AI-Mazing Assessments: Assessing Learning in the Age of AI by Lindy Hockenbary

Education

Introduction

Introduction

Welcome to the session on AI-Mazing Assessments—assessing learning in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). I'm Lindy Hockenbary, an educator and edtech consultant based in Bozeman, Montana. Through this session, I aim to introduce you to the idea of integrating AI in crafting assessments that maximize both human and AI capabilities. We will delve into the concept of "modern assessments," focusing on synthesizing information across various media to engage learners while ensuring their assessment tasks cannot be entirely copy-pasted by AI.

Background

In recent years, educators have noted increasing challenges in student engagement. This became even more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic. To address this, I developed the concept of "modern assessments"—assessments that integrate elements from students' everyday digital interactions. The onset of generative AI services like ChatGPT in November 2022 has further reshaped the educational landscape, making it imperative to rethink our approach to assessments.

Understanding Generative AI

Generative AI can create new content from given inputs. ChatGPT, for instance, converts text prompts into written text, images, and even music. While AI has significantly advanced, allowing for sophisticated text-to-audio and image generation, its limitations remain. It struggles with multimodal tasks and informal human speech. Therefore, understanding these limitations is crucial for educators to craft effective AI-collaborative assessments.

Modern Assessments Redefined

In the age of AI, a modern assessment should:

  1. Appeal to students' interests.
  2. Involve multiple pieces of media (text, images, audio, video).
  3. Require student annotations and critical thinking.
  4. Include AI collaborations where fitting.
  5. Ensure authenticity and avoid copy-paste tasks by requiring personal reflection.

Using the analogy of building a puzzle, effective assessments should have at least four pieces, encompassing different types of media and reflective elements to ensure deeper learning and comprehension.

Example Assessment: Art History and Snapchat

Let me illustrate this with an example from an art history class focusing on Impressionist art. This assessment engages students in a series of tasks:

  1. Identify characteristics of Impressionist art.
  2. Use examples of existing art pieces and annotate them.
  3. Collaborate with AI to generate new Impressionist-style artwork.
  4. Reflect on their learning through a screencast.

Students use Canva for Education to create these "snaps," mimicking Snapchat's format, thereby leveraging tools they are familiar with to enhance learning outcomes.

Technology Tools for AI-Friendly Assessments

Here are my top tools for incorporating AI into assessments:

  1. Canva for Education: Free for schools, supports multimedia creation, and includes a text-to-image generator.
  2. Book Creator: Ideal for K-5, allows for book creation, annotations, and embedded audio.
  3. Flip (by Microsoft): Facilitates video board creation, screen-sharing, annotations, and video reflection.
  4. Google Slides: Recently added video recording features but lacks some annotation tools compared to Canva.

Embracing AI in Education

It's essential to embrace AI collaborations in educational settings. AI tools can help summarize information, thereby saving time and cognitive load for students. This allows learners to focus on higher-order thinking and creative tasks, nurturing deeper understanding and problem-solving skills.

Conclusion

Modern assessments in the age of AI should balance AI collaboration with human cognitive and creative skills. By doing so, educators can craft engaging, comprehensive assessments that enhance learning while ensuring authenticity and integrity.

Resources

For further reading, check out my blog posts on this topic and the TCEA blog. You can also access all the tools and templates mentioned in this session.

Keywords

  • AI in Education
  • Modern Assessments
  • Generative AI
  • Student Engagement
  • Multimedia Assessments
  • Reflective Learning
  • AI Collaboration
  • Critical Thinking
  • Canva for Education

FAQ

Q1: What is generative AI? A1: Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that create new content from given inputs, such as generating text, images, audio, and video.

Q2: Why do traditional assessments fail in the age of AI? A2: Traditional assessments like multiple-choice questions and short-answer tasks can often be easily completed by AI, making them less effective for evaluating genuine student learning.

Q3: What are modern assessments? A3: Modern assessments involve synthesizing information into visual and multimedia products, appealing to student interests and ensuring that tasks cannot be entirely copy-pasted by AI.

Q4: How do AI content detectors work? A4: AI content detectors attempt to distinguish between human-generated and AI-generated content, but studies show they are largely ineffective and often less reliable than a random guess.

Q5: How can educators integrate AI in assessments effectively? A5: Educators can integrate AI by using it to summarize information and reduce cognitive load while focusing students on creative and critical thinking tasks. This involves using multimedia, reflection, and personal elements in assessments.