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AI with Integrity: Bringing Clarity to the Learning Process #AskTurnitin

Mon Jun 22 - Fri Jul 3
Event by Turnitin Official

Got questions about AI in the classroom? Watch this panel discussion — then ask what's on your mind.

We've gathered a panel of educators to come together for a panel discussion on a question many of us are navigating: how can we support authentic student learning in a world where AI is everywhere?

The recording is attached above. Take some time to watch, then share your questions in this thread. We’ll be checking in and responding right here on TEN through July 3.

Answering your questions:

Jason Friend, Educator at Saratoga High School, California

Jason Friend has been an English teacher at Saratoga High School since 2003. He is a founding member and the current program coordinator of the Media Arts Program, an interdisciplinary academy dedicated to innovative education. Passionate about thinking and writing, Jason has had several articles published in Philosophy Now. He received the Goldin Award for Excellence in Education in 2016, and was named Teacher of the Year for the Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District in 2026.

Melissa Rofer, Educator at Los Gatos High School, California

Melissa Rofer has just completed her first year as an English teacher at Los Gatos High School. Previously, she taught English at Cupertino High School from 2004 to 2010. Between these roles, she spent 14 years as a parent volunteer and K-12 substitute teacher. She has her Master's in Education from U.C. Santa Cruz and is a graduate of Humboldt State University.

Audrey Campbell, Manager, Educator Engagement, Turnitin

Audrey Campbell is a Manager of Educator Engagement at Turnitin, where she connects educators with practical, real-world strategies for teaching in a rapidly changing landscape. Before joining Turnitin, she was a classroom teacher for ten years and understands the everyday realities educators face. She’s passionate about helping educators make sense of feedback, learning integrity, and the evolving role of AI in ways that feel supportive and useful.

Karen Smith, Senior Teaching and Learning Specialist at Turnitin

Karen Smith brings 34 years of experience as a public school ELA teacher and literacy coach to her role on Turnitin's Teaching and Learning Innovations team. Since 2021, she has designed instructional resources and professional learning content that help educators worldwide implement Turnitin products effectively. Her extensive background in writing instruction ensures all her work is deeply rooted in pedagogy and academic integrity.

Not sure what to ask? Start here:

"How do I write an AI policy my students will actually read?"

"Should AI use be allowed on some assignments but not others?"

"How do we rebuild a culture of original thinking in an AI-saturated world"

#AskTurnitin Guidelines:

1. Be respectful: Treat all participants with kindness and professionalism.

2. Stay on topic: Questions should relate to AI detection, teaching strategies, and classroom experiences.

3. No product support requests: Technical or account issues should be directed to Turnitin Support

4. Avoid sensitive personal info: Do not share personally identifiable information about yourself, your institution, or students.

5. Engage constructively: Share insights, ask thoughtful questions, and build on others’ contributions.

27 replies

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    • Versatile Educator Engagement Professional dedicated to continuous improvement and lifelong learning.
    • Monica_Hill
    • 9 hrs ago
    • Reported - view

    #AskTurnitin Conversation Starter:  What is lost if students rely too heavily on AI?
    Are there specific skills that you feel are at risk? How are you addressing that in your teaching?

    What happens to the cognitive process when students outsource their thinking? While AI can help students generate ideas, structure arguments, and polish prose to create high-quality results, these tools may also bypass the intended learning process.

    The most vulnerable skills include forming original arguments, navigating initial drafts, evaluating sources, and developing intellectual confidence through challenging work. Because writing serves as a method of thinking rather than just a reporting tool, removing the effort from the process may limit student growth.

    Rather than banning technology, many educators are redesigning their curricula. They emphasize the writing process over the final product by incorporating reflection, in-class assignments, and explicit AI literacy instruction to clarify where AI use supports or hinders learning.

    Visibility into this process allows for better support. Turnitin Clarity provides educators with data on how student work develops beyond a simple similarity score. This tool offers a transparent environment for students to use AI according to instructor guidelines, transforming enforcement into an opportunity to discuss effective tool usage.

    The primary objective is to ensure that students continue to learn. By observing the development of a document, educators can provide targeted coaching, helping students build critical thinking, judgment, and a unique voice.

    How do you maintain the integrity of the thinking process in your classroom?

     I'm eager to read your perspective on this topic, especially how your AI-Resilient Writing framework gives visibility to student thinking during the writing process.
     

     

      • Manager, Educator Engagement
      • Audrey_turnitin
      • 8 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       , Educator at Los Gatos High School, California, shares:

      Persistence and patience are just two of the “soft skills” lost when students look up an answer or have AI generate work for them. Attention span, focus, and the ability to problem-solve challenging situations are all affected. This negatively impacts their academic and social-emotional growth. 

      ELA content standards rely on the development of critical thinking skills, and these are lost when students use AI to read overviews or generate writing. These skills are needed for reading comprehension and analysis, such as the interpretation of context clues, figurative language, and rhetorical approaches to reading, writing, and speaking (just to name a few!). Relying on summaries and on externally generated answers, rather than primary sources and original work, deprives students of the valuable experience of building those mental pathways themselves. 

      To address this, I try to increase interest in and interaction with the material. In my classes, we discuss and practice metacognition to make the acquisition of their skills and habits transparent and intentional. We do a great deal of interpreting current art, writing, and events that are high-interest to increase engagement in the historical and literary concepts and work we explore. It takes a LOT of time spent pre-planning lessons and classroom management strategies to support this. 

      Process writing at home is more fraught than ever, and it will be hard to maintain as an assessment, which is disheartening because it is a time-honored practice that has thus far been an integral component of the secondary ELA curriculum.

       , Educator at Saratoga High School District, California, shares:

      Critical thinking, authenticity, and trust. Many English teachers have already given up on the out-of-class essay. While I’m trying to use Clarity as a means to keep the out-of-class essay alive, I’m not sure it is going to be possible in the long term. And, if that particular mode of assessment dies, I honestly don’t know how we are going to help students learn to think deeply about a topic over a long period of time, to ponder multiple rounds of constructive feedback, and to carefully revise their arguments and their methods of making them.

       would love to hear your perspective!

      And  and  , what do you think? 

      • Versatile Educator Engagement Professional dedicated to continuous improvement and lifelong learning.
      • Monica_Hill
      • 8 hrs ago
      • Reported - view

       Absolutely! When I taught writing, I always put emphasis on pre-writing activities and the importance of review (including peer review) and revision. AI could help in asking clarifying questions or identifying gaps in evidence and support for claims.

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