Northwest College upgrades anti-cheating software tool

POWELL — Northwest College is beefing up one of its main tools to catch students using AI. 

The college will pay Turnitin roughly $19,545 this year for not just its normal services, but also an updated AI plug-in to help catch the newest form of cheating. 

It’s not that cheating is a big problem, it’s just good to be prepared, said Dave Erickson, vice president for academic affairs. 

“Luckily it’s not a widespread problem on campus,” he said, “but we’re dealing with one or two per semester that makes it all the way to our office.” 

Turnitin is not a new program — it’s been around since 1998 — but in the past it was “old school, not thinking of AI,” NWC President Lisa Watson said at the Aug. 11 board meeting. “Now it’s more advanced software.” 

Now, in addition to being able to check a student’s essay to ensure it doesn’t read too similarly to some essay online on the same topic, it can also identify via percentage how much of the writing was potentially AI generated. 

“It’s a great tool,” said board chair Denise Laursen, a former Powell High School teacher. 

However, it’s only one tool. 

Trustee Shane Ogden, the superintendent of Meeteetse Schools, said a colleague of his had an essay he wrote in the 1980s tested for being written by AI and the tool found more than 30% was likely AI. 

“I know that that’s something that at the secondary level we are looking at, too, but you know how your kid writes and being able to have that conversation is oftentimes better than Turnitin,” Ogden said. “But if you need that, Turnitin can help have that conversation.” 

Watson said faculty don’t just rely on Turnitin. 

She said that last year, one faculty member attended a conference on identifying AI cheating, and the focus was on getting to know individual writing styles. 

“We had really good conversation about just how people do write, and what they sound like and not to be afraid of AI, because after a while, AI kind of has its own personality, too, and you start to see that play out when people are using those products that they’re either too smooth or it’s not their the way … so it starts to become more obvious,” Watson said. “And so a little human thought behind it, it starts to stand out.” 

She said if there were a big uptick in AI use, a professor might opt for verbal tests to get around AI essays, but she’s hopeful it won’t get that far. 

As for what happens to students who are caught cheating, whether by way of AI or a more “old fashioned” technique? 

Erickson said the penalty depends on the egregiousness of the cheating and how many times it’s happened, and it can range from a 0 on the assignment to a 0 in the class, with no chance of the student leaving the class to avoid the 0. 

Students can also appeal the punishment. 

Trustee John Housel recalled years ago an appeal lasted all day. 

Erickson said if it did get to that point, the likelihood is there would already be a good amount of evidence showing plagiarism or another form of cheating. 

“If you made it that far in the system, there’s a pretty good chance there’s a lot of evidence,” he said.