The problem of cheating is one of humankind’s longest running evils with far too many examples to quote in a single letter although if we just restricted ourselves to politicians cheating, we could fill this whole issue easily.

The latest variation is with the use of artificial intelligence to write essays by people often gifted with natural stupidity. There are some obvious solutions to the problems of AI cheating with the most efficient being knowing your students and their abilities. A simple approach is to have students read their ‘own’ work and then watch them crash but of course you can’t embarrass students anymore. With maths questions it’s easier when you find two papers with the same miscalculations.

Teachers are however finding the ingenuity of students in developing new methods of cheating, usually by gossip or social media hints, is increasing far beyond the notes up the sleeves approach and serious attention to the problem is needed.

As they say ‘cheats never prosper’ but the software companies offering cheating services will.

Dennis Fitzgerald,
Melbourne, Australia