In today’s era of artificial intelligence (AI), educators are becoming increasingly sensitive to signs that a piece of writing may have been produced by machines rather than humans.

According to the website https://www.techlearning.com/, among the most common indicators are assignments that are unnecessarily long yet fail to answer the question, or essays that read too perfectly without the natural flaws of human expression.

Work that lacks emotional depth, relies heavily on clichés, or is delivered far too quickly also raises suspicion.

Other red flags include excessive use of bullet points, fabricated references, or writing styles that differ significantly from a student’s previous work.

Sometimes it is not a specific feature but an educator’s instinct that signals something is not quite right. While these signs are useful, they remain general observations and cannot yet serve as hard evidence.

What they do highlight, however, is the urgent need for more authentic approaches to student assessment in this new technological landscape.

Traditional assessments such as examinations, quizzes, and standardised tests are increasingly insufficient in a world where AI can generate instant answers. These tests risk measuring not the depth of students’ knowledge but their ability to navigate technological tools.

Authentic assessment

A paradigm shift is needed, and authentic assessment must become a necessity rather than an option. Authentic assessment requires students to apply knowledge and skills in real-world contexts. It values problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making, all of which are dimensions of learning that machines cannot replace.

While AI can summarise texts or provide quick responses, it cannot cultivate creativity, ethical reasoning, or cultural awareness. Portfolios, projects, case studies, and community-based tasks allow students to demonstrate understanding in ways that reflect real-life application. They also promote responsibility, resilience, and integrity, qualities that are increasingly essential as plagiarism and over-reliance on technology become real challenges.

The workplace of the future demands graduates who can collaborate, communicate effectively, and adapt quickly.

Authentic assessment, often implemented through group projects, simulations, and problem-based learning, mirrors these demands.

Instead of measuring knowledge in static examinations, students are evaluated on their performance in complex, dynamic situations that call for flexible thinking. This approach also respects the diversity of student backgrounds by allowing multiple ways of demonstrating understanding. It ensures that creativity, local knowledge, and cultural values are preserved, in contrast to AI which tends to standardise responses.

Knowledge in the age of artificial intelligence is never static. It evolves rapidly, requiring students to embrace uncertainty, ask new questions, and adopt a mindset of continuous learning.

Authentic assessment supports this by focusing not just on final results but on intellectual journeys. It trains students to value the process of inquiry as much as the product, preparing them for lifelong learning in an ever-changing world.

At an international conference in London earlier this year, the question of how to assess students in the age of AI dominated discussions.

One presentation highlighted the requirement for students to declare the prompts they used in AI tools and to explain how they incorporated the generated results into their final work. Another suggested limiting the number of prompts allowed and requiring evidence of use. Some academics emphasised the importance of linking claims to authentic, peer-reviewed journal articles to ensure academic integrity.

These practices reflect a growing recognition that AI can assist in learning but must not replace the intellectual labour of students.

AI as a valuable partner in education

Artificial intelligence can be a valuable partner in education when used wisely. It can generate ideas, condense lengthy readings, and provide initial drafts, yet human intelligence must guide its application. Strong academic sources such as peer-reviewed journals, official reports from government bodies like the Department of Statistics Malaysia or the Ministry of Education, and international datasets such as TIMSS and PISA remain essential to building credible arguments.

Based on classroom experience, students who balance AI tools with authentic resources display greater maturity in evaluating information, more creativity in structuring arguments, and more confidence in expressing their views. AI should be regarded as a complement to, not a replacement for, teachers and lecturers. Educators continue to play an irreplaceable role in clarifying concepts, cultivating ethics, and nurturing human values.

Authentic assessment is no longer a choice but an imperative in today’s AI-driven world. Education must go beyond testing what students know; it must measure what they can do with that knowledge, how they apply it responsibly, and how they contribute meaningfully to society.

Without authentic assessment, there is a risk of producing graduates who outsource their thinking to machines, capable of generating answers but not of truly understanding, creating, or leading.

-- BERNAMA

Assoc Prof Dr Abdul Halim Abdullah is with the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.