On October 28, 2026, Reuters reported that US teachers are redesigning classrooms and assessment methods as generative AI becomes increasingly widespread, making it difficult to verify students’ actual competencies.
Tristen Chang, a 6th-grade teacher in San Francisco, has dropped home essays and switched to oral exams featuring 15 questions about characters, plot, themes, and metaphors. Students can complete this in 5 minutes.
Math teacher Bobson Wong in New York has reduced homework, increased in-class practice, and required students to explain the reasoning behind their choice of problem-solving methods rather than just presenting the final answer.
Some teachers have increased the weight of direct assessments, organized in-class writing, and asked questions requiring creative interpretation to avoid question types easily answered by AI.
Teacher Rex Ovalle in Chicago has limited Chromebook usage to about 10% of school days, encouraging hand-written note-taking and physical project work.
A 2025 RAND survey showed that the majority of US students and teachers surveyed have used AI in learning and teaching activities.
A 2025 Harvard study noted that AI tutors can improve learning outcomes, while a small MIT study warned of the risk of diminished cognitive depth when using ChatGPT for essay writing.
Some teachers continue to integrate AI to tailor materials to reading levels, support research, and develop responsible technology use skills.
📌 Conclusion: AI is driving education to shift from assessing final products to evaluating the thinking process and practical capabilities of learners. Instead of merely checking answers, teachers require students to explain, critique, create,and demonstrate direct understanding. This trend necessitates the redesign of teaching, testing, and assessment methods,while establishing appropriate boundaries between using AI to support learning and maintaining independent cognitive capacity.
