TLDR: Facing widespread AI-driven cheating and the unreliability of AI detection tools, U.S. colleges are exploring a return to ‘medieval’ assessment methods. Clay Shirky, NYU’s Vice Provost for AI and Technology in Education, suggests a shift towards in-class blue book essays, oral examinations, and Socratic dialogues to ensure students engage in genuine intellectual effort. This move, while facing resistance from both students and faculty, aims to preserve critical thinking and identity formation in an era where AI can automate much of the writing process.
In response to the escalating challenge of artificial intelligence-driven academic dishonesty, U.S. universities are contemplating a significant pedagogical shift, advocating for a return to centuries-old assessment techniques. Clay Shirky, New York University’s Vice Provost for AI and Technology in Education, has emerged as a prominent voice in this movement, suggesting that colleges adopt ‘medieval’ methods to ensure students engage in authentic learning.
The problem, as highlighted by a philosophy professor at NYU’s Abu Dhabi campus, is pervasive: ‘even the good students’ are utilizing AI tools like ChatGPT to complete assignments, despite warnings. This trend has rendered traditional writing, problem-solving, and essay drafting into optional tasks, leading to a concerning decline in intellectual effort. Initial strategies, such as promoting ‘engaged uses’ of AI for idea exploration or feedback, proved ineffective, with students even using AI to generate critiques for AI-assisted assignments. Compounding the issue, current AI detection software has demonstrated unreliability, leading to potential false accusations and an inability to identify subtly edited AI-generated content.
Shirky, in a New York Times op-ed, emphasized the urgent need for ‘new ways to require the work necessary for learning’ now that ‘most mental effort tied to writing is optional.’ His proposed solution involves moving away from take-home assignments and essays towards real-time, in-class assessments. These ‘medieval’ methods include in-class blue book essays, oral examinations, Socratic dialogues, real-time question-and-answer sessions, compulsory office hours, and viva voce (oral defenses).
Historically, this approach is not as radical as it may seem. Early European universities, nearly a millennium ago, predominantly relied on oral examinations. Written assignments only gained prominence after the 18th and 19th centuries, driven by technical specialization and the expansion of mass education. The U.S. higher education system, in fact, maintained an oral tradition well into the 19th century before adopting written work inspired by German research universities. The Wall Street Journal reported a boom in sales of blue books last year, indicating that institutions are already making this shift.
However, this return to older practices is not without its critics. Some professors liken the increased reliance on in-class assessments to ‘teaching high school,’ expressing concerns that timed and oral tests might unfairly favor quick thinkers over those who engage in deeper, more reflective thought. Students, on their part, are reportedly unsettled by the restrictions on AI, with some feeling the new system is ‘designed to make them fail.’ A generational gap also exists, as many undergraduates, accustomed to typing, find timed handwriting exams unfamiliar, and some admit to feeling disoriented when working without AI.
Despite the resistance, higher education experts argue that this ‘medieval turn’ is not a regression but a necessary ‘recalibration.’ As articulated in The New York Times, universities’ fundamental role extends beyond mere ‘information transfer.’ Their deeper purpose lies in fostering identity formation, cultivating students’ abilities to think critically, question, and internalize knowledge. While AI can automate ‘ordinary writing,’ the core values of quality, originality, and memory-building remain indispensable. This philosophical underpinning is driving the reintroduction of oral exams, authentic assessments, and interactive evaluations.
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The path forward is expected to involve hybrid models, integrating viva voce and blue book testing with modern active learning, authentic assessment strategies, and technology-enabled innovations. While AI has undoubtedly disrupted traditional learning paradigms, history demonstrates that educational institutions have consistently adapted to technological revolutions, from the printing press to online courses. This current reshaping of higher education, embracing a more personal, improvisational, and community-driven learning experience, aims to cultivate qualities that algorithms cannot replicate.
