Classroom Technology

Teachers Turn to Pen and Paper Amid AI Cheating Fears, Survey Finds

By Alyson Klein — October 06, 2023 1 min read
A close up of a laptop and hands overlaid with AI and techie icons.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The handwritten essay is making a comeback, even as more schools than ever issue a digital device to every student.

The trend is spurred by the rise of artificial intelligence tools that students can use easily to write essays for them, according to a survey of 228 high school and college teachers conducted last month by the research organization intelligent.com.

About two-thirds of high school teachers and college instructors, 66 percent, are rethinking their assignments in response to concerns that students will cheat using ChatGPT, an AI writing tool that can spit out an essay on the causes of the American Revolution—and just about any other topic—that sounds eerily humanlike.

Of the educators changing their approach, more than three-quarters—76 percent—are requiring or plan to require handwritten assignments. Sixty-five percent have students type assignments in class with no Wi-Fi access or plan to do so, and 87 percent have or will have students complete an oral presentation along with their written work.

Those findings jibe with those from an EdWeek Research Center survey conducted last spring, in which more than 40 percent of educators said students should complete math work using pencil and paper so they can’t cheat using AI-powered tools like Photomath or Symbolab.

Turning temporarily back to old-fashioned pen and paper in the face of a major technological leap may seem counterintuitive.

But it “is a good way for teachers to be able to put a pause on the change” that will stem from AI, giving policymakers, states, districts, and professional organizations time to come up with thoughtful guidance on using the technology responsibly, said Leigh Ann DeLyser, the executive director and co-founder of CSforALL, a nonprofit organization that seeks to expand computer science education.

“I think a lot of schools and teachers are reacting in the moment to adjust to the impact of AI within their communities, while [leaders] figure out best practices,” DeLyser said. “I would imagine a majority of the teachers in the United States feel unprepared to make up that answer themselves.”

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
(Re)Focus on Dyslexia: Moving Beyond Diagnosis & Toward Transformation
Move beyond dyslexia diagnoses & focus on effective literacy instruction for ALL students. Join us to learn research-based strategies that benefit learners in PreK-8.
Content provided by EPS Learning
Classroom Technology Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: Is AI Out to Take Your Job or Help You Do It Better?
With all of the uncertainty K-12 educators have around what AI means might mean for the future, how can the field best prepare young people for an AI-powered future?
Special Education K-12 Essentials Forum Understanding Learning Differences
Join this free virtual event for insights that will help educators better understand and support students with learning differences.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Classroom Technology Spotlight Spotlight on Blended Learning
This Spotlight will help you analyze key research on school tech use, explore strategies for engaging virtual instruction, and more.
Classroom Technology What Teachers and Principals Need to Know About 'Deepfakes'
The number of instances of students and staff victimized by AI-manipulated media is growing.
3 min read
Close up abstract photo of a female's eye in blue and male's eye behind her in purple and red hues. Overlaid with circles and squares that give it a techy, artificial intelligence feel.
iStock/Getty
Classroom Technology Black Students Are More Likely to Be Falsely Accused of Using AI to Cheat
Report notes why this is a problem that educators need to pay closer attention to.
2 min read
Student working on a computer.
E+
Classroom Technology What Schools Can Do to Make Teens Smarter Users of AI
Teens who have talked about AI in school are more likely to use it responsibly.
2 min read
Illustration of three educators in hard hats lifting up a very large letter "I" next to a large letter A.
DigitalVision Vectors