News Roundup #16: 6/13/25 ("Kids are Cooked" Edition)
Cheater subreddits, mosaic webinar, slop in edtech products, integrity policies helping students, and the 'Chinese Room'
It’s hot and humid here in the mid-Atlantic USA. And it’s not just the weather that’s oppressive, uncomfortable, and stifling. Where ever you are: stay safe, stay hopeful, and stay true.
This week we’re switching the format slightly to save room, facilitate faster scanning (not every bit of news will be relevant). The format will be something like this (borrowed by Daniel Meissler’s amazing cybersecurity newsletter):
Short headline summary
Longer insight and ramifications / including quotes
⭐LINKS
On with it…
If you use any web-based proctoring company, check this out.
Reddit is a cesspool for proctoring cheats… but a gold mine for learning about how they’re doing it. Do a quick search of tactics and defeat strategies listed on this aptly named “cheatonlineproctor” subreddit along with your provider’s name and relay those to your nearest product liaison at the company.
👾R/CHEATONLINEPROCTOR
‘Integrity index’ flags universities with high retraction rates
Retraction based scoring of universities to gauge how trustworthy their research faculty and journal submissions are. This approach uses “the rate of retracted publications and the share of output in delisted journals” hold researchers and institutions accountable (rather than simply rewarding publishing for publishing sake).
📰NATURE | THE INDEX
The “Chinese Room” thought experiment that helps reframe AI/Intelligence
This thought experiment published first in 1980 by John Searles helps to reframe the Turing test as “not by itself sufficient for consciousness or intentionality.” This could be a great way to help students understand the differences between responsible AI use and playing a version of ChatGPT telephone (acting as an passthrough for AI output). If I use AI for every interaction and it meaningfully provides the “right” answer. Am I intelligent or just a tool of the machine?
STANFORD
Webinar: “A Mosaic Approach to Academic Integrity in the AI Era” with Chris Ostro
Free webinar on June 17th @ 12pm EST. The webinar is sponsored by Pangram labs, the new-kid-on-the-block AI detection tool. Chris’s thoughtful embrace of many tools and many approaches (“mosaic”) is worth hearing and may help contextualize the need to trust but verify student work.
📅REGISTER
OPINION “students don't deserve AI slop”
Students need not be collateral of a botched AI strategy or product roll out. This cautionary opinion piece from Houston, TX outlines the pitfalls (and backlash) of low quality edtech products (including generative AI content).
📰HOUSTON CHRONICLE
“The Kids are Cooked”
Journal coverage about cheating with AI is everywhere these days, Wired Magazine steps up with a podcast review from 3 thoughtful—if unqualified—hosts to chat about it. If you like podcasts, the outsider perspective was an interesting one to see how non-educators view this ‘crisis’ and reflect on their school days and the availability of tools like Cliff Notes vis a vis ChatGPT usage.
🎧WIRED.COM
Academic Integrity Policies Help Students
100%. This essay from Annette Vee is a great reminder that Academic Integrity policies first and foremost protect honest students by providing a framework within which they can navigate a fair playing field. Some great arguments and reminders, practical tips on addressing student overuse of AI, and a plug of the wonderful “The Opposite of Cheating” (by David Rettinger and Trisha Bertram-Gallant).
AI & HOW WE TEACH WRITING | OPPOSITE OF CHEATING
One line for what AI will do to education
Dan Miessler’s short essay on AI and education suggests that AI is a divider (not just for education): good students will become excellent, bad students will get worse. “AI, just like reading, is a powerful tool for self-improvement.”
DANIEL MIESSLER
Better format? Room for improvement? Please let me know (a direct reply will get to me and I appreciate every bit of interaction).
Have a wonderful weekend! I hope you make it outside.
