The Usual Place Podcast
Is using Gen AI for schoolwork and tests cheating?
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With Gen AI creeping into everyday life, and gaining popularity among students, how should schools, educators and students adapt accordingly?
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Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.
In June, three students at the Nanyang Technological University received zero marks for an assignment
They were penalised for academic misconduct as the assignments contained non-existent academic references and statistics or broken web links, the university said.
The case drew wider attention after one of the students posted about it on online forum Reddit, sparking debate about the impact of AI on academic integrity.
All six universities here generally allow students to use Gen AI to varying degrees, depending on the module or coursework. Students are required to declare when and how they use such tools to maintain academic integrity.
(From left) ST education correspondent Elisha Tushara, final-year university student and computer science major Zildjian Garcia and SMU’s Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education Michelle Lee at The Usual Place podcast.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
With Gen AI creeping into everyday life and gaining popularity among students, when is it wrong or right to turn to AI for help with your studies?
Given its likely prevalence in schoolwork, how should schools, educators and students adapt for the future?
In this episode of The Usual Place Podcast, my three guests - Singapore Management University’s Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education Michelle Lee, final-year university student Zildjian Garcia and The Straits Times education correspondent Elisha Tushara, who is a former teacher - weighed in on the debate around AI tools for schoolwork and the future of learning.
Highlights (click/tap above):
3:11 Was the initial punishment the three students received warranted?
6:06 “The temptation would have been too great,” says Elisha, if she had Gen AI tools at university
7:12 How rampant is the use of Gen AI tools among faculty members and students?
9:20 Do educators have a love-hate relationship with Gen AI tools?
10:59 Resistance against AI is futile, says Michelle
12:08 Tracking AI usage in schoolwork has changed the grading process
15:05 Asking Gen AI tool what to eat? Zildjian’s take on why his peers are even outsourcing their thinking
16:35 Do the guidelines on AI usage need to be clearer?
18:32 Why Elisha and Michelle are worried about their children losing the resilience in learning
21:31 Zildjian points out that AI tool users “always forget” that they might not be accurate
23:57 Are Gen AI tools just a new way students are gaming the system to get their certificate?
26:31 “I think it’s time we reviewed curriculum”: Elisha on the future of higher learning
28:36 Should AI literacy be made a compulsory module for Institutes of Higher Learning?
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Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah ( natashaz@sph.com.sg
Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav
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Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by: Teo Tong Kai, Eden Soh & Natasha Liew
Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong https://str.sg/5nfm https://str.sg/9ijX https://str.sg/cd2P https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast podcast@sph.com.sg https://str.sg/wvz7 http://str.sg/stpodcasts https://str.sg/4Vwsa https://str.sg/icyB https://str.sg/icyX
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