Tom StonehamJul 4, 2023

We have spotted quite a few students using generative AI in their essays this summer and applied standard academic misconduct proceedings, though in most cases the work was so bad they would've failed anyway.

Today I learned of one whose use was sufficiently extensive that they will fail their degree.

I am wondering if this is *the first time a student has failed a whole degree for using AI*? Would love to hear about other cases. If you want to tell me in confidence, my Session ID is in my Bio

Show threadKate Nyhan is changing servers
@tomstoneham I mean - fundamentally, are they failing for using AI? Or are they failing because they haven't demonstrated the competencies or learning objectives that their essays/portfolio were giving them a chance to demonstrate?
Jul 4, 2023 at 6:27pmWeb
Show threadTom StonehamJul 4, 2023

@kdnyhan

This is a really good question. They are failing for not meeting the academic standards we clearly lay out and spend a lot of time teaching them about attribution of sources, whether quoted or paraphrased, not passing of the work of others as your own etc.

That it was done with AI rather than cut and paste from Wikipedia makes no difference to that (though the AI does some weird stuff making up references!)

Show threadKate Nyhan is changing serversJul 4, 2023
@tomstoneham Nihil novi sub sole
Show threadTom StonehamJul 4, 2023
@kdnyhan
We also give them written and oral opportunities to explain why the text they produced has the appearance of being plagiarism.
Show threadjnyroseJul 5, 2023
@kdnyhan @tomstoneham yes! Exactly! This is not (mostly) an AI issue. It is an academic integrity and (sometimes) assessment design issue.