The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) creates new challenges for the completion of examinations in schools. Udir proposes several concrete measures for the spring exam 2024, and major changes to the exam system for the next few years. It is no longer sufficient to block the use of the internet during the exam. The Directorate of Education works together with county councils and municipalities to find good solutions to prevent pupils from using AI in written exams. On Tuesday 13 February, the Education Association, the Lecturers’ Association, the Pupils’ Association, the Association of School Leaders, the National Association of Schools and KS gathered for a meeting at the Directorate of Education. Here they received information about the assessments and calls that Udir has made. The parties also discussed how to continue working together for a good completion of the exam. Here are the measures for the exam in spring 2024: Increased security and control Udir recommends increasing the security in the exam room and strengthening the training of the guards, and that random samples be taken before and during the exam and when the answers are to be censored. Udir has asked the county municipalities to make the examination guidance compulsory. The task of the examiners has become more demanding in recent years, because the students must be assessed based on more comprehensive criteria than before. Money has already been authorized to increase the fee for the examiners this year. The growth in AI tools is yet another challenge. Udir explores various tools that can assess whether AI has been used in an exam answer. The technology is developing rapidly and we will continue to work on this in the future. The legal certainty of the pupils will have a high priority in these assessments. Fewer aids are allowed Students are allowed to use aids in many exams. For example online dictionaries in language subjects, legal data, Statistics Norway and other approved websites. Aids are becoming increasingly advanced and together with AI tools it has become challenging to have good control over them. The county municipalities have decided to reduce the number of permitted aids. Then it is easier to check that the students do not use other websites than what they are allowed to. Closed network and dictionaries offline Udir asks the school owners to ensure that all schools have a technical solution which means that the pupils cannot switch between a closed exam network and an open school network. Udir also asks municipalities and county councils to ensure that all schools install dictionaries in Norwegian on the digital units of the pupils and private schools. We then ensure that the pupils have access to the dictionary, even if overload causes the digital dictionary to crash. Technical improvements after spring exam 2023 Technical problems during the main exam on 22 May 2023 meant that many students were unable to log on and complete the exam. There were also several students who applied to have their exams postponed due to technical problems locally in the exam rooms in the municipalities. Udir has worked closely with the suppliers of the various systems to prevent a similar problem this year. Extensive testing and improvement has taken place since the exam last year and all secondary schools must carry out a test exam to check the technical setup and equipment. On some exams, paper copies of the assignments will also be available, as an extra measure of security. From the year 2025, there will be major changes: There are several measures that cannot be introduced before the exam in 2024, but which are relevant for 2025 and beyond. Udir will look more closely at several measures, such as removing or changing the aid scheme and preparation part for the written exam and looking at the possibility of screen monitoring and continuing testing of secure internet browsers. Another possible measure is for the students to take the exam on a PC owned by the school, instead of their personal PC. Then the possibility to download non-permitted programs is removed. In the longer term, Udir recommends a larger review of the written exam. There are several reasons to now consider what kind of final assessment we will have in Norwegian schools in the future. The technological development creates new challenges, and makes change necessary. This is part of the work of the Quality Committee, where the report is now out for consultation.
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Directorate with measures against AI cheating in secondary schools – news Vestland
