5 Tips for Redesigning Assignments in the Age of Agentic AI
By
Tina Austin
Hot, fresh, and worth queueing round the block for.
Summary
The article argues that higher education's default response to agentic AI tools (like Einstein, built on Claude Code and Codex) that can autonomously complete coursework is misguided. Instead of focusing on detection and prevention, the author contends that educators should fundamentally rethink assignment design. The piece offers five tips for creating assignments that remain meaningful in an age where AI agents can do the homework, shifting the focus from what AI can do to what students should still be learning and demonstrating.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledIf an AI agent can complete an assignment from start to finish without any human intervention, then the assignment itself is the problem.
The question isn't 'How do we catch students using AI?' but rather 'What should we be teaching and assessing when AI can do the routine work?'
We need to move from assignments that test recall to those that test judgment, creativity, and the ability to evaluate AI outputs.
Agentic AI doesn't have to spell the end of meaningful assessment—it can be the catalyst for finally updating outdated pedagogical models.
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