Mathematics/AI and a School Cheating

In summary: However I found an article from 2007 in The Guardian where he talks about using videos in schools.In summary, An interesting article discusses the impact of tools like Mathematica on teaching and the possibility of students cheating. The article shares insights from a math teacher in Connecticut who discovered students using a tool called Wolfram|Alpha to complete complicated calculations without being caught. The article also mentions the idea of doing homework in class and watching videos at home to prevent cheating.
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An interesting article on how tools like Mathematica are changing the way teachers teach:

Denise Garcia knows that her students sometimes cheat, but the situation she unearthed in February seemed different. A math teacher in West Hartford, Connecticut, Garcia had accidentally included an advanced equation in a problem set for her AP Calculus class. Yet somehow a handful of students in the 15-person class solved it correctly. Those students had also shown their work, defeating the traditional litmus test for sussing out cheating in STEM classrooms.

Garcia was perplexed, until she remembered a conversation from a few years earlier. Some former students had told her about an online tool called Wolfram|Alpha that could complete complicated calculations in seconds. It provided both the answers and the steps for reaching them, making it virtually undetectable when copied as homework.

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https://www.wired.com/story/ai-is-making-it-extremely-easy-for-students-to-cheat/
 
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  • #2
I will happily admit to using Wolfram Alpha as a tool in my daily work. It is great for finding conversion factors without having to look them up or multiplying different factors yourself, which is very prone to errors and resulting order of magnitude issues. For actual math, Mathematica is both faster and more reliable.
 
  • #3
This article brings back the idea that khan academy suggested where homework was done in class and class work i.e. Watching khan academy videos was done at home. In this way, students would not be able to,call upon Mathematica or other tools to cheat.
 
  • #4
jedishrfu said:
This article brings back the idea that khan academy suggested where homework was done in class and class work i.e. Watching khan academy videos was done at home. In this way, students would not be able to,call upon Mathematica or other tools to cheat.
I am not sure Khan academy was first to suggest this. The approach is similar to flipped classroom and you can also add quizzes to your videos to make them more interactive (I have done this) and reduce the risk of students alt-tabbing to facebook.
 
  • #5
I heard Salman Khan describe how Khan Academy videos were used in some schools in a TED talk and thought he had suggested the strategy.
 

FAQ: Mathematics/AI and a School Cheating

What is the role of mathematics and AI in detecting school cheating?

Mathematics and AI play a crucial role in detecting school cheating by providing algorithms and statistical models that can analyze patterns and identify anomalies in students' work.

How does AI technology help in preventing cheating in schools?

AI technology helps in preventing cheating in schools by utilizing machine learning algorithms to monitor and detect suspicious behavior or patterns in students' work. This can include detecting plagiarism, identifying unusual spikes in performance, and flagging potential cheating attempts.

Can AI technology be used to catch students who cheat on exams?

Yes, AI technology can be used to catch students who cheat on exams. By using facial recognition software and other advanced technologies, AI can monitor students during exams to identify any suspicious behavior or cheating attempts.

How can mathematics be used to detect patterns of cheating in school assignments?

Mathematics can be used to detect patterns of cheating in school assignments by analyzing data and identifying any unusual patterns or similarities between students' work. This can help to identify cases of plagiarism or collusion.

Are there any ethical concerns with using AI and mathematics to detect school cheating?

There are potential ethical concerns with using AI and mathematics to detect school cheating, such as invasion of privacy and the potential for bias in the algorithms. It is important to ensure that these technologies are used responsibly and in conjunction with other methods of monitoring and detecting cheating.

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