The State Examinations Commission is commissioning research on how artificial intelligence (AI) may be used to help support the marking of Leaving Cert papers or generate exam questions.
While most commentary on the use AI in exams has focused on the potential for cheating by students for project work and assignments, a tender document issued by the commission seeks research on opportunities posed by the new tools.
The tender asks researchers to investigate how generative AI could be used to support the generation of “assessment instruments” that would be subject to human review or approval before being used in practice.
The document also asks researchers to examine how AI could support the marking of assessments through, for example, the development of the approach for marking schemes for papers and the marking of assessments.
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In addition, it seeks information on how AI might more generally support “formative assessment”, or informal assessments typically used by teachers to assess student understanding and inform teaching strategy.
It says this could explore how AI can provide personalised feedback on a student’s progress over time and a student’s relative strengths and weaknesses in comparison with the wider cohort.
Details of the research come amid rising anxiety among teachers over the threat posed by AI tools such as ChatGPT to the integrity of new coursework worth up to 40 per cent in the Leaving Cert.
Secondary teachers are seeking an indemnity against any legal actions arising from students losing Leaving Cert marks over the improper use of AI in their project work.
Under SEC rules, students’ coursework must be completed under the supervision of a teacher and authenticated as the candidate’s own work by the teacher and school principal.
Teaching unions, however, say members will struggle to authenticate students’ work due to a growing array of sophisticated AI services that can generate convincing-looking project work within minutes.
Students have been warned that use of tools such as ChatGPT in their project work must be disclosed and failure to do so could result in candidates losing marks, having their results withheld or being debarred from entering State exams.
Updated rules have been in place since 2023, but anxiety is growing among teachers in advance of the implementation of Leaving Cert reforms from next September that will soon see at least 40 per cent of marks allocated to coursework across a growing number of subjects.
The tender document, meanwhile, examines academic integrity issues and asks researchers to examine the extent to which unauthorised use of generative AI can be reliably and verifiably detected.
The document also asks researchers to examine the impact of generative AI on the reliability and validity of teacher-based assessment components; how to prevent unauthorised use of AI; and whether other examining bodies have decided to use AI.
In a statement, the commission said it had a responsibility to maintain a watching brief on issues that have the potential to threaten the security and integrity of the examinations.
“There is no doubt that advances in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies have the potential to impact on academic integrity and this must be carefully managed,” a spokesman said.
“Equally, we must consider the opportunities that these technologies present such as their innovative use to provide better services and their potential to offer a wider range of learning and assessment opportunities while addressing issues such as integrity, equity and fairness for all candidates.”
It said the purpose of the research was to inform next steps about the impact of AI software on the Irish system of examinations and assessment.
“The procurement process is in the evaluation phase with a contract expected to be placed following the completion of this phase,” the SEC said
