SmartAB™ Wisdom #57: How I Cured Academic Integrity Headaches Caused By AI
Dorothy Parker, a famous American writer, is admired for her wit and social commentary. She remains a significant figure in American literary history, known for her sharp tongue and insightful observations on the human condition. Once, she made the following statement: “Curiosity is the cure for boredom; There is no cure for curiosity.” And it truly stuck with me ever since….
In the last couple of years, Generative AI has turned out to be the greatest challenge to Academic Integrity. And in homage to Dorothy Parker, I went on ambitious mission and proudly stated: “I will cure the Academic Integrity headaches caused by AI; There is no cure for Artificial Intelligence.”
In my post from Dec 2023, I spoke about AI making the greatest strides in Natural Language Processing (NLP) through the utilization of Large Language Models (LLM). Since ChatGPT and Copilot are committed to “Making NLP harness the power of language understanding”, many university and college students are now using LLM to generate, categorize, and organize written assignments at a previously unimaginable scale.
And perhaps since Dorothy Parker's use of puns and wordplay was a defining feature of her writing, it’s worth noting that Academic Integrity (AI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) also share the same acronyms. Humour aside, the challenges of AI to Academic Integrity should not be taken lightly. It’s a serious problem, and no good solutions are available…
Content, AI, And Plagiarism – In Academia
According to Wikipedia: “Plagiarism is the fraudulent representation of another person's language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions as one's own original work. Although precise definitions vary depending on the institution, in many countries and cultures, plagiarism is considered a violation of academic integrity and journalistic ethics, as well as social norms around learning, teaching, research, fairness, respect, and responsibility. As such, a person or entity that is determined to have committed plagiarism is often subject to various punishments or sanctions, such as suspension, expulsion from school or work, fines, imprisonment, and other penalties.
Plagiarism is typically not in itself a crime, but like counterfeiting, fraud can be punished in a court for prejudices caused by copyright infringement, violation of moral rights, or torts. In academia and in industry, it is a serious ethical offense. Plagiarism and copyright infringement overlap to a considerable extent, but they are not equivalent concepts, and many types of plagiarism do not constitute copyright infringement, which is defined by copyright law and may be adjudicated on by courts”…
Grammarly and other companies offer plagiarism checkers and state the following: “Our online plagiarism checker compares your text to billions of web pages and academic papers stored in ProQuest's databases. When part of your text matches something written online or in a database, you’ll get a plagiarism alert.
When you use Grammarly’s free online plagiarism check to detect plagiarism, you’ll see an instant report that tells you whether or not plagiarism was found and how many grammar and writing issues are present in your document. Grammarly’s Premium plagiarism checker flags specific sentences and provides reference information about the source, calculates an overall originality score for your document, and offers advanced writing feedback and corrections across several dimensions”…
Similarly, “Turnitin has released its AI writing detection capabilities to help educators uphold academic integrity while ensuring that students are treated fairly. It has added an AI writing indicator to the Similarity Report, which shows an overall percentage of the document that AI writing tools, such as ChatGPT, may have generated.
The indicator further links to a report which highlights the text segments that Turnitin’s model predicts were written by AI. Only instructors and administrators are able to see the indicator. While Turnitin has confidence in its model, it does not make a determination of misconduct, rather it provides data for the educators to make an informed decision based on their academic and institutional policies. Hence, the percentage on the AI writing indicator should not be used as the sole basis for action or a definitive grading measure by instructors.
When a paper is submitted to Turnitin, the submission is first broken into segments of text that are roughly a few hundred words (about five to ten sentences). Those segments are then overlapped with each other to capture each sentence in context.
The segments are run against Turnitin’s AI detection model and each sentence is given a score between 0 and 1 to determine whether it is written by a human or by AI. If the model determines that a sentence was not generated by AI, it will receive a score of 0. If it determines the entirety of the sentence was generated by AI, it will receive a score of 1.
Using the average scores of all the segments within the document, the model then generates an overall prediction of how much text in the submission Turnitin believes has been generated by AI. Currently, Turnitin’s AI writing detection model is trained to detect content from the language models, which include ChatGPT.
Because the writing characteristics are consistent, Turnitin’s detector is able to detect similar content most of the time. Turnitin is actively working on expanding its model to enable it to better detect content from other AI language models, too.
So, Are We There, Yet, Turnitin?
Conestoga College's policy on academic integrity emphasizes acting fairly and honestly in all academic activities, including coursework, work-integrated learning, academic documents, and research. The policy defines academic integrity violations (AIVs) as any conduct that undermines the authenticity of learning outcomes or unfairly benefits a student. All members of the Conestoga community are accountable for upholding academic integrity.
According to Sheridan College: “Turnitin's AI writing detection disclaimers emphasize that the tool is a guide, not a definitive proof of academic misconduct. They acknowledge the possibility of false positives and advise educators to use the results in conjunction with their own judgment and institutional policies. Turnitin also stresses the importance of open communication and trust between educators and students.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
1. Disclaimer of Definitive Proof of Misconduct:
Turnitin explicitly states that its AI detection is not the sole basis for adverse actions against students.
The tool provides data for educators to make informed decisions, but it doesn't determine if academic misconduct has occurred.
2. Acknowledgment of False Positives:
Turnitin recognizes that its AI detection may misidentify human-written text as AI-generated.
They advise educators to be aware of this possibility and to carefully consider the context of the student's work.
3. Importance of Human Judgment:
Turnitin emphasizes the need for educators to exercise their own judgment in evaluating student work.
They suggest considering factors like the student's writing style, background, and the specific assignment.
4. Importance of Open Communication:
Turnitin encourages open dialogue between educators and students about AI tools, acceptable use, and academic integrity.
They believe that open communication helps build trust and understanding.
And Turnitin’s disclaimer concludes:
Turnitin's AI detection tool is intended to be a resource, not a definitive tool for determining academic misconduct.
Educators should use the results in conjunction with their own knowledge of the student and their specific academic policies.
In summary, Turnitin's disclaimers emphasize that its AI detection tool is a valuable tool for supporting educators in their efforts to ensure academic integrity, but it should not be used as the sole basis for making decisions about student work.
And How About Grammarly’s Disclaimers?
Grammarly's AI detection disclaimers acknowledge that their AI detection tool is not 100% accurate and should not be used as the sole definitive source for determining AI-generated text. The tool provides a probabilistic estimate of AI likelihood, and while it can identify patterns commonly found in AI writing, it doesn't offer definitive proof.
Here's a more detailed explanation…
1. Limitations of AI Detection:
Inaccuracy:
No AI detector, including Grammarly's, is perfect. They can produce false positives (flagging human-written content as AI) and false negatives (missing AI-generated text).
Probabilistic Results:
The AI detection score is an estimate, not a definitive answer. It indicates a likelihood of AI involvement, not a guarantee.
Evolving AI:
As AI models become more sophisticated, they generate text that is increasingly difficult for detectors to identify.
Contextual Understanding:
AI detectors may struggle with certain writing styles, especially those of creative writers, developing students, or non-native English speakers.
Overreliance can lead to misuse:
Using AI detection tools in isolation can lead to unfair academic penalties, incorrect content moderation decisions, or unnecessary suspicion.
2. Grammarly's Approach to AI Detection:
Transparency:
Grammarly acknowledges the limitations of its AI detection tool and provides guidance on interpreting the results.
Empowerment:
Grammarly aims to help users understand where AI might be present in their text, allowing them to attribute sources, rewrite content, and avoid false accusations of plagiarism.
Responsible Use:
Grammarly emphasizes the need for a nuanced understanding of AI use and encourages a collaborative approach to developing clear guidelines for AI usage, according to their website.
User Control:
Grammarly allows users to turn off the use of generative AI in their accounts, according to their support website.
Data Privacy:
Grammarly ensures that users' content is not used to train AI models without their permission and that no third-party AI processors can access or store user data, according to their website.
So, What Are The Consequences of Academic Integrity Violations?
Academic integrity violations can lead to various consequences, from failing grades and disciplinary probation to suspension or even expulsion from the institution. The severity of the penalty depends on the nature and extent of the violation, as well as the student's disciplinary record. Potential Consequences:
Academic Sanctions:
Zero grade on the assignment: The most common consequence for a minor violation.
Failing grade for the course: If the violation is serious or if the student has a history of violations.
Reduced overall grade: Instructors may also choose to reduce the student's grade for the course as a whole.
Disciplinary Actions:
Disciplinary probation: A period of time where the student is subject to stricter academic and non-academic rules
Suspension: Temporary removal from the institution
Expulsion: Permanent removal from the institution
Other Potential Consequences:
Notation on transcript: A permanent record of the violation on the student's academic record.
Negative impact on future opportunities: Violations can negatively affect applications for graduate school, scholarships, and professional programs
Legal consequences: In some cases, particularly if the violation involves fraud or theft, legal actions may be taken
However, after seeing all the back-paddling and the disclaimers from Turnitin and Grammarly, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that all the sanctions, disciplinary actions, expulsions, and legal steps linked to Academic Integrity violations can be easily challenged, inside and outside academic institutions...
The AI Doctor To The Rescue…
As an Applied AI veteran of 30+ years, I see patterns others don’t. It helps me scrutinize both challenges and the opportunities - with spot-on precision, accuracy, and speed….
So, call it “The Oleg’s Method”, or by any other name, here is what I observed and realized: “According to William Glasser's theory, we learn most effectively by experiencing and teaching something. He proposed a pyramid-like structure indicating that we learn 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see and hear, 70% of what we discuss, 80% of what we experience, and 95% of what we teach to others. Here's a more detailed breakdown:
10% Reading:
Simply reading information results in minimal retention.
20% Hearing:
Listening to someone else speak about the topic increases retention slightly.
30% Seeing:
Observing something (like a demonstration or visual aid) improves retention.
50% Seeing & Hearing:
Combining visual and auditory input (like a lecture with slides) significantly increases retention.
70% Discussing:
Actively discussing the topic with others, including asking questions and engaging in debates, enhances understanding and retention.
80% Experiencing:
Hands-on experience, such as writing summaries, practicing a skill, or conducting experiments, leads to substantial learning.
95% Teaching:
Teaching the topic to others is the most effective method of learning, as it requires the teacher to fully understand the material and explain it clearly, further solidifying their own understanding.
Similarly, the "learning pyramid," or Dale's Cone of Experience, suggests that we remember: 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see and hear, 70% of what we discuss with others, 80% of what we personally experience, and 95% of what we teach others.
While this model is often cited, it's important to understand that it's not a precise scientific measure, and individual learning styles can vary. As Dale explains:
Reading:
This modality primarily engages the visual sense and our ability to process written language. The "10% remember" figure suggests that passive reading alone might not lead to strong retention.
Hearing:
Listening relies on auditory processing and can be effective in conveying information, especially when combined with other senses like sight. The "20% remember" figure indicates that auditory learning alone may have lower retention than more active engagement.
Seeing:
Visual learning, such as observing a demonstration or viewing a diagram, can enhance understanding and memory. The "30% remember" figure suggests that visual information can be helpful, but not as impactful as combining it with other modalities.
Seeing and Hearing:
Combining visual and auditory information, like watching a video or attending a lecture with visuals, often leads to better comprehension and retention. The "50% remember" figure highlights the importance of multi-sensory learning.
Discussing and Teaching:
Engaging in active learning through discussion, teaching, or personal experience significantly boosts retention. The "70-95% remember" figures illustrate that active participation and applying knowledge are crucial for long-term learning.
It's important to remember that the "learning pyramid" is a general guideline, and individual learning styles and preferences can influence how much information is retained. While the "learning pyramid" provides a useful framework, it's essential to recognize that the best approach to learning often involves combining different modalities and engaging actively with the material.
Beyond The 95% - “Killing Two Birds With One Stone”
The Learning Pyramid and Glasser's Theory emphasize that learning is not passive. The more active and engaged we are in the learning process, the more we will retain and understand the material.”
Hence, instead of asking my Business School students to submit their assignments and hiring Sherlock Holmes to investigate the alleged AI transgressions, I let them PRESENT their findings to the class – in person…
Generative AI can easily fabricate all academic papers, assignments, or written reports. In my classes, students deliver their presentations orally instead. And by doing so, using ChatGPT to find the right answers is no different than walking into the most extensive library in the world and finding the right references, instantaneously. What matters to me is how much knowledge they retained and how well they can publicly present the newly acquired information.
The presentations are usually done in teams. However, all the teams must submit their presentations by a certain deadline before the class, and all the team members MUST speak…
Right at the beginning of each term, I emphasize to my students that I will teach them the hard and the soft skills. And my message is quite simple: the hard skills will help them land the job, the soft skills will help them… keep it.
For example, in my Supply Chain Management classes, students will learn about Lean Six Sigma frameworks and acquire hard skills by utilizing process maps, using extended value stream maps to improve supply chain performance, and implementing Ishikawa’s seven basic quality tools to improve managerial decision-making.
However, it is equally important that my students acquire solid communication skills and deliver concise presentations explaining how they used their hard skills to analyze various business cases.
Warren Buffett emphasizes the critical importance of communication skills, stating that they are essential for transmitting knowledge and ideas, and ultimately, for achieving potential. He suggests that without strong communication skills, even the brightest minds can fail to connect with others and effectively share their insights.
Buffett views communication as a fundamental life skill that can significantly impact career and financial success. He believes that even the most brilliant individuals can be limited by their inability to communicate effectively. He often says: “You can increase your value by 50 percent by refining your communication abilities and gaining an extra $500,000 in value. It is an investment that will pay off for the rest of your career. Public speaking is “an asset that will last you 50 or 60 years,”…
Presenting With Confidence
For years, we have been taught that to become a confident presenter, one must focus on thorough preparation, practice, and positive self-talk. Hence, I advise my students to practice their presentation multiple times, visualize success, and learn from feedback.
I also encourage them to engage with their audience, use strong opening and closing statements, and be mindful of their body language and voice…
Preparation is Key:
Research and understand your topic thoroughly: Know your material inside and out.
Identify your audience: Tailor your message to their interests and needs.
Structure your presentation logically: Use a clear and concise outline to guide your audience.
Develop a strong opening and closing: Grab attention with a captivating hook and leave a lasting impression.
Create engaging visuals: Use slides, images, and other aids to support your message and keep your audience interested.
Practice Makes Perfect:
Rehearse your presentation multiple times: Practice out loud, even in front of a mirror or a friend.
Practice in front of a real audience: If possible, do a dress rehearsal to gain experience and identify areas for improvement.
Time your presentation: Ensure you can comfortably deliver your message within the allotted time.
Confidence Building:
Visualize success: Imagine yourself delivering a confident and engaging presentation.
Believe in your message: If you are passionate about your topic, your confidence will shine through.
Practice positive self-talk: Replace negative thoughts with affirmations and encouraging phrases.
Use your nervous energy: Channel your anxiety into enthusiasm and energy.
Take deep breaths: Deep breathing can help calm your nerves and improve your focus.
Stand up straight and make eye contact: Your body language can significantly impact how confident you appear.
Smile and be friendly: A genuine smile can create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Engage with your audience: Ask questions, solicit feedback, and make them feel like they are part of the conversation.
Learn from feedback: Be open to constructive criticism and use it to improve your presentation skills.
Be yourself: Authenticity and genuine enthusiasm are more engaging than trying to be someone you're not.
I found that my teaching method is especially important for foreign students who lack the English language proficiency of their Canadian-educated classmates. Hence, I deliver to them my expanded guidance for creating engaging PowerPoint presentations…
My PowerPoint KISS Principles…
Following Aristotle’s advice, I remind my students of the three things they must do to deliver a compelling presentation: “Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them.” And as far as tactics go:
Keep It Simple:
· Your slides should serve as a visual backdrop for your message.
· Avoid overwhelming your audience with excessive graphics or unnecessary elements.
· Use one key point per slide instead of cluttered bullet points.
· Exploit white space to create a clean and uncluttered look.
Reduce Text:
· Less is more when it comes to text on slides. Aim for simplicity.
· The average reading speed on a screen is around 100-150 words per minute. Don’t overload your audience with too much information.
· Use high-quality images and eye-catching graphics to convey your message effectively.
Plan Your Content First:
· Before opening PowerPoint, outline the message you want to convey.
· Consider the flow of your content and organize it logically.
· Use brainstorming tools like mind maps or storyboards to sketch out your content flow.
10/20/30 rule for presentations:
· Any presentation should have no more than ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points.
Follow the 5/5/5 or 6/6/6/ rule:
· To keep your audience from feeling overwhelmed, you should keep the text on each slide short and to the point: no more than five words per line of text, five lines of text per slide, or five text-heavy slides in a row.
Creating Slides:
· The classic PowerPoint error is to write sentences on a slide and read them. Rather than treating your slides as a script for your presentation, let the content on your slides support your message. Remember: LESS IS MORE.
Text:
· Where possible, include a heading for each slide
· Use bulleted points and avoid long sentences
· Avoid all capital letters
· Proofread carefully for spelling and grammar
Figures and Images:
· Ensure images are clear and relevant
· Label all figures and tables
· Put units beside numbers on graphs and charts
General Design Principles:
· Embrace empty space
· Use vertical and horizontal guide markers to consistently align elements
· Avoid too many colours, clutter or fancy visual effects
· Use high contrast to ensure visibility: e.g. Black text on white background or black on light blue
· Maintain consistency of the same elements on a slide (colours, fonts, styles, placement etc.), as well as, between slides in the slide deck
· Use animation sparingly, if at all. If you use transitions, use the same kind each time
· Edit entire slide deck to ensure organization is logical and design is consistent
Oral Presentation:
· Even with the best of PowerPoints, good presentations require practice and refinement. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! Listen for awkward or unclear wording and make edits as needed. Keep an eye on time limits. Practice presenting alone, but also for friends.
· Advance the slide when you reach that point in the presentation. Do not read from your phone, stand in front of the screen, or talk to it.
Face the audience at all times!
No readings from notes, phones, tablets, or laptops are allowed. And to discourage my students from reading the presentation lines from the projected screens, I often remind them of Jack Welch’s routine…
This legendary CEO of GE once famously proclaimed that when his managers begin to “turn their faces toward each other, their asses are turned toward the customers.“ Hence, in homage to Jack Welch, I also insist on seeing my students' faces at all times, instead of their… asses. They get my message loud and clear…
But what about communicating the right feedback on others' presentations? As Marcus Buckingham once wrote in HBR: “We humans do not do well when someone whose intentions are unclear tells us where we stand, how good we “really” are, and what we must do to fix ourselves.
We excel only when people who know us and care about us tell us what they experience and what they feel, and in particular when they see something within us that really works.”
Hence, I often recommend adopting the following approach to providing constructive feedback in class:
In Conclusion
The quality of my students’ presentations dramatically improves over a single semester. Seeing the difference between their first and last presentations is stunning. But the most noticeable improvement shows when they begin analyzing business cases with the same bullet point precision they learned to use. Hence, I am not surprised and extremely gratified to receive thank you notes by the end of the semester and emails such as:
“Dear Professor Feldgajer,
I would like to sincerely thank you for your guidance and support throughout the course. Your teaching has been instrumental in helping me improve my ability to analyze complex case studies and, more importantly, gain the confidence to present my findings effectively in front of an audience—something that was once a major challenge for me.
Your course not only enhanced my knowledge but also helped me grow personally and professionally. Once again, thank you for being an excellent instructor and for all the support you've given us this term. It has been a valuable learning experience, and I’m grateful for the guidance and knowledge shared.”
So, I must be doing something right…
For More Information
Please see my other posts on LinkedIn, Twitter, Substack, and CGE’s website.
AI Boogeyman
You can also find additional info in my hardcover and paperback books published on Amazon: “AI Boogeyman – Dispelling Fake News About Job Losses” and on our YouTube Studio channel…
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