{"id":235,"date":"2025-08-26T11:49:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-26T10:49:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/genai\/?p=235"},"modified":"2025-11-04T17:38:51","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T17:38:51","slug":"reimagining-assessment-to-address-the-digital-divide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/generic.wordpress.soton.ac.uk\/genai\/2025\/08\/26\/reimagining-assessment-to-address-the-digital-divide\/","title":{"rendered":"Reimagining assessment to address the GenAI digital divide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Senior<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The digital divide <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Across age, gender, subject areas and socio-economic groups, a clear digital divide is emerging in AI adoption. Ofcom\u2019s\u202fOnline Nation 2024<\/em>\u202f<\/a>report shows that 50% of UK adult males used AI in 2024, compared with just 33% of females. Among students, a 2025 HEPI survey<\/a> found that 53% are put off using AI, largely because early narratives framed AI as \u201ccheating.\u201d This divide is even sharper by gender: 59% of female students compared with 45% of males. Subject disciplines show similar patterns: while 45% of STEM and Health students feel AI produces good content in their field, only 29% of Arts and Humanities students agree. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What can we do? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Scenario 1: AI is banned or ignored<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we avoid or ban AI in higher education, the divide will deepen, and we miss the opportunity to build critical understanding of AI in all our students. If we don\u2019t explore or discuss AI in sessions then we don\u2019t build students’ critical understanding of how AI works, the ethics, sustainability, integrity, reliability, equality, and privacy. Some students will independently learn to use AI to enhance their work, fairly or unfairly, while others will miss out completely. As educators, we risk spending energy on policing \u201cAI cheating,\u201d an impossible task, while failing to prepare students for workplaces where AI is already embedded. This approach widens inequality, leaving behind those who most need our support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scenario 2: AI is co-explored with our students.<\/strong> <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, we can bring AI into our teaching and assessment. By co-exploring its potential and limitations, we build students\u2019 critical understanding of ethics, sustainability, reliability, equality, privacy and academic integrity. An approach that encourages AI as a complement, not a replacement for human thinking, creativity and judgement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inviting AI \u201cto the table<\/a>\u201d in our activities will allow staff and students to see its frustrations as well as its potential. It also allows us to model best practice in our disciplines and prepare graduates for future workplaces. Crucially, this approach can help reduce inequalities by ensuring that everyone benefits from AI\u2019s opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a further gain: freeing up time. When used wisely, AI can reduce routine workload, giving us more space for teaching, innovation and human connection (Advance HE Education for Mental Health Toolkit<\/a>). But this requires conscious protection of that time, otherwise we risk simply accelerating existing menial tasks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In short, inclusive assessment in the age of AI demands engagement, not avoidance. By critically co-exploring AI with our students, we can narrow the digital divide, build equitable learning opportunities, and prepare all students for the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bite-sized task <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This task acts as a prompt, to you, and if relevant your module\/programme team, to reimagine the possibilities of what authentic, engaging and inclusive assessment could be. It makes use of the Assessment in Motion cards (AIM) created by educators in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1 – learn <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look through some of the resources below: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find out about other HE Staff views on AI and how they are embedding in teaching<\/a>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read this blog post from Ethan Mollick on seven ways to use AI in class.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listen to a Podcast on the Pros and Cons of AI in Higher education<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2 – do <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Generate a new Assessment Type <\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Generate a random new assessment type using the AIM (Assessment in Motion) deck of cards, by either: <\/p>\n\n\n\n