How to Supervise the Use of AI in Homework and School Assessments

In staff rooms, teachers agree — generative AI tools are transforming the way students complete their homework. For secondary teachers, the question is no longer whether students use AI, but how to guide this use while preserving the value of personal work.

Cheating in the Age of Generative AI

The rapid rise of AI has sparked legitimate concerns among educators. One of the main challenges is detecting cheating — it’s often difficult to prove whether a student used a generative tool. Some students even deliberately introduce spelling errors to conceal AI-generated text. Yet, detection software programs remain unreliable and may unfairly penalize students.

Rethinking Homework

This situation calls for a real educational shift. Some teachers believe AI shouldn’t be banned, but rather used responsibly.

Rudy Alba, a technology teacher at Jean-Jaurès Middle School in Aire-sur-la-Lys, France, explains:
“I think we need to be honest with students. Homework should be about reinforcement and exploration, not grading. If they don’t do it, that’s their choice — but I tell them it’s in their interest if they want to keep learning.”

Rachid Arab, a computer science teacher at Victor Schoelcher High School in Fort-de-France, on the French island of Martinique, shares this view:
“The goal isn’t to assign homework but to assess skills. If a student uses AI and understands the material — that’s fine. The homework isn’t graded, but in-class assessments will build on it.”

Active learning methods, such as flipped classrooms, can also be effective. Lectures are done at home, while class time focuses on experimentation, discussion, or application.

Encouraging a Critical and Thoughtful Use of AI in Class

AI tools capable of producing instant answers also change how students approach knowledge. It’s crucial to make them aware of the risks of overreliance. Easy access to ready-made content can weaken persistence, research, synthesis, and reasoning skills.

The goal is to present AI as a co-pilot, not a crutch. Used thoughtfully, AI can move from being a shortcut to becoming a learning accelerator.

Learning to Ask the Right Questions

Once students understand how AI works, the real challenge is learning how to interact intelligently. The quality of an AI’s response depends directly on the quality of the question. Students should learn to:

• Define a clear intent
  
• State an explicit goal
  
• Remove ambiguity
  
• Provide sufficient context
  

This exercise strengthens transversal skills — structuring thought, clarifying ideas, and organizing information.