4 Powerful Ways Teachers Can Build AI Ethics & Stop Cheating

Since October of 2023, the Kent ISD EdTech team has delivered over 55 presentations and workshops, developed 14 unique resources, and published 24 podcasts and articles on artificial intelligence. Our mission is to support educators and students in using AI tools effectively, responsibly, and as a tool for good. As of March 2025, about 50% of the educators we surveyed report using AI tools regularly to improve their efficiency, enhance instruction, and empower their learners.

Why AI Ethics Matters: Beyond the Cheating Concern

As we’ve worked alongside educators, one concern consistently rises to the top—plagiarism. About 80% of our educators reported being at least slightly worried about students using AI to cheat. We’ve developed practical strategies and guiding principles to help educators approach this issue with courage rather than fear. Fear leads to reactionary measures that restrict students from learning how to engage with AI meaningfully and ethically.

Debunking AI Cheating Myths: What Research Actually Shows

Generative AI Hasn’t Increased Cheating

A 2024 Stanford study found that “the percentage of high school students who cheat remains statistically unchanged” since the introduction of ChatGPT. Unfortunately, the study also found that “60-70% of students had cheated in the last month”. So why do so many students cheat on their schoolwork? Richard Cullata, CEO of ISTE and ASCD, explores this question in The Real Way to Stop Cheating in an AI World.

Plagiarism Detectors Are Unreliable

AI detection tools are unreliable at best. Sometimes, they falsely identify student-created work as AI-produced content, damaging relationships and mistrust between schools and their learning communities. In 2024, Jeffrey P. Young at Fast Company and Kat Tenbarge at NBC News discuss two such cases.

Blocking AI Websites Doesn’t Prevent Cheating

New AI tools emerge daily, and students use personal devices to skirt school Wi-Fi restrictions, making IT’s attempts to block access to these tools a losing game of whack-a-mole. Rather than focusing on these ineffective blocking measures, our energy is better spent actively equipping students with the knowledge and skills to use AI responsibly.

Four Powerful Strategies to Foster AI Ethics and Minimize Cheating

Research shows that blocking tools and detection software aren’t practical solutions. Instead, we must equip students with the knowledge and skills to use AI responsibly. Here are four practical strategies we’ve developed through our work with Kent County educators that transform the AI cheating challenge into an opportunity for ethical growth.

Power Strategy #1: Clear Expectations that Define Ethical AI Use

AI use exists on a spectrum ranging from using AI to provide feedback on your work to having AI write an entire essay based on your notes, a statement well-illustrated by Matt Miller’s What’s Cheating? What’s OK? In a recent podcast episode, we highlighted the places where our teachers and students drew the line between appropriate AI use and cheating.

Table that shows responses to a poll. The question is Where do you draw the line with AI cheating. The Teachers answers are in blue and the students in red. Then there are a list of questions with a bar graph. 1. Student does all work without any assistance from AI the internet etc... Teacher 4%, Student 6%, 2. Student writes all content but asks for AI feedback to improve Teacher 5% Student 8%, 3. Student consults internet/ AI for writing ideas but creates content on own Teacher 12.5% Student 9%, 4. Student gathers stats/research via AI but creates all content on own Teacher16%, Student9%, STudent writes a draft; AI writes a draft; student add best AI ideas Teacher 16%, Student 12%, 6. Student creates content until stuck; asks AI for help to get unstuck Teacher 9%, Student 8%, 7 AI guides student through writing process as a writing coach teacher 6% Student 11%, 8 Student writes bullet points to include but AI writes the draft teacher 16% Student 14.5%, 9. AI generates multiple drafts: student chooses best parts of AI drafts Teacher and student 4%, 10. Student re-writes AI generated content with own improvement ideas Teacher 1% student 4%, 11. AI writes content bu student edits it based on learning from class. Teacher 2%, student 3%, 12. AI does student work for them with no thought by the student Teacher 5% Student 11%

Students and teachers view AI usage differently, highlighting the need for teachers to provide clear guidance on using AI appropriately. A high school student representative from Students for Innovation stressed that teachers should base these guidelines on the goals of each assignment rather than simply following a general class policy. One approach we have found to be effective is to include an AI Expectation Statement on assignments, clearly defining what is allowed and what is not. Here are a few examples we share based on guidelines from Cornell University.

Power Strategy #2: Foster Ethical Dialogue Around AI Tools

Students develop ethical perspectives through dialogue with others. We encourage educators to engage students in perspective-bending exercises, sharing their viewpoints but remaining open-minded to different perspectives. Open-ended questions like NAMLE’s Key Questions for Media Literacy can spark interesting conversations. Try some of our AI Pack and Play activities (AI Ethics, Possibilities, and Risks, or Stop, Caution, Go!) as you dialogue with your students and colleagues.

Power Strategy #3: Model the 80/20 Rule for Responsible AI Use

Our students develop their ethics by observing and emulating what their mentors do. When educators model and disclose how they use AI, they help students understand that AI can support – not replace – human judgment and creativity. Our team uses the 80/20 rule: Use AI to get a head start on your work (80%), then use your human judgment to verify information and modify it for your context, content, and community.

The 80/20 Rule Graphic It shows a bar graph that has 80% AI Generated: Generate a good starting point and 20% Human Generated: Refine for your context, content, and community. Then it notes that AI is your co-pilot, not your captain.

Power Strategy #4: Design AI-Integrated Learning Experiences

Generative AI represents a new learning tool that students need experience with. Just as students need to practice using calculators or search engines, they need opportunities to practice using AI appropriately. Create assignments that require AI-supported brainstorming, revision, or comparison. When educators use AI ethically in learning experiences, students are less likely to misuse it. Check out some ideas for integrating AI into your lessons below.

Graphic with ideas for integrating AI into learning. Peer Quizzing: Students can create their own quizzes based on their notes and trade with classmates to test their knowledge. Contextual Application Students can develop applications of the knowledge and skills they are learning in a context that they are interested in. "How does the quadratic formula relate to skateboarding?" "How does persuasive essay writing apply to social media creation?" Make Learning a Game Students can create a game based on their notes and play their game with peers. Storytelling Prompts Students can generate endless ideas for writing prompts. Research Efficiency Students can use AI tools to quickly summarize articles, videos, and other media to determine if a resource is relevant to their research. Lexile Adjustment Students can adjust the reading level of resources to match their skill level or challenge themselves. Media Creation Students can use their notes and knowledge to create songs, videos, images, poems, etc. as alternative ways of showing their knowledge. Getting Unstuck. Students can leverage a Socratic, knowledge-based AI tool to get help when they are stuck and the teacher is unavailable.

Building Tomorrow’s Ethical AI Users: From Prevention to Empowerment

AI is not inherently good or bad. Like any tool, the potential for harm and good lies within the humans who use it. As educators, we play a vital role in guiding learners to use AI tools effectively, responsibly, and as a tool for good. One student from Students for Innovation said it best, “The purpose of school is to prepare us with the skills we need to succeed. AI is critical to our future success, and we need to practice learning with it in authentic and ethical ways.”

By teaching, modeling, integrating, and engaging students in dialogue, we reduce the likelihood of cheating and help them thrive as ethical, empowered users of AI and emerging technologies yet to come.

Strengthen Your AI Teaching: Professional Development Opportunities

Want to develop your AI literacy? Check out our upcoming opportunities at bit.ly/iamedtech.

AI Summit | May 12 | $50
Dinner, keynote, and breakout sessions focused on using AI to improve student engagement.

AI for Educators | July 24 and 31 | $50
We offer a two-day workshop for educators to enhance their AI literacy and effectively use AI in their classrooms.

Pathways to AI (click dates to register)| Cohorts start June 1, October 1, and February 1 | Free
(Registration Link Coming Soon) Earn SCECHs and certificates from your favorite AI organizations at your own pace.

For the Purpose of… Podcast PDx | Ongoing | Free
Learn about AI and earn SCECHs while listening to our podcast.

Other Resources

Tune into our AI podcast series – bit.ly/ftpopod
Check out AI activities – Kent ISD AI Pack and Plays.
Help us better understand AI-use in Kent County – AI Educator Use Survey.

Check if your favorite AI tools are safe for students to use – AI Privacy and Safety Checks.

#AIEthicsEdu #TeachWithAI #DigitalIntegrity #Innovation #Excellence #WeLeadLearning #KentISDpd

This blog post was written by Keith Tramper, Education Technology Consultant for Kent ISD, and edited by Amanda Walma, T/L Marketing and Communications Specialist for Kent ISD.