Matura scandal in Lower Austria: Student cheats with AI!

Matura scandal in Lower Austria: Student cheats with AI!

In a current incident in Lower Austria, a student was caught with the AI ​​tool Chatgpt during the written German-Matura while cheating. This has led to an outcry in the educational circles, since the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence are increasingly becoming the focus of exams. The student in question must repeat the exam in autumn, while an entire class is also suspected of having used unauthorized internet access and artificial intelligence in order to gain advantages. The fraud could also be detected in another student.

In Vorarlberg, on the other hand, there are no comparable cases so far. The Vorarlberg Education Directorate confirms that no student has been demonstrably noticed during the Matura while cheating with artificial intelligence. This could also be due to the strict security measures that are implemented at schools.

security measures in Vorarlberg

To prevent cheating during the exams, the devices of the students are thoroughly checked before the Matura tests. In Vorarlberg, school-owned computers are mainly used on which AI software is blocked. The WLAN is deactivated during the exams and cell phones and smartwatches must be handed over. Additional control takes place in the test subjects with regard to in-ear headphones, and in some cases special pens are output for the exams.

The supervision of the Matura exams is carried out by teachers who teach the respective subject. This year, 1,833 pupils competed in the Matura in Vorarlberg, including 846 at general education higher schools (AHS) and 987 at vocational higher schools (BHS). The Austrian Matura consists of three sub -areas, all of which have to be successfully passed: written exams, oral exams and a final work.

The role of artificial intelligence

The discussion about the use of artificial intelligence in the education system has gained importance through the publication of chatt and other similar technologies. Since the introduction of the user -friendly interface on November 30, 2022, awareness of the potential and dangers of AI has intensified. The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research has created a handout that provides basic information on how AI systems work and tries to counteract the fears in the education system objectively. This handout is updated regularly and, among other things, offers information on age restrictions when using AI tools in class.

The education administration actively communicates with teachers, scientists and other people from the education system in order to make the development and use of AI offers sensible. Examples of AI tools can be found in the Eduthek, which provides materials on the subject of artificial intelligence.

Overall, it remains to be seen how the examination practices will change in the future in order to meet the challenges through artificial intelligence. The current incident in Lower Austria could serve as a trend -setting example and further initiate the discussion about the use of technology in the education sector.