very likely going to have to use it in your job because, by that point, you have no choice. Asking the chat machine for the answer is all you know how to do. Problem is, of course, not only is that dangerous, given that AI chatbots have no idea what nonsense they’re spitting out, it’s not an employable skill. If AI can do your job, it will.
But whatever — a significant portion of American high school students is using AI to do their coursework, even though they know it’s cheating.
Nothing to see here.
Did a University Reject a Graduate School Application for Using AI?
To answer the headline question, I have no idea. And honestly, I doubt it. But this post on LinkedIn shows — maybe.
If you don’t care to click over, it purports to show a grad school rejection letter from an unnamed school to an unidentified student. The image includes:
This decision is in part due to our AI detection software indicating your personal statement was AI generated.
It offers to reconsider the essay if the student applicant believes the finding to be incorrect.
Again, I doubt this is real. But if it is, good.
Using AI to make your personal statement is a very good reason to doubt the effort and intention of an applicant. And I am sure that scholastic applicants are using AI for all kinds of purposes, including the personal statement.
Fun aside, years ago, and way before ChatGPT, I was approached to write a personal essay for an applicant to a doctorate program in education, from a teacher. She sent me her resume and offered to pay me. I sent her e-mail to the admissions office of her intended school. So, yes — people fake this stuff.
I’ll also mention that the person who shared this letter on LinkedIn, thinks this is horrible. Not the lying and misrepresentation, but the rejection for lying and misrepresentation. He is “shocked,” he wrote. Adding:
AI detection is fundamentally flawed and especially biased against international students.
Stanford researchers have already established this
This is false. On like three counts. But whatever. We’re not after accuracy, we’re after indignation. Badge unlocked.
Class Note
Thursday is Halloween and there will be Issue of “The Cheat Sheet” — academic fraud ought to be scary enough already.