AI-Proof Assignments

no assignment is AI-proof.

AI tools are rapidly improving, broadly accessible to anyone with the interwebs, and fundamentally built to understand and generate human-like responses across many kinds of prompts, and yes, including the dry responses from your canned textbook. That means there’s no way to make a task that AI simply cannot process or help with.

However, AI detection software is far from saving Cybertron. Tools that have been touted to suss out AI-generated text have high error rates and can cause instructors to falsely accuse students of misconduct. And blatantly accusing a student, even if you are know you're absolutely correct, can cause irreparable harm to student-teacher trust.

However, all is not lost to the Decepticons, Optimus Teacher Prime.

Here are four strategies for you to think about when
approaching your planning and assessment in the era of AI!

When the focus shifts from the 📜 product (the final essay, problem set, or solution) to the 🔁 process (the thinking, drafting, and refining), AI becomes much harder to use as a "short-cut" and much more useful as a "co-pilot."

Think about breaking your learning into milestones, which many folks regularly do with large projects inherently. However, instead of deadlines, emphasize flexibility in the learning process to accomodate different needs and processes. Milestones can feel like deadlines, but only if you AND the student are more focused on earning points or a score, rather than the learning process.

*Image credit: Gemini Nano Banana

Shifting the focus from the right answer to the reasoning behind it is the most effective way to address AI use in subjects like math, logic in the humanities (ELA & S.S), and the hard sciences. When the "right answer" is the only thing that counts, AI becomes a high-powered cheat sheet. When the logical path counts, AI becomes a mere calculator.

In K-12 education, the goal is to build habits of mind, not fully finished humans. Students are still developing executive function, we focus on making their internal "thinking" visible. If an AI provides the "right answer," the student hasn't actually exercised the mental muscles they need for high school and beyond.

A Think Aloud strategy is a splendiferous way to capture problem solving in lieu of a traditional worksheet. Don't just give me the answer. Record yourself telling me why it's correct and what you might do when you get stuck.

*Image credit: Gemini Nano Banana

Just like the trolley problem or the lost wallet, consequences don't always align with ethics. Visual metaphors, such as the AI Usage Stoplight (green light: encouraged, yellow light: check with your teacher, red light: "it's a no for me, dog"), can help student navigate the gray area between "help" and "cheating".

Also, talk about it with students. Help them build their ethics surrounding AI usage for their work, as that will permeate the rest of their lives. Check out AI Snapshots, 10-20 minute classroom activities built to spark debate, ignite curiosity, and build community in all Gr. 6-12 classrooms.

*Image credit: Gemini Nano Banana

It is a fascinating irony: while teachers are worried about students "cheating," many feel a sense of "imposter syndrome" or guilt when they use AI to write lesson plans, emails, or rubrics. Recent studies show that nearly 44% of teachers feel they are "cheating" or not doing their job properly when they use AI.

But to properly know what responses you'll see typically, use it as a stress test for yourself. See the output. Check to see where you might end up seeing hallucinations, inaccuracies, or even when the output is flat-out incorrect.

*Image credit: Gemini Nano Banana

Textbooks, but make it theirs

Check out Learn Your Way from Google! It's an Experiment that turns textbooks and topics into personalized, AI-powered learning experiences that adapt to each student’s understanding and learning style.

1. Start with a topic
Students pick a textbook or topic they want to learn.
2. Personalized learning paths
The AI adjusts based on what each student understands and how they learn.
If they’re stuck, it offers clearer explanations and extra support.
3. Multiple ways to learn
Students can explore ideas through quick explanations, visuals, summaries, interactive questions, and even AI-created images.
4. Instant feedback and guidance
As students work through quizzes and assignments, they get feedback right away.
The AI shows what they’re doing well and where to focus next, turning mistakes into learning moments.

This Experiment is still in beta and doesn't allow for uploads yet, but you can check out their posted topics!

Learn Your Way (Google Experiment)

Not everyone enjoys getting lost in the woods.

RealityMaps is a hi-fi 3D terrain visualization tool that serves as a powerful "digital twin" of the physical world. It's pretty similar to Google Earth, but its main focus is on the beauty of the great outdoors for adventure enthusiasts.

The platform transforms abstract topographic maps into immersive, photorealistic 3D landscapes that allow students to virtually explore complex mountain systems, analyze slope gradients, and understand landform orientation with 1-meter precision.

Use it to demonstrate the effects of erosion, plan safe field expeditions, or foster spatial reasoning through interactive route building. Take a field trip. Calculate the landscape into a living laboratory for geometry and trigonometry.

RealityMaps Tour Planner