The Depth of the AI Plagiarism Problem • Hacker News Board

Re: The Depth of the AI Plagiarism Problem

#11

Post by jrussino » Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 9:28 PM UTC

bluenose69 wrote: post #2

The author makes many sensible points. I see only one solution: stop using assignments altogether, and rely instead on oral examinations, or hand-written examinations that take place in a controlled environment. This will be unpleasant for those students who have difficulty with the stress of examinations, but the alternative is that honest students will be even more seriously disadvantaged than they are now. Ironica…

With so many resources becoming available for self-directed study, and also things like this, I wonder if we'll move toward a de-coupling of teaching and testing/verification. I could envision a world where having a degree in a subject from a particular school essentially just means "we verified, in person, to our specific set of standards, that this person has mastered this subject". And how you come to acquire that mastery may be provided by the same (or a related) institution, or may be done on your own, or with the help of some third party.

Re: The Depth of the AI Plagiarism Problem

#12

Post by fxtentacle » Tue, Mar 14, 2023, 4:21 AM UTC

jrussino wrote: post #11

bluenose69 wrote: post #2

The author makes many sensible points. I see only one solution: stop using assignments altogether, and rely instead on oral examinations, or hand-written examinations that take place in a controlled environment. This will be unpleasant for those students who have difficulty with the stress of examinations, but the alternative is that honest students will be even more seriously disadvantaged than they are now. Ironica…

With so many resources becoming available for self-directed study, and also things like this, I wonder if we'll move toward a de-coupling of teaching and testing/verification. I could envision a world where having a degree in a subject from a particular school essentially just means "we verified, in person, to our specific set of standards, that this person has mastered this subject". And how you come to acquire that…

Or we go the other way and just pay for certificates without any testing.

I mean I went to university mostly to party ;) But you still need that cert so that society won't condemn you for "wasting" 4 years. I put in the quotes because I believe university was an excellent way to learn social skills.

Re: The Depth of the AI Plagiarism Problem

#13

Post by nagonago » Tue, Mar 14, 2023, 4:29 AM UTC

jrussino wrote: post #11

bluenose69 wrote: post #2

The author makes many sensible points. I see only one solution: stop using assignments altogether, and rely instead on oral examinations, or hand-written examinations that take place in a controlled environment. This will be unpleasant for those students who have difficulty with the stress of examinations, but the alternative is that honest students will be even more seriously disadvantaged than they are now. Ironica…

With so many resources becoming available for self-directed study, and also things like this, I wonder if we'll move toward a de-coupling of teaching and testing/verification. I could envision a world where having a degree in a subject from a particular school essentially just means "we verified, in person, to our specific set of standards, that this person has mastered this subject". And how you come to acquire that…

I think we already have moved in this direction, in the sense that a degree doesn't get you much in the job market. Employers tend to place much more importance on work experience, tangible accomplishments, certifications, and so on. (Even certs might not be so useful, since the ability to pass a test is often quite different than the ability to actually do a job.) In addition, landing a job often ultimately comes down to who you know (networking, or more cynically, nepotism) and luck.