Academic Integrity – Center for Teaching and Learning /ctl Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:43:37 +0000 en-US hourly 1 /ctl/wp-content/uploads/sites/88/2024/01/cropped-android-chrome-512x512-1-32x32.png Academic Integrity – Center for Teaching and Learning /ctl 32 32 Citations: From busy-work to meaningful learning activity /ctl/citations-from-busy-work-to-meaningful-learning-activity/ Wed, 08 Apr 2026 15:40:07 +0000 /ctl/?p=5749

We routinely ask students to use a formal citation style when referencing sources in their work, but have you ever explicitly explained to them why?

In a post-truth information landscape, it is increasingly difficult to distinguish credible information from cherry-picked facts and polished, convincing interpretations, especially as generative AI makes sophisticated-sounding misinformation easier to produce and harder to detect. Now more than ever, our students need to be able to question the veracity of claims and follow evidence back to its source. Citation practices are a foundational skill for doing exactly that, yet we often assign them without explanation.

]]> We routinely ask students to use a formal citation style when referencing sources in their work, but have you ever explicitly explained to them why?

In a post-truth information landscape, it is increasingly difficult to distinguish credible information from cherry-picked facts and polished, convincing interpretations, especially as generative AI makes sophisticated-sounding misinformation easier to produce and harder to detect. Now more than ever, our students need to be able to question the veracity of claims and follow evidence back to its source. Citation practices are a foundational skill for doing exactly that, yet we often assign them without explanation.

This is where the “curse of expertise” can work against us. Having long internalized both the importance of citations and the logic behind their formatting, we may forget what it was like before we understood these things. What feels obvious to us as academics is not obvious to students encountering scholarly conventions for the first time.

Consider being intentional about making the purpose visible. Explain to your students why you require citations, how a standardized format makes it possible for anyone, including them, to quickly locate and verify a source, and how these same habits of source-checking apply to the information they encounter in their everyday lives. Connecting citation practice to real-world information literacy can transform it from a formatting chore into a genuinely transferable skill.

For more ideas about integrating information literacy into your courses, reach out to an 91ĚŇÉ« libarian or check out:  from the Ohio State University.

]]> Did a Robot Write this Report? Managing AI Cheating /ctl/did-a-robot-write-this-report-managing-ai-cheating/ Wed, 11 Mar 2026 21:23:01 +0000 /ctl/?p=5591 Generative AI is a powerful tool that can be used to support teachers and students. Unfortunately, just as AI can be used to generate lesson plans, provide helpful feedback, and serve as a personalized tutor, it can also be used to write a paper, provide answers, and do students' work.

]]> Generative AI is a powerful tool that can be used to support teachers and students. Unfortunately, just as AI can be used to generate lesson plans, provide helpful feedback, and serve as a personalized tutor, it can also be used to write a paper, provide answers, and do students’ work.

But how can we manage this? Over the last several years, Educational Technologist Eric Curtis has been having this academic integrity discussion with thousands of educators around the world. He has assembled feedback and resources in a 1-hour webinar with support materials.

]]> Highly-Cited “AI Erodes Critical Thinking” Study Appears To Be AI Generated Slop /ctl/highly-cited-ai-erodes-critical-thinking-study-appears-to-be-ai-generated-slop/ Wed, 25 Feb 2026 22:10:54 +0000 /ctl/?p=5521 This week, I want to highlight a substack post critiquing a recent research article. The author critically examines a widely referenced paper claiming that increased AI use degrades critical thinking skills. Pookins argues that the study’s design and methodology are fundamentally flawed: the sample isn’t representative, the survey measures self-reported beliefs rather than actual critical thinking performance, and many items intended to measure different constructs are essentially redundant. Because of these flaws, he asserts that the paper does not provide reliable evidence that AI use causes a decline in critical thinking, meaning that its frequent citation in media and academic discussions may be misleading or premature. Moreover, he points to evidence that the paper itself may have been AI-generated.

]]> This week, I want to highlight a substack post critiquing a recent research article. The author critically examines a widely referenced paper claiming that increased AI use degrades critical thinking skills. Pookins argues that the study’s design and methodology are fundamentally flawed: the sample isn’t representative, the survey measures self-reported beliefs rather than actual critical thinking performance, and many items intended to measure different constructs are essentially redundant. Because of these flaws, he asserts that the paper does not provide reliable evidence that AI use causes a decline in critical thinking, meaning that its frequent citation in media and academic discussions may be misleading or premature. Moreover, he points to evidence that the paper itself may have been AI-generated.

Why is this such an important post to read? The key issue isn’t whether AI might affect cognition. That is a broader and ongoing research question supported by diverse studies on cognitive offloading and educational impacts. Instead, how we interpret and communicate evidence is what is critical here. The post highlights the importance of scrutinizing research methodology before adopting headlines about AI’s harms or benefits. In teaching and policy conversations, this means encouraging nuanced engagement with research on AI and critical thinking, distinguishing between correlation and causation, and integrating AI in ways that support, rather than inadvertently replace, deep learning and reasoning.

If you have found a quality research article on the impact of AI on learning, please share it with us by emailing it to umpi-ctl@maine.edu.

Read the full post here:

Pookins, N. (2026, February 15). Highly-Cited “AI Erodes Critical Thinking” study appears to be AI generated slop. Nebu’s Newsletter. Substack. 

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