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Two years ago, University of Toronto Scarborough associate professor Andre Cire noticed something unusual in his undergraduate data science class: while student grades for take-home assignments had surged, performance on in-person end-of-year exams had plummeted.
Cire’s research has explored the use of AI to drive operational efficiencies. So, the mystery was easy to solve. Students were increasingly using large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini, to speed through at-home assignments.
In 2024, about one in six students in Canada over 18 years-old used artificial intelligence tools in their coursework – up 13 percent from the year prior, according to polls conducted by KPMG Canada.
Cire and some other University of Toronto professors said they see the increased use of LLMs among students as a double-edged sword: though some students are using these tools to deepen their learning by answering questions in real-time, others have become overly reliant on it – or have used it to cheat outright.
However, despite the challenges, professors said they believe that LLM uae among students is here to stay and that the change is positive overall. Cire is among several professors who are changing how they teach and assess students to keep up with AI.
Source: Toronto Today
