Revolutionising Education: Embracing the Power of Artificial Intelligence and Authentic Assessment

At the recent Learning & Teaching Day held at the Greenock Campus, Raymond Moir, the Innovative Learning Manager, and Emma Hanna, the Learning Technology Team Leader, delivered a presentation titled "Artificial Intelligence in Education." This presentation covered a broad spectrum of topics, designed to provide a comprehensive understanding for those with limited or some prior knowledge of AI in education:

• Current AI Generative Tools.

• Limitations and Implications.

• Academic Integrity.

• Best practices for integrating AI into educational settings.

• Assessment Strategies.

The presentation delved into tactics for assessment and approached the challenges associated with using AI, which include avoiding, outrunning, and embracing AI.

Strategy	Approach	Challenges
Avoid	Revert to in-person or handwritten assessments where the use of AI is not possible.	​This moves away from authentic assessment and creates many logistical challenges.
Outrun	Devise an assessment that AI cannot perform.	AI is advancing and given the time between assessment being set and it being taken, AI might well be able to do the assignment when it is taken.
Embrace	Embrace the use of AI, discuss appropriate use of AI with students and actively encourage it is use to create authentic assessments.	Balancing authentic assessments and use of generative AI with academic integrity is a challenge.

Source: JISC, 2023

One of the key focal points of discussion was the idea of embracing AI within the classroom, especially in the context of authentic assessment.

In an era where students have access to generative AI tools, ensuring academic integrity is a significant challenge. Dan Fitzpatrick, author of "The AI Classroom: Teaching & Learning in the Artificial Intelligence Revolution" emphasises the importance of preparing students for a world enriched with advanced AI. Fitzpatrick stresses the need for educators to create engaging authentic assessments that emphasise:

1. Student voice

2. Analytical thinking

3. Personalisation

4. Ethical AI practices

By doing so, educators can foster an environment that encourages critical thinking, effective collaboration, and student ownership of their learning journey. These approaches not only hold students accountable for their education but also equip them for a future shaped by AI. Fitzpatrick advocates that educators are encouraged to teach students how to responsibly collaborate with AI tools, striking a balance between individual creativity and leveraging technology for innovative problem-solving.

Dan Fitzpatrick's guide, "10 Ways to Design Dynamic Assignments for Authentic Learning" provides a valuable resource, complete with a helpful rubric covering various assessment methods, including:

1. Collaborative Projects - ensures individual contributions.

2. Real-World Problem Solving – requires application of knowledge.

3. Scaffold Assignments – encourages independent learning.

4. Peer Review and Feedback – promotes accountability.

5. Reflective Assignments – foster metacognition.

6. Multimedia Presentations – requires original content creation.

7. Gamification – engages students in active learning.

8. Debate and Socratic Seminars – requires critical thinking and reasoning.

9. Authentic Assessments – mimics real-world tasks.

10. Self Assessment – promotes self-awareness and growth mindset.

Dan Fitzpatrik’s, AI Educator website also houses a searchable directory of AI Educator tools.

On the subject of authentic assessment in the era of Artificial Intelligence, Advance HE offers a range of valuable resources. These resources include insights into the implications of AI in the education sector, student perspectives on learning and working in the AI era, and a webinar recording that explored:

• Practical examples of how AI is being used and its impact on authentic assessment.

• Practitioner responses: integrating AI tools into teaching, learning and assessment.

• Reflections on short and long-term responses for policies and practices.

While Advance HE primarily focuses on UK university education, the topics discussed are highly relevant to Scottish colleges. You can access these AI and authentic assessment resources on the Advance HE website.