Utilizing and Detecting AI in Higher Education: A Reflection from an Online, Asynchronous, Criminal Justice Course

The improper use of artificial intelligence (AI) by students is a growing issue in higher education. Students struggle to understand the ethical issues of using AI on assignments and how it may constitute academic dishonesty. This may especially be an issue for online courses due to the level of separation between students and instructor wherein students may feel as though they can get away with more dishonest behaviors compared to in-person courses. The current work will discuss and reflect on an online criminal justice research methods course taught at a large midwestern university. The course was designed with the increase of AI use among students in mind. Specifically, the course had an AI policy, discussed the pros and cons of using AI for coursework and what qualifies as plagiarism, and included an assignment centered around critiquing AI-generated coursework. Despite these efforts, students still used AI to complete assignments when it was not allowed. The current work will reflect on teaching the course, including the AI critique assignment, how AI-generated work was detected, and students’ attitudes toward the course, assignment, and the use of AI in higher education.