SINGAPORE – The number of students caught plagiarising and passing off content generated by artificial intelligence as their own work remains low, the public universities here said following a recent case at NTU. But professors are watching closely for signs of misuse, warning that over-reliance on AI could undermine learning. Some are calling for more creative forms of assessment. Their comments follow NTU’s decision to award these students zero marks for an assignment after discovering they had used generative AI tools in their work. The move drew attention after one of the students posted about it on online forum Reddit, sparking debate about the growing role of AI in education and its impact on academic integrity. All six universities here generally allow students to use gen AI to varying degrees, depending on the module or coursework. To uphold academic integrity, students are required to declare when and how they use such tools. In the past three years, Singapore Management University (SMU) recorded “less than a handful” of cases of AI-related academic misconduct, it said, without giving specific numbers. Similarly, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) encountered a “handful of academic integrity cases, primarily involving plagiarism”, during the same time period. At Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), confirmed cases of academic dishonesty involving gen AI remain low, but the university has seen a “slight uptick” in such reports, partly due to heightened faculty vigilance and use of detection tools. The other universities – NUS, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and NTU – did not respond to queries about whether more students have been caught for flouting the rules using AI. Recognising that AI technologies are here to stay, universities said they are exploring better ways to integrate such tools meaningfully and critically into learning. Gen AI refers to technologies that can produce human-like text, images or other content based on prompts. Educational institutions worldwide have been grappling with balancing its challenges and opportunities, while maintaining academic integrity. Faculty members here have flexibility to decide how AI can be used in their courses, as long as their decisions align with university-wide policies. NUS allows AI use for take-home assignments if properly attributed, although instructors have to design complex tasks to prevent over-reliance. For modules focused on core skills, assessments may be done in person or designed to go beyond AI’s capabilities. At SMU, instructors inform students which AI tools are allowed, and guide them on their use, typically for idea generation or research-heavy projects outside exams. SIT has reviewed assessments and trained staff to manage AI use, encouraging it in advanced courses like coding but restricting it in foundational ones, while SUTD has integrated gen AI into its design thinking curriculum to foster higher-order thinking. The idea is to teach students when AI should be a tool, partner or avoided. Universities said that students must ensure originality and credibility in their work. The allure of gen AI Students interviewed by The Straits Times, who requested to remain anonymous, said AI usage is […]
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