As artificial intelligence tools become more widely used in creative practice, they raise important questions for assessment in art and design education. Many tutors are already encountering student work that involves AI tools in some form, whether for research, idea generation, visual experimentation, or production.
Rather than focusing solely on detecting or restricting AI use, creative arts education offers an opportunity to rethink assessment in ways that emphasise process, reflection, and critical engagement with tools.
This post explores how tutors might approach assessment when AI becomes part of the creative workflow.
A short practical exercise
Rethinking an assessment brief
This activity invites tutors to reflect on how AI might influence the design of an assessment task.
Step 1: Review an existing assignment
Select a project or assessment brief that you currently use in your teaching.
Consider the following questions:
- Could students potentially use AI tools at some stage in this project?
- At which stages might this happen (research, ideation, visual development, writing)?
Step 2: Identify what you want to assess
Reflect on what the assignment is intended to measure. For example:
- Originality of ideas
- Research depth
- Experimentation with materials or media
- Ability to communicate a concept
- Critical reflection
Step 3: Consider how process could be documented
Think about ways students might document their creative process, such as:
- Sketchbooks
- Research journals
- Development boards
- Process portfolios
- Reflective writing
- AI Journal
These forms of documentation can help tutors understand how AI tools were used within the broader creative process.
Step 4: Reflect on assessment guidance
- Do you provide any guidance on how AI can be used by your students in their assignments?
- Will the role of AI be discussed with your students? If so, how?
Key risks and limitations
There are several challenges that tutors may encounter when assessing work involving AI tools.
If guidance around AI use is vague, students may be uncertain about what is allowed or expected. Also, as AI tools are evolving quickly, it can be difficult for tutors to develop stable policies or practices.
Open discussion and clear communication can help address many of these issues.
Final thoughts
AI tools present new challenges for assessment in creative arts education, but they also offer an opportunity to reinforce the importance of process, experimentation, and critical reflection.
By focusing on how students develop ideas, make decisions, and engage with creative tools, tutors can continue to support meaningful learning while adapting to a changing technological landscape.
Explore this topic in more details on the Moodle course “Artificial Imagination: Integrating AI into Art Education“.
In the next post in this series, we will explore AI and copyright issues in creative practice.
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