Can Blackboard Detect ChatGPT? (Answer And Analyze)

Blackboard is one of the popular Learning Management Systems (LMS) currently in use in schools or work. An LMS is a piece of software that allows for the development, distribution, administration, and tracking of online learning activities. So can Blackboard detect ChatGPT?

Is It Possible For Blackboard To Detect ChatGPT?

No. Blackboard cannot detect or identify ChatGPT because it is not designed to recognize the usage of AI, language models, or AI chatbots. This allows instructors to manage course content, exams, and communications online using Blackboard, which is primarily a learning management system.

ChatGPT can be used to perform tasks and generate essays by producing text replies that resemble human responses based on the given information. The popular learning management system Blackboard, on the other hand, is used by educational institutions to support online learning and course administration.

Blackboard currently cannot detect ChatGPT in cheating
Blackboard currently cannot detect ChatGPT in cheating

What Can Blackboard Do To Detect AI?

Blackboard can detect AI that can help discourage plagiarism and maintain academic integrity in the following 4 ways:

1. Detection of plagiarism

SafeAssign, an integrated third-party plagiarism detection tool, can be used to find instances of plagiarism in student files. In this approach, plagiarism in all its manifestations is efficiently caught by Blackboard.

While Blackboard cannot detect the use of ChatGPT, teachers can still create exams that assess students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills to discourage cheating.

2. Using random question pools

Blackboard allows teachers to create question pools where questions are randomly assigned to each student, preventing answer sharing.

3. Lockdown browser

To prevent students from using other programs, accessing the internet, or taking screenshots during exams, Blackboard offers LockDown Browser.

4. Limited time

Blackboard allows professors to set time limits on tests, preventing students from spending excessive time or consulting external sources for answers.

What Limitations Of Blackboard When Detecting ChatGPT?

Blackboard currently lacks the ability to explicitly detect AI-generated writing, so it has to depend on the AI detect function of SafeAssign software. By comparing contributions against a vast database of academic books, websites, and other resources, these programs are made to identify plagiarized content.

A product of OpenAI like ChatGPT doesn’t merely copy and paste material from pre-existing sources when requested to develop writing on a certain subject. It produces new things. Not same as detectors, there is no direct copying involved, this makes it difficult for programs like SafeAssign to detect.

It is time for testing and written assignments
It is time for testing and written assignments

Conclusion

Blackboard can identify ChatGPT, but it has to depend on SafeAssign support. However, AI often gives a similar response, if not identical unless we have two individuals ask it the same question at different times. So, teachers can also check content from ChatGPT by themselves to prevent cheating from students.

Seamus Wilbor

Seamus Wilbor

Seamus Wilbor, CEO and Founder at Quarule. He has over 20 years of expertise as an AI Consultant in evaluating AI technology and developing AI strategies.