Tools like ChatGPT are powerful and could assist students in identifying pertinent information in a short time that might take a researcher many months to source.
University Students who use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT to complete assignments, need to be careful not to cross the line between cheating and enhancing their academic work or they may face disciplinary action.
This follows a recent report that hundreds of Unisa students were caught using AI tools during an exam, a report which was later slammed by the university stating that it has a balanced and reasonable approach to the use of AI tools like ChatGPT by students.
Professor Irrshad Kaseeram, from the University of Zululand’s Economics Department, said the issue of students using AI tools to complete assignments and passing it off as their own work is problematic.
Kaseeram said the university identified this as a problem early last year.
“We have trained staff to identify instances of students indiscriminately using the tool (ChatGPT) and passing it off as their own work. Moreover, lecturers teach students who have to use the AI app to assist them in sourcing information but they still have to go the extra mile and go to the source documents to develop their essays, assignments and projects,” he said.
He said it is also fortunate that the university uses software called Turnitin to help identify instances of the indiscriminate use of the app.
“In extreme cases we have policies to prosecute students for AI-related plagiarism,” said Kaseeram.
Kaseeram said tools like ChatGPT are powerful and could assist students in identifying pertinent information in a short time that might take a researcher many months to source.
“But the researcher still has to go to the source documents and compile the paper/project/assignment in his own words and writing style.”
He added that training academics and students effectively through the use of the appropriate “similarity index software” has largely addressed the problem. Normah Zondo, executive director of corporate relations at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), said the university was aware that students are using AI tools to complete assignments.
“This is a global trend and is something that the university cannot stop.
We are aware that some universities have banned the use of AI. However, UKZN has not made such a decision,” she said.
Zondo said AI should not necessarily be seen as an enemy of the academic enterprise. “There are many creative ways in which AI can be used to enhance teaching and learning.”
According to Zondo, UKZN is in the process of developing guidelines to assist with regulating the use of AI.
“The university appreciates that AI offers both risks and opportunities. The question is how one protects the integrity of the academic endeavour, together with the associated ethics, while still exploring the incredible potential that AI presents to teaching and learning,” she said.
Zondo said the university offers a number of courses to staff and students, focused on the use of technology in facilitating teaching and learning.
The Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT) said it does not have policies that regulate the use of AI tools for academic purposes.
“The university has very strict examination writing guidelines. The students are not allowed to bring mobile and other recording devices into the examination venues.”
Universities South Africa (USAf), which is an umbrella body representative of the 26 public universities in the country, said institutions across South Africa have emphasised the importance of academic integrity, including the development of plagiarism policies, student declaration forms; and the implementation of anti-plagiarism platforms.
“These systems have been integrated into their institutional Learning Management Systems (LMS). Students are expected to submit assignments via the LMS which is automatically uploaded into an anti-plagiarism platform,” they said.
The Mercury