AI-Resistant Assignments: Promoting Critical Thinking in Education

As artificial intelligence tools, like ChatGPT, continue to gain traction in education, they present both opportunities and challenges for educators. During a global survey in mid-2024, 86% of students reported using AI tools for schoolwork, with nearly a quarter using them daily [1]. While AI can significantly enhance learning, it raises concerns about academic integrity. How can educators design assignments that encourage authentic, human-driven learning and knowledge assessment while leveraging the benefits of AI throughout the learning process?

One effective approach is to create AI-resistant assignments or AI-proof assignments — tasks that focus on creativity, personal experiences, and critical thinking. These assignments are less about recalling facts and more about exploring ideas that AI alone cannot fully replicate. Here’s how educators can design such assignments effectively:

1. Teach AI Literacy

Help students understand both the strengths and limitations of AI tools. Encourage them to use AI as a research assistant rather than a shortcut.

• Example: “Use an AI tool like Flexi.org to brainstorm ideas for your project. Compare its suggestions to your own and discuss what the AI missed.”

2. Incorporate Personalization

Encourage students to bring their unique perspectives and experiences into their work. AI cannot replicate a student’s personal voice or life context.

• Example: “Think about a time you saw a real-life example of data being graphed — maybe in a news article, a fitness tracker, or even a video game. What did the graph show, and how did it help you understand the information?”

3. Promote Collaborative Learning

Group projects that involve discussions, brainstorming, and peer feedback can limit the role of AI, as these tasks require dynamic human interaction.

• Example: “Work with your team to design an experiment that tests the effects of gravity on different objects. Present your findings as a video or slideshow.”

4. Leverage Interactive Tools

Interactive tools, such as science simulations and real-world examples, encourage hands-on engagement. Assignments that require students to interact with these tools can provide a rich learning experience that goes beyond AI-generated answers.

• Example: “Use the Malt Shop simulation to adjust the launch velocity and glass weight to successfully deliver the drink to the customer. Record the values you used and explain how changing the weight of the drink or surface affected your results.”

5. Encourage Higher-Order Thinking

Tasks that emphasize creating, evaluating, and analyzing are more resistant to AI. Use relevant learning classification models, like Bloom’s Taxonomy, as a guide to push students toward deeper levels of understanding.

• Example: “Design a plan to reduce energy consumption in your school. Justify your choices and explain how physics principles support your approach.”

6. Focus on Open-Ended Questions

AI tools excel at answering straightforward or multiple-choice questions, but they struggle with tasks requiring nuanced thinking. Assignments that ask students to analyze, synthesize, or evaluate information — like comparing two scientific theories or reflecting on the ethical implications of a discovery — are harder for AI to handle effectively.

• Example: Instead of asking, “Find where these functions cross the x-axis.”, ask, “Suppose you’re given a graph of a quadratic function. How would you adjust the equation to make the graph cross the x-axis at specific points? Explain the steps and provide examples.”

Additional Strategies for AI-Proof Assignments

Reflective Assignments

Encourage students to reflect on their learning process or experiences. AI struggles to mimic authentic, personal reflections.

• Example: “Which discussion board post or in-class comment by a peer did you find most thought-provoking? What did you learn from it?”
• Example: “Review the course lectures or readings. Which one changed your understanding of the material the most?”

Process-Based Assessments

Break larger assignments into stages — such as proposal, outline, draft, and final submission — to monitor progress and ensure students’ work evolves authentically.

• Example: “Submit an outline of your essay with key sources, followed by a first draft for feedback, and then the final version.”

Oral Exams and Presentations

Require students to explain their ideas in real time, emphasizing comprehension and critical thinking.

• Example: “Prepare a 5-minute presentation on a physics concept of your choice. Include examples of how it applies to daily life.”

Creative Work with Analytical Components

Pair creative assignments with reflective questions to deepen engagement.

• Example: “Create a short story or artwork inspired by the concept of entropy. Include a statement explaining how your work reflects the scientific principle.”

Local or Class-Based Prompts

Design assignments based on specific class discussions, lectures, or events that are unique to your course or curriculum. AI tools often lack context for these personalized assignments.

• Example: “Expand on our class discussion about renewable energy sources. Propose a solution tailored to our local community and justify your reasoning.”

Alternative Assessment Formats

Introduce nontraditional assessments, such as podcasts, videos, or annotated projects. These formats encourage original thought and limit reliance on AI.

• Example: “Create and record a 3-minute podcast explaining the impact of photosynthesis on global ecosystems. Include an analysis of its significance in your own words.”

Test Your Assignments with AI Tools

Before assigning tasks, test them using generative AI tools like ChatGPT to identify potential vulnerabilities. Adjust assignment prompts to emphasize higher-order thinking and personal reflection.

• Example: “When tested with ChatGPT, this assignment produced a generic response. How can we modify it to ensure students’ unique perspectives are central?”

Balancing AI and Human Creativity

The rise of AI in education offers incredible potential, but it’s up to educators to guide students toward meaningful learning experiences. By focusing on creativity, critical thinking, and personalization, teachers can design assignments that bring out the best in their students — not just in their AI tools.

Explore online resources and tools — such as interactive simulations and adaptive practice — to support meaningful, hands-on engagement. These resources can complement your teaching strategies and help create assignments that are as AI-resistant as possible while promoting deeper learning.

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[1] Share of students using AI for schoolwork worldwide as of July 2024, Published by Veera Korhonen, Oct 14, 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1498309/usage-of-ai-by-students-worldwide/