This is the third post in a series exploring the AI Assessment Scale (AIAS) in more detail. Click here for the previous posts on Level 1 and Level 2 of the Scale.
Level 3: AI Editing
I anticipate Level 3: AI Editing will be the most common way Generative Artificial Intelligence is used in assessments at both K-12 and tertiary level. It’s already reaching a point where not using AI-assisted editing tools will be difficult in most major office software, including Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Each of these applications has – or will soon have – an AI assistant baked right in.
As well as these ubiquitous applications, many educational institutions already use products like Grammarly and Turnitin, both of which have AI-powered editing tools available for students and educators. Really, this is nothing new. We’ve come to rely on systems like spelling and grammar in Word (now Microsoft Editor, and soon enough powered by Copilot), and no one would bat an eyelid at a student submitting a piece of work that they have run through a standard spellchecker.
The use of AI editors may be problematic, however, if they become too heavy-handed. There have been plenty of studies over the last few decades exploring how even seemingly benign systems like spellcheckers can influence how we communicate, and ways in which they minimise or even suppress dialect, languages other than English, and non-standard English. Generative AI might supercharge the tendency for digital authoring platforms to squash expression and language.
To avoid this, all we can do is educate students on the appropriate and inappropriate use of Generative AI, including whether it’s better to sometimes turn those features off.
My suggestion for AI editing is for students to use the tools for self assessment instead of the teacher assessing functional skills, spelling, grammar, and so on.
There are many ways that students might use AI in the editing process, for example:
- Students may use AI-enabled tools such as Grammarly, Microsoft Copilot in Word, etc. as part of the writing process
- Students may use AI apps such as ChatGPT or Google Bard for self-assessment
- An AI app may be used as an “editor” to provide micro- or macro-level feedback (spelling, punctuation, grammar, structure, organisation, argument, etc.)
- AI may be used to assist with more substantive edits after human proof reading and correction
- AI may be used as a stepping-stone towards teacher assessment
Ideas for Level 3 assessments
- English: AI can be used to check the clarity and organisation of arguments, ensuring that the logic is sound.
- Environmental Studies: Students can employ AI to refine research papers, enhancing the structure, argument flow, and coherence when discussing complex environmental issues and solutions.
- Art History: AI tools can assist in editing essays on art history, focusing on the accuracy of historical information, consistency in style analysis, and overall coherence of the narrative.
- Economics: AI can be used for macro-level feedback on economic reports or essays, ensuring logical argumentation, clear presentation of data, and effective structuring of economic theories and analysis.
- Physical Education: In theory-based assignments, AI can assist in structuring essays or reports on sports science, checking for clarity in explanation of physical concepts and coherence in argumentation.
- Music Theory: AI tools can help organise and refine analyses or essays in music theory, ensuring technical accuracy in terminology and coherence in the explanation of musical concepts.
- Computer Science: AI can be used to check the clarity and organisation of documentation for coding projects, ensuring that the logic and flow of the program are well articulated.
- History: AI editors can assist in structuring historical essays, providing feedback on the organisation, clarity of the historical argument, and consistency in referencing historical events or figures.
- Language Studies: In language classes, AI can assist in editing compositions or essays, focusing on grammatical accuracy, proper use of vocabulary, and overall fluency in the target language.
- Biology: Students can use AI to edit lab reports or research papers in biology, ensuring clarity in the presentation of scientific data, coherence in explaining biological processes, and logical structuring of scientific arguments.
Lesson idea: Macro and Micro Editing
Activity Title: “Mastering Macro and Micro Editing: A Comprehensive Editing Workshop”
Objective: This activity aims to improve students’ editing skills by teaching them to apply macro (big picture) and micro (detail-oriented) editing techniques to their written work, applicable across various subjects.
Duration: 2-3 class periods
Materials Needed: Students’ draft work (from any subject), access to AI editing tools (like Grammarly, Microsoft Copilot), reference materials, and an editing checklist like this one.
Activity Overview:
- Introduction to Macro and Micro Editing (30 minutes)
- Discussion: Begin with an explanation of what macro and micro editing entail. Macro editing focuses on the overall structure, flow, and argument of the piece, while micro editing zeroes in on the finer details like grammar, syntax, and punctuation.
- Examples: Show examples of both types of editing in various subjects (e.g., a science report, a literature essay, a history paper).
- Macro Editing Workshop (1 class period)
- Individual Task: Students use their drafts and apply macro editing. They should focus on the structure, argumentation, coherence, and whether the content effectively addresses the assignment’s prompt.
- Group Session: In small groups, students exchange their macro-edited drafts and provide feedback to each other. Emphasise constructive criticism and focus on the ‘big picture’ aspects.
- AI Assistance: Introduce AI tools to suggest improvements in structure and flow (see suggestions for prompts below). Students input their texts and analyse the AI’s suggestions, deciding which to incorporate.
- Micro Editing Workshop (1 class period)
- Individual Task: Now, students focus on micro editing. They should scrutinize their work for grammatical accuracy, punctuation, spelling, and word choice.
- AI Editing: Use AI tools to identify and correct micro-level issues (see prompt suggestion below). Students should compare AI suggestions with their own and understand the rationale behind each correction.
- Peer Review: Exchange papers again for peer review, this time with a focus on micro details. Encourage students to explain the reasoning behind their suggestions to enhance understanding.
- Reflection and Discussion (30 minutes)
- Have students reflect on the editing process and how the macro and micro perspectives changed their approach to their work.
- Discuss the role of AI tools in the editing process, exploring their benefits and limitations.
Macro editing prompt
“Macro edit” the following piece of writing, looking at structure, clarity, correct paragraphing, logical arguments, accuracy, and appropriateness to the audience of <audience>: <copy/paste text>
Example from Microsoft Copilot
Micro editing prompt
“Micro edit” the following text, looking for spelling, punctuation and grammar, correct use of abbreviation, capitalisation etc., correct and consistent tone and register, correct and consistent use of any technical language: <copy/paste text>
Example from Microsoft Copilot
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