The end of the era of written tests is approaching in Luxembourg

Vitaly Gariev, Unsplash

The Luxembourg Teachers' Union (APESS) has presented the results of an audit that heralds a radical transformation of the school system. According to experts, the rapid development of artificial intelligence technologies renders traditional written assignments meaningless, as it becomes virtually impossible to distinguish between a student's knowledge and the answers generated by an algorithm. "We want to assess the student, not the neural network," emphasises Gilles Everling, president of the association.

The problem of ensuring integrity in examinations has become a technical issue that teachers are unable to deal with on their own:

Invisible gadgets

Modern recording devices are so small that they can be hidden in the frames of glasses or hearing aids. Many devices operate without an internet connection, which means they cannot be blocked.

Legal barriers

The APESS report notes that teachers do not have the right to demand to check students' glasses or personal belongings without risking disciplinary proceedings.

Rational risk

The authors of the audit believe that cheating has become a "rational calculation." If the probability of being caught is close to zero, even honest students may succumb to temptation, especially under pressure from classmates who use AI to get high grades.

As a solution, the union proposes revising the assessment format itself. Instead of numerous written tests, the results of which can be falsified, it is proposed to introduce in-depth oral examinations. A distinctive feature of the new approach should be the "interruption" technique: the teacher should interrupt the student and ask clarifying questions during the answer. This format disrupts AI algorithms and allows the teacher to make sure that the student really understands the concept and is not just reproducing the generated text.

The Luxembourg Ministry of Education is refraining from making public statements for the time being, having scheduled a closed meeting with APESS representatives for next Monday to discuss the current crisis.

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