60% of Canadian college students use AI for homework! Exam formats are shifting to pen-and-paper, or even oral exams!

According to a study by KPMG Canada in October 2024, 60% of Canadian students said they use generative artificial intelligence in their school assignments.

The advent of self-generating AI tools like ChatGPT enables the generation of essays and answers to complex questions within seconds.

Canadian universities are seeking new ways to conduct student exams to address the possibility of students using AI tools for exam cheating. Some professors have adopted pen-and-paper exams, while others are testing oral exams or exploring methods to integrate AI into exams.

Karsten Mundel, co-chair of the University of Alberta's Artificial Intelligence Steering Committee, said that handwritten exams have increased at his school, along with some new teaching methods that combine oral exams, AI-based assignments, and reflection on the use of AI.

He said returning to pen-and-paper exams is not necessarily the best solution and acknowledged complaints from some students about these changes.

Melani Vevecka, president of the University of Toronto Students' Union, said she has generally positive experiences with pen-and-paper exams but also noted that such exams could be problematic for students with anxiety or learning disabilities.

However, she added that AI has been very helpful to her studies, such as creating practice questions before final exams. She believes that universities' responses to AI may be an "overreaction."

Jennifer Figner, Provost and Vice President Academic of British Columbia Institute of Technology, said that moving toward offline exams is a trend, but she believes this trend is based on fear—her school encourages professors not to take this path.

"What we should really do is challenge ourselves to figure out how to incorporate AI into exams instead of trying to go back to the 1970s with pencils, paper, and other things to solve this problem."

Some professors at universities in British Columbia continue to use computers for classroom exams under supervision to prevent cheating. Some exams are conducted in labs where students can only access the test papers, while the rest of the computer is locked.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1834494108601344/

Disclaimer: The article represents the author's personal views.