Back to AI & Assessment

Lane 2: Unsupervised Assignments

Assessing learning goals that involve responsible AI use

Use Lane 2 when learning outcomes involve working critically and responsibly with AI tools as part of professional practice.

Why This Matters

Generative AI is increasingly used in many professional and disciplinary contexts. In some courses, learning how to work critically and responsibly with AI tools is part of the learning objective.

The goal of Lane 2 assessment is not to eliminate AI use but to evaluate how students use AI tools critically and responsibly, including their ability to evaluate and refine AI-generated output, apply disciplinary standards, and take responsibility for the final product.

When Should AI Be Allowed or Required?

Lane 2 is particularly appropriate when:

  • AI tools are part of professional or disciplinary practice
  • The learning outcome involves evaluating or refining AI-generated output
  • Students must integrate AI tools into research or analytical workflows
  • The objective focuses on judgment and critical evaluation

Designing Robust AI-Integrated Assignments

The key principle: AI output should never be the final product being assessed. Instead, evaluate how students critically evaluate, revise, interpret, or apply AI-generated material using disciplinary knowledge.

Require Critical Engagement

Ask students to:

  • • Evaluate quality and limitations of AI-generated arguments
  • • Compare AI output with scholarly literature
  • • Identify inaccuracies or hallucinated information
  • • Refine prompts to achieve disciplinary precision
  • • Justify why certain outputs were accepted or rejected

Make the Process Visible

Students document:

  • • Which AI tools were used and for what purposes
  • • How prompts were developed and refined
  • • What parts of the output were revised or rejected
  • • How they verified reliability of information
  • • What decisions were made independently

Transparency and Documentation

When AI tools are permitted, transparency becomes important for maintaining valid assessment. The purpose is not to police students, but to make the learning process visible.

Example AI Use Declaration

  1. 1. Which AI tools did you use (if any)?
  2. 2. For what purposes did you use them?
  3. 3. What parts of the output did you revise or reject?
  4. 4. How did you verify the reliability of the information?
  5. 5. What decisions in the final work were made by you?

Academic Responsibility

Allowing AI use does not diminish academic responsibility. Students remain accountable for the accuracy, integrity, and quality of their work, including any AI-supported elements.

Need help? Contact your faculty's assessment specialist via TLC Contact or seek advice from TLC Central ([email protected]).