Education for Life 2030+ encourages more authentic and sustainable student assessments. In response to AI threats, we must avoid reverting to handwritten, invigilated exams, as they assess a limited range of competencies for which students are increasingly unprepared. The following examples of authentic and sustainable assessments are supported by the literature and wider sector guidance.

Authentic coursework activities that include AI by design

Well-designed coursework activities can offer a variety of authentic assessment opportunities, but consideration needs to be given to their AI resilience. A simple way to do this is to design authentic use of AI tools into coursework using problem-based learning activities relevant to the discipline and aligned with graduate skills. However, in these circumstances, ensure your marking criteria assesses the student’s work and not the outputs of AI tools. Consider also that reflective work and the critiquing of AI-produced content is well within the capabilities of today’s AI, and thus does not “AI proof” your assessments.

Hybrid submissions that combine the output from AI tools with a student’s own work are also becoming increasingly commonplace, but these require more scaffolding to make it clear where the AI ends and the student’s work begins. In these circumstances, the contribution of AI needs to be fully acknowledged in accordance with our institutional policies and guidelines. We provide detailed guidance to students on Acknowledging use of AI which you are encouraged to reference and mandate.

Assessment Ideas in an AI Landscape

On the following page you will find our new Assessment Ideas in an AI Landscape slide deck, which contains 23 ideas for different assessment approaches that embrace and integrate AI. You are encouraged to spend a little time exploring this resource and considering for yourself the many different ways you can use AI in your assessments.