While conversations surrounding students’ use of artificial intelligence and its efficacy continue, one education technology company is helping teachers encourage AI use in a way that avoids issues like academic dishonesty and plagiarism. It’s called Turnitin Clarity.
Last week, plagiarism checker Turnitin announced the latest addition to its suite of AI-powered writing tools. Turnitin Clarity helps teachers establish acceptable use of AI while allowing them to view their students’ writing activity and assess the originality of their work. The goal is to reduce the chances of students letting AI chatbots write their papers.
“Turnitin Clarity serves as a bridge between students and educators,” said Turnitin’s Chief Product Officer Annie Chechitelli.
The tool comes at a time when AI-driven plagiarism is at an all-time high. As of April 2024, an analysis of more than 200 million papers reviewed by Turnitin revealed:
- Nearly 11% of papers contained at least 20% AI writing.
- Nearly 3% contained at least 80% AI writing.
“We’re at an important juncture in education where technologies are transforming learning, and the need for academic integrity is more critical than ever,” Chechitelli said at the time of the analysis.
Here are some key features of Turnitin Clarity that’ll help mitigate the chances of plagiarism:
- Writing transparency: Teachers will be able to see students’ entire drafting process, including if a piece of text was pasted into the document, typing patterns, total time spent writing and draft history.
- Integrity insights: Upon submission, educators will have access to insights such as similarity checking, AI writing detection, grading, feedback and writing reports.
- Collaboration: Teachers can provide personalized feedback, helping cultivate a dynamic writing experience for students and teachers.
AI is used for more than cheating
AI is quickly becoming an alternative to Google as 53% of teens and young adults report using it to get information, according to a 2024 report. Another 46% report using it for homework help, along with:
- Brainstorming ideas (51%)
- Make pictures or images (31%)
- Help in their jobs (17%)
District leaders, too, are optimistic about AI’s potential in education. Check out some of District Administration’s latest coverage about leaders who are bringing innovative technology directly to their students and teachers:
