Developing AI-resistant teaching through story-centered approach

A simple shift toward narrative-based learning has helped create assignments that resist AI cheating while dramatically improving student engagement with critical reading and writing.

The Project

When ChatGPT launched in December 2022, Eldritch Priest and his teaching team at the School for the Contemporary Arts faced an unexpected challenge: how to maintain meaningful learning when AI could generate sophisticated-seeming essays instantly. Rather than fighting the technology, they discovered something remarkable: the best defense against automation is authentic human engagement.

Working with collaborators and research assistants Matthew Horrigan and Roman Dubrule, Priest developed a "content nugget" method where students contributed weekly links connecting assigned readings with external artworks or news stories. This approach demands genuine engagement that AI tools struggle to replicate.

Project Highlights

The narrative-centered approach transformed students' work quality and creativity. Students began formatting final papers as stage plays with props and organizing writing within tabletop games, demonstrating new-found comfort with interdisciplinary expression.

"Students engage most actively where a course allows them to apply their prior knowledge," the team discovered. This insight led to validating personal experiences as legitimate scholarly sources, particularly powerful for students with limited research experience.

The method proved naturally resistant to AI misuse while enhancing critical thinking skills. Students learned to identify primary sources, critique secondary materials, and distinguish between intentional creativity and accidental misinformation, both crucial abilities for navigating today's information landscape.

Looking Ahead

The approach is being refined and tested at Alexander College, with comprehensive grading frameworks under development for AI-era assessment. Planned publications will explore "Teaching Speculative Writing".

The team's ultimate goal isn't eliminating AI tools but helping students use them thoughtfully while maintaining authentic voice and critical thinking. As they've discovered, effective AI resistance emerges from good pedagogy rather than punitive detection measures.

Read more about Elrich Priest's project