Assessment Strategies with Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

Generative Artificial Intelligence with a microchip, labeled with AI and circuits coming off of it.

The following strategies were originally shared with the WCU community of educators in March 2023.

Align Assessments to Course Goals

AI tools may expose assessments that are misaligned to learning goals or lack relevance to students. As you review your assessments, be sure you can articulate how the assessment provides evidence in support of the student learning goal and be able to articulate a clear rationale for why or how the assessment is going to benefit a student.

Personalize Writing Prompts

Ask students to make connections between or apply their own personal knowledge and experiences to course concepts and topics. (Source: Practical Responses to ChatGPT)

Use Genre-Based Assignments

Engage students’ motivation and curiosity with genre-based assignments that inspire creativity and reflection, for example artist statements, public service announcements, or turning-point essays. (Source: How to Create Compelling Writing Assignments in a ChatGPT Age)

Cite Specific Material or New Information

Ask students to reference or connect their work to current events or conversations in the discipline or use specific references from course materials like notes, readings, or other information sources that are not available on the free internet. (Source: Artificial Intelligence Writing

Ask for Creative Outputs

Incorporate visual or auditory components in the assessment. For example, items like infographics, memes, presentations, graphs, charts, diagrams, drawing, podcasts, audio responses, or videos.

Use a Flipped Class Approach

Students engage with course content outside of class and then apply that information in class. For example, ask students to write a brief response to questions you might have asked for homework in class and then engage in peer review of their writing.

Assign a Handwritten Exercise

While this has drawbacks (namely difficult to read handwriting and paper management), asking students to write out information by hand may help them better remember the content. 

Check Your Writing Prompts

Load your assessment prompts into an artificial intelligence tool and assess the output. If the AI response would earn an adequate score, adjust your prompt. 

Try Social Annotation Options

As a replacement for short writing prompts related to readings, ask students to use social annotation tools to engage with a text alongside their peers. You can use WCU-provided VoiceThread, Google Docs, or Microsoft Word via OneDrive to conduct this type of activity.

Fully Incorporate AI into a Writing Assignment

Allow AI writing tool assistance for an assignment. Ask students to submit prompt(s) used, original AI tool output, and a document with tracked changes showing how the student added depth, clarified misinformation, added alternative perspectives, and any other improvements. (Source: Brent Anders


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