Most conversations about AI and cheating start in the wrong place.
They start with detection.
How do we catch it?
How do we prove it?
How do we stop it?
That approach is not working.
And it is not going to.
Where We Left Off
Last week, you focused on creativity.
How to push students beyond the first idea and into revision.
This week builds directly on that.
Because the more AI can generate, the more we have to rethink what counts as original work.
What Has Actually Changed
Students have always found ways to avoid work.
AI just makes it faster and harder to see.
The bigger shift is this:
You can no longer assume that the final product reflects the student’s thinking.
That changes everything.
The Real Problem
Most academic integrity systems rely on one assumption:
That you can evaluate learning based on what students submit.
That assumption is breaking down.
If the process is invisible, the learning is invisible.
Integrity Is Designed, Not Enforced
If an assignment can be completed without thinking, some students will do exactly that.
AI did not create that problem.
It revealed it.
AI Tool of the Week
Using Brisk Teaching to Respond to Student Thinking
This is not about catching students.
It is about responding to their work in ways that reveal thinking.
Tools like Brisk Teaching can help you:
generate targeted feedback
ask follow-up questions
push students to explain their thinking
The goal is not detection.
It is deeper engagement with student work.
Try This (Start Here)
Take a student response or assignment.
Instead of asking, “Is this AI-generated?”
Ask:
“What question could I ask that would require the student to explain their thinking?”
Then require that response.
Start With a Conversation
Ask students:
“Where do you think AI helps your learning, and where does it get in the way?”
You will learn more from that conversation than from any detection tool.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Student submission:
A well-written paragraph with strong structure
Instead of:
“Did you write this?”
Ask:
“Explain how you developed your main idea and why you chose these examples.”
If the student can explain it, they understand it.
If they cannot, that tells you something important.
Before and After
Before:
Write a paragraph explaining the causes of the American Revolution
After:
Explain one cause of the American Revolution
Describe how you chose that cause
Identify one alternative cause and explain why you did not choose it
Same content.
More thinking required.
The Shift That Matters
Instead of:
Product → Grade
Move to:
Process → Explanation → Then evaluate
AI does not remove integrity.
It forces you to define it differently.
Make the Thinking Visible
Require students to show:
how they approached the task
what decisions they made
how they revised their work
Without this, you are guessing.
Alignment Check
Ask:
“What part of this assignment requires original thinking?”
If the answer is unclear, the assignment is vulnerable.
Quick Prompt Tips That Actually Matter
Ask students to explain reasoning
Require reflection
Focus on decisions, not just answers
Example:
“Explain why you chose this answer and what other options you considered.”
Where This Goes Wrong
Relying on AI detection tools
Assuming AI use equals cheating
Focusing on punishment instead of design
Detection is inconsistent.
Design is reliable.
What You Will See
Some students will:
rely heavily on AI
submit work they cannot explain
test boundaries
That is not new.
The tools are new.
The behavior is not.
What to Watch For
Work that is polished but disconnected from class discussion
Students who cannot explain their own examples
Responses that lack specificity
These are not proof of AI use.
They are signals that understanding may be missing.
AI Ethics Corner
Do Students Need to Disclose AI Use?
Yes.
Not as punishment.
As transparency.
Students should understand:
when AI use is allowed
how to acknowledge it
what is still expected of them
Policy Is Not Enough
You can have a clear AI policy.
Students still need:
modeled expectations
repeated practice
consistent follow-up
Integrity is built in daily work, not just written rules.
Without clear expectations, integrity becomes unclear.
AI does not create that confusion.
But it exposes it.
Equity Matters Here
Students with stronger skills will still show their thinking.
Others may rely more heavily on AI.
If we do not design for process, that gap grows.
Try This in Your Classroom or Library This Week
Add one requirement to an assignment:
“Include a short explanation of how you completed this work and any tools you used.”
That is it.
Reality Check
You cannot eliminate AI use.
You can design assignments where understanding is still required.
Low-Prep Version
Add this question to any assignment:
“What part of this work was most challenging, and how did you handle it?”
This reveals more than the final product.
For Librarians
This is especially important in research.
Students may:
generate summaries
skip source evaluation
rely on AI explanations
Require:
explanation of sources used
reasoning behind choices
reflection on the research process
Ask:
“Why did you trust this source?”
If they cannot answer, that is where instruction begins.
Elementary Adaptation
Keep it simple:
“Tell me how you figured this out.”
That is the foundation of integrity.
Give Students Some Control
Ask:
“When is it okay to use AI for this assignment, and when is it not?”
Let them think through the boundaries.
A Small Shift That Matters
Instead of asking:
“How do I stop cheating?”
Ask:
“How do I design work that requires thinking?”
A Line to Hold Onto
If students can submit without thinking, the assignment is the problem.
What to Say to Students
“This assignment is not just about what you submit. It is about how you got there. Be ready to explain your thinking.”
What Are You Noticing?
If you try this, notice:
who can explain their work
who struggles to do so
where understanding breaks down
That is where instruction matters most.
Next Week
Next week, we move into AI-resilient assignments.
You will look at how to:
design tasks that prioritize thinking
reduce reliance on AI-generated output
assess learning more effectively
Paid Section Preview
This week’s paid section is focused on making academic integrity practical.
I am sharing:
a copy-and-paste prompt pack for reflection and explanation
a simple integrity statement you can use with students
prompts for requiring process, not just product
a student-facing AI disclosure template
one key upgrade move to redesign assignments for clarity
If you want tools you can use immediately, that is where we go next.
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