“AI Resistant” Assessment Strategies

While it may not be possible to design assignments entirely resistant to AI use, there are strategies that can both reduce reliance on AI and strengthen student motivation to engage authentically with the work. This brief overview highlights key approaches; for deeper exploration, see the resources below.

1. Clarify Learning Objectives

Clarify learning objectives for your course and each assignment, and ensure they align with your assessments. For example, if you assign an oral presentation, are you evaluating a student on their content or on their public speaking skills—or both? Is this reflected in your rubric or evaluation methods?

2. Focus on Process

Scaffolding: For a written assignment, this might include breaking up the larger assignment into smaller parts such as an in-class brainstorming free write, a topic proposal, a literature review, and an outline. Provide feedback for each part, or have students peer review the smaller steps and incorporate the feedback.
Student Reflection: Ask students to reflect on their process and approaches to their work.

3. Encourage Active, Experiential, and Collaborative Learning

Incorporating active and collaborative learning strategies in the classroom can reduce overreliance on AI tools and promote deeper student engagement.

4, Consider Authentic Assessments

Authentic assessment in higher education refers to evaluation methods that apply course knowledge to real-world tasks and problems, aiming to assess students' abilities in contexts that are relevant and meaningful to their future careers or personal lives.

Unlike traditional assessments, which often focus on rote memorization and theoretical knowledge, authentic assessments emphasize practical application and critical thinking.

An assignment is authentic if it:

Is realistic
Requires judgment and innovation
Asks the student to “do” the subject
Replicates or simulates real-world or civic/personal life contexts
Assesses the student’s ability to effectively apply a range of knowledge and skills to a complex task
Allows time and opportunities to rehearse, practice, receive feedback, and refine their work

Source: Messier, N. (2022). “Authentic Assessments.“ Center for the Advancement of Teaching Excellence at the University of Illinois Chicago. Retrieved 08/19/25 from https://teaching.uic.edu/resources/teaching-guides/assessment-grading-practices/authentic-assessments/

Additional Sources:

Bertram Gallant, Tricia, and David A. Rettinger. The Opposite of Cheating : Teaching for Integrity in the Age of AI. University of Oklahoma Press, 2025.

Bowen, José Antonio, et al. Teaching with AI : A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2024.

Corbin, T., Dawson, P., & Liu, D. (2025). Talk is cheap: why structural assessment changes are needed for a time of GenAI. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2025.2503964

Kosslyn, Stephen M. Active Learning with AI: A Practical Guide. Boston: Alinea, 2024.

Strategies for Designing AI-Resistant Assignments, Generative AI at University of Chicago

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