The Opposite of Cheating: Rethinking Integrity, AI, and Course Design

AI makes it easier than ever for students to get instant help. It also makes it easier to avoid the hardest, and most important, parts of learning. That tension now shows up in everyday teaching and assessment.

So what are instructors supposed to do when technology keeps moving faster than policy?

That question is at the center of an upcoming conversation hosted by Instructure and Proctorio with academic integrity expert David Rettinger, co-author of The Opposite of Cheating. Together, we'll explore how instructors can pair intentional course and assessment design with embedded tools like Proctorio's integration with Canvas LMS to reduce the pressure and temptation students experience to rely on AI in the wrong ways.

It’s Not Just ChatGPT Anymore

According to the 2025 Higher Education Policy Institute Student Generative AI Survey, 64% of students report using AI to complete assignments, more than double the previous year.

But it’s no longer just about ChatGPT writing essays. Students now use a whole host of new technologies.

• Real-time AI coaching apps that provide on-screen suggestions during presentations or live assessments
• Browser extensions and plug-ins that generate answers or reword prompts on demand
• AI-enhanced study platforms that solve problems, write explanations, and provide polished responses in seconds

Even formats like oral exams or virtual check-ins, once seen as more "cheat-resistant,” are no longer immune. These tools are fast, accessible, and increasingly hard to detect.

We can’t just react, we have to rethink.

Yes, instructors need new strategies to address this wave of technology. But more importantly, we need to ask: why are students using these tools to cut corners in the first place?

As Dr. Rettinger explains, most students don’t set out to cheat. But when they’re overwhelmed, unclear about expectations, or see little value in the assignment, shortcuts become more tempting, especially when AI makes them easier than ever.

The best solution may not be stricter rules. It’s smarter course design.

Who cheats, and who doesn’t?

Dr. Rettinger shares a helpful framework:

• A small group of students will cheat no matter what
• A small group will never cheat
• The majority, the “persuadables,” fall somewhere in between

Designing to Reduce Cheating, by Design

Here are three high-impact ways instructors can shift the environment and the outcomes:

1. Clarify expectations, early, and often.

Don’t just say “don’t cheat.” Be specific about what’s allowed, why it matters, and how it connects to students’ goals. Better yet, involve students in defining class norms. When they help shape the rules, they’re more likely to respect them.

“Ask them what they see the ethical hazards are... and have them generate a set of rules for engagement. They will internalize it far better.” — Dr. David Rettinger M.

2. Make the work worth doing.

Students are more likely to engage honestly when they see purpose in the task. If assignments feel like busywork or disconnected from real-world skills, shortcuts become appealing. Show students how the work builds something meaningful.

3. Focus on process, not just output.

Cheating is easiest when only the final product counts. Build in stages: drafts, checkpoints, peer feedback, reflections. Allow revisions. This not only deters dishonesty, it leads to better learning outcomes overall.

Where tools like Proctorio fit In.

Technology isn’t the entire solution, but it’s certainly part of the solution. Learning Integrity tools like Proctorio can help reinforce fairness and transparency during assessments, especially when used thoughtfully.

As Dr. Rettinger puts it:

“I trust my neighbors, but I lock my house.”

Integrity starts with trust, but smart use of monitoring tools helps ensure everyone plays by the same rules when it matters most.

For Canvas users, Proctorio integrates seamlessly with the platform, so much so that users wouldn’t know it’s a different tool. It supports academic integrity in online testing by focusing on four key areas: confirming student identity, protecting exam content, monitoring the test environment and providing insights through detailed analytics.

Technology like this helps keep assessments secure and creates a seamless experience that is easy to navigate, while giving educators the data they need to improve the learning integrity environment.

What comes next.

The goal isn’t to catch every cheater. It’s to create a learning environment where honesty is the easier, more natural choice, and where AI becomes a support tool, not a shortcut around learning.

That means adapting faster, designing smarter, and asking better questions about what we really want students to learn, and how we help them get there.

Join us for this important conversation and walk away with strategies you can use right now.