A New Tool for Curbing AI Cheating (guest post)

Key Points:

• David Bourget, a philosophy professor, has developed MATCHA, a software tool designed to help educators prevent AI-assisted cheating in student writing by creating a detailed record of the writing and research process.
• MATCHA works by tracking students' reading and writing activities within a controlled browser, offering in-person authorship quizzes, and integrating these elements into grading to discourage AI misuse.
• The tool also supports supervised writing labs that block AI and other apps during writing sessions, allowing controlled environments for longer essay work without sacrificing academic integrity.
• MATCHA includes a built-in AI assistant with adjustable help levels for legitimate writing support, while maintaining transparency by tracking AI usage and promoting pedagogical feedback rather than outright correction.
• Bourget emphasizes that MATCHA aims to preserve essential skills in philosophical education, balancing the benefits of AI with the need for students to engage deeply in reading, argumentation, and writing, rather than abandoning traditional essay assignments.