Artificial intelligence is transforming the education landscape, offering powerful tools that can enhance learning—but also posing new challenges for maintaining academic integrity.
As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated and accessible, secondary educators must adapt to ensure students develop essential skills like critical thinking, ethical research, and original writing. Without the right strategies in place, AI misuse can erode the fundamental principles of academic honesty.
On May 14, 2025, The Educator in partnership with Turnitin will host an insightful webinar on how to foster responsible AI use while strengthening academic integrity.
The ‘Promoting Integrity and AI Readiness in Secondary Education’ webinar will explore how teachers and leaders can guide students in navigating AI ethically, detect AI-generated content, and align school policies with the realities of this evolving technology.
Below, The Educator speaks to Chukwudi Ogoh, Senior Academic Strategy Consultant at Turnitin, to find out more.
TE: What are some of the main challenges facing Australian school leaders this year regarding academic integrity?
One of the most pressing challenges is the rapid integration of generative AI tools like ChatGPT into students’ everyday learning. While these tools offer exciting opportunities, they also blur the lines between original work and AI-assisted output. School leaders are grappling with how to set clear expectations around responsible use, maintain fairness in assessments, and educate students on the ethical implications of using such technologies. Another challenge is the inconsistency in digital literacy among students and teachers. Without a shared understanding of academic integrity in the digital age, it’s difficult to build a school-wide culture that promotes honesty and ownership of learning. Additionally, as schools continue to move towards more online and hybrid learning models, maintaining the rigour and authenticity of assessments becomes even more critical.
TE: How can school leaders become prepared for those challenges?
Preparation starts with professional development—for both staff and students. School leaders can invest in training that equips teachers to redesign assessments for authenticity, integrate formative feedback, and model academic honesty in a digital-first environment. They should also work towards developing clear, consistent academic integrity policies that include expectations around AI use, referencing, and plagiarism. Importantly, engaging students in the conversation is key: teaching them the ‘why’ behind academic integrity fosters a sense of responsibility rather than fear of punishment. Collaborating with edtech partners who offer tools that promote transparency in the learning and writing process—such as Turnitin Feedback Studio and Turnitin’s AI writing detection—can also support more informed and timely interventions.
TE: Are there any standout lessons of this past year you’re able to share with readers in relation to academic integrity?
One standout lesson is that academic integrity cannot be treated as a compliance checkbox—it must be woven into the culture of the school. The most successful schools have shifted their approach from punitive to proactive, focusing on student learning and support. We’ve seen that when schools promote transparency in the writing process—through formative feedback, scaffolded tasks, and process-oriented assessment design—students are more likely to engage authentically. Additionally, involving parents in conversations about academic honesty, especially around AI, has proven effective in reinforcing expectations beyond the classroom. Perhaps most importantly, this past year has shown us that embracing technology while staying anchored in values like honesty, effort, and learning is not only possible—it’s essential for preparing students for the future.
To register for the ‘Promoting Integrity and AI Readiness in Secondary Education’ webinar, being held May 14, 2025 at 16:00 in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, click here here.