AI in Assessments
During Summer Term 2023, the Students’ Union led the national conversation on the use of generative artificial intelligence software (AI) in higher education assessment. We asked students how they and their peers were using and interacting with AI during the summer assessment period. Student Academic Reps and the Students’ Union wrote a series of recommendations to the University and released a statement on the use of the Turnitin AI Detector tool.
Find out what we got up to below...
How are students using AI to aid learning or complete assessments?
During Summer Term 2023, we asked students to tell us if and how they (and their peers) were using generative artificial intelligence software to aid their learning and complete assessed work.
125 students completed our quick online survey. You can click through all their anonymous responses (raw and unedited) in a random order below. (Click next to start!).
How have you used AI in your learning or assessments?
Have you heard how your peers are using AI in their learning or assessments?
In July 2023, Elisha Moreton (LUSU Research Assistant and MSc Psychology student) wrote for WonkHE about our work and our findings: https://wonkhe.com/blogs-sus/students-are-using-ai-to-plug-holes-in-their-provision/
Use of AI in Assessment: Students’ Recommendations to the University, May 2023
We have previously brought students together to create recommendations for Lancaster University on the use of generative AI in assessment. Read the recommendations here: https://lancastersu.co.uk/articles/use-of-ai-in-assignments
Matt Woodrow, LUSU Academic Rep Co-ordinator has written for WonkHE on how these recommendations were produced and why the perspective of students is important in this debate: https://wonkhe.com/blogs-sus/ai-is-here-to-stay-and-students-want-clarity-on-how-to-harness-it/
Statement on the Use of Turnitin AI Detector at Lancaster University, June 2023
In June 2023, Noah Katz (VP Education 22/23) and Sam Hedges (VP Education 23/24) released a joint statement condemning the University’s use of the Turnitin AI Detector tool in academic misconducted cases against Lancaster students. You can read the statement here: https://lancastersu.co.uk/articles/vp-education-calls-on-the-university-to-stop-turnitin-ai-detection
Following our statement, the Students’ Union has worked closely with the University to ensure wrongly flagged students are able to avoid the stress and indignity of illegitimate academic misconduct hearings. We have also worked closely with the University to develop measures to better prepare for future rounds of assessment.
LU Education Conference 2023, July 2023
In July, Felipe Sanchez Burgos (FASS PGR Student Academic Rep), Rowan McKillop (FASS UG Student Academic Rep), Josh Chooyin (FST UG Student Academic Rep) and Students’ Union staff presented to the University’s annual Education Conference on Students’ Honest Views & Students’ Secret Practices: AI in Assessment. You can watch the recording of the session below or at this link: https://estream.lancaster.ac.uk/View.aspx?id=68902~5m~f4ABXjcoPd
As students’ representative body at Lancaster University, we continuously work to better understand the lived experience of students today. On the implications of generative AI technology on higher education learning and assessment, and any other matters that concern our members, we will continue to campaign, lobby, and lead the conversation on behalf of students.
For any questions about this research, and our work on AI, please email su.insight@lancaster.ac.uk
