ChatGPT Detection Software (Australian Universities)

"Australia’s universities will gain access to new technology designed to crack down on cheats using ChatGPT but some top institutions are shunning the software as teachers look to redesign tests to combat the rise of artificial intelligence.

But some of the country’s biggest institutions including the University of Sydney, Monash University and Deakin University have said they will not use the software – at least initially – and are instead ramping up other detection methods to catch students using ChatGPT to write papers.

Academic integrity expert at the University of NSW, Cath Ellis, said there is a “real fear” the detection tool could lead universities to falsely accusing students of using ChatGPT to do their work.

“Turnitin are releasing this tool, but the perception among the higher education sector is that the type of testing that has been done hasn’t been effectively communicated.”

https://www.smh.com.au/education/university-cheats-on-notice-after-launch-of-chatgpt-detection-software-20230403-p5cxpc.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1680643020

 

Turnitin is also adding an AI detection component. While these are good initiatives, I think as educators we should create assessments that are not AI friendly.

 

I cannot TELL you just how much I agree with this.

For example, there's a reason why almost all universities use the viva voce (oral defense) during the doctoral process. Being able to speak about your research in complete, holistic terms is a sure way to determine if someone "owns" their own research.

In writing a doctoral thesis, you can get help. You can get a coach, an editor (style, format, even editing text), a statistician or other data analyst, whatever. But you need to own your work--the direction, the purpose, the methods, the outcomes and their meanings.

AI can actually help you. But it can't replace you if you're examined in the appropriate way. Turning in term papers has always been with risk, but most students don't cheat. Those that do often get weeded out as they go. Not all, of course, but the system doesn't have to be perfect. Little in life is.

But AI can be a game-changer. It might make it too easy to evade old ways demonstrating knowledge. This will require universities to work a little harder.

 

Sadly, this also prevents many from being able to obtain a doctorate at all. Except professional doctorates, I guess? There are many people who could do legit research and write a valid thesis, but who would struggle to stand up in front of an audience and "defend" their research.

If all degrees wound up similar to a doctoral degree, the amount of people who'd be willing and able to get even a Bachelor's degree would drop significantly.

 

It's interesting but possibly overkill. I don't have a personal stance for or against any of it. I am interested in how it all works and unfolds.

One of my former instructors seems to advocate for educators to *include* this as a tool - similar to Grammarly. He teaches writing and communication courses. One practical use suggestion is for students whose first language is not English. The concept is that they write the paper, having done the research, then pop it in Chat GPT to help polish up the syntax. I could see this being helpful, especially for schools like UoPeople, whose students are typically from around the globe.

I was curious to see if I could make it write a true paper for me. I grabbed an assignment (NOT for a class I am taking), then tried to figure out how exactly I would get an actual paper out of it. The paper would require a lot of specific nuances. You would have to check any references it gives you to make sure they are relevant and accurate. And figure out where to cite them. So there'd still be a lot of research and assembling to do, at least as far as I could find from a single attempt. So, even if you worked this way, you would still have to synthesize the information. A little bit backward, I guess. But if the true outcome is learning.... then have we succeeded?

 

No. More like learn-and-forget. It can give people practice in proof-reading, editing and fact-checking, to re-assemble the work of an AI. It does NOT facilitate the learning experience people get, by doing that original work.

 

I’d probably forget it either way. I can’t remember how to multiply fractions, or all the state capitals, or the exact recipe for chocolate chip cookies. But I definitely know how/where to find the answers. At this point, I am pretty sure I have forgotten more things than I remember.

 

That's EVERYBODY. You know what you NEED to know. Google does the rest. I think you're doing fine.

 

It's not too far behind that. You can tell it to make it funny, or rhyme, be academic, or in the style of Snoop Dogg.