This blog was originally published in 2024 and has now been updated with new information.

Connor Toms, Computer Science, IT and Creative iMedia Subject Advisor

The rapid and ongoing advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools bring both benefits and challenges to education and assessment. 

In this blog, I’ll highlight the guidance available for managing AI use in Cambridge Nationals in Creative iMedia and IT, and how to deal with misuse in assessments.

What is AI?

AI tools generate text or images in response to user prompts and questions. The responses of AI tools are based upon the data sets upon which they have been trained.

The most useful AI tools for both Creative iMedia and IT qualifications are those that generate text and images. This includes AI such as Microsoft Copilot and AI that is integrated into software such as Adobe, Canva and Microsoft Office tools.

Appropriate use of AI

Whether the use of AI by students is appropriate for a given task will depend on the marking criteria and the nature of the task.

For Creative iMedia and IT, students can generally use AI for any parts of their NEA where no marks are awarded. Examples include creating assets and getting help with something that they then need to apply to the scenario independently.

In Creative iMedia unit R094, students need to source assets and prepare them for use in their digital graphical product. Students need to then decide the appropriateness of these images and how easy they are to repurpose. No marks are awarded for collecting these assets. Students could collect these assets using a search engine, or they could use AI to create assets for them.

However, using AI to edit the images could prevent them getting marks for the preparation of assets. It’s also worth noting that AI images may be difficult to edit. Therefore, students may be better off using images found online using search engines.

In IT unit R060, students create a spreadsheet solution for a client. They could use AI to provide support, for example, asking AI “how do I use Excel to count the number of times something occurs in a range of cells?”, or “How do I use the ‘COUNT’ function in Excel?”.

This is seen as appropriate use of AI because the student still needs to interpret the guidance the AI tool has given, and apply this guidance to their solution. Students could also get support from looking back at class notes, previous spreadsheet tasks, a textbook or online.

Inappropriate use of AI

AI can be used by students to create work which they then try to pass off as their own work. This is plagiarism.

Where a student has used AI to complete all or some of their work, they are not demonstrating their own knowledge, understanding and application of skills. This prevents them from presenting their own authentic evidence, which is likely to limit the range of marks they can then access.

Examples of AI misuse include:

• using or modifying AI responses without acknowledgement
• disguising the use of AI
• using AI for substantial sections of work.

You can support your students by teaching them about appropriate use of AI in Creative iMedia and IT by:

• demonstrating how to reference AI correctly
• showing areas of the NEA where its use is appropriate
• having clear policies for AI use within your department.

Using the same example as before, in Creative iMedia R094 students need to create a digital graphical product. They get marks for using tools and techniques and for how the finished product layout and meets conventions.

If students choose to use AI to create a finished product, this will not allow them to demonstrate the evidence required by the marking criteria. In Creative iMedia, students must show evidence of the tools, techniques and skills that they've used during the editing process. If students use AI to create the whole product, this is inappropriate use of AI and they should not be awarded marks. 

AI created products are fairly easy to spot, and teachers should be familiar in how to supervise students and in spotting the more obvious AI creations.

For IT, students need to create an evaluation for R060, or a review for R070. Although AI tools are able to create evaluations, all the marks in the mark scheme are for what the candidate writes independently. Therefore, candidates should not gain credit in this strand if you suspect AI has been used.

It should be easy to spot AI use. The output from AI tools is often very generic and does not relate directly to the student’s solution. There may also be American spellings in the text. The writing style will not reflect the student’s usual style and finally, AI often comments on its own ability which students may not remove.

What to do when candidates misuse AI in assessments

Teachers must only accept student’s own authentic work. Ultimately the Head of Centre is responsible for ensuring that students do not submit inauthentic work.

If you suspect AI misuse before the student has signed the declaration of authentication, your centre doesn’t need to report the malpractice to Cambridge OCR. You can resolve the matter before the signing of the declarations. 

If you suspect AI misuse within candidate work after formal submission and signing of the authentication sheet, it must be reported. Report concerns within candidate work by completing a JCQ M1 form. See the JCQ AI guidance, available on the Malpractice section of the JCQ website. Please email your completed forms to OCR at malpractice@ocr.org.uk.

Frequently asked questions

Can AI be used to create assets for Creative iMedia NEA tasks?

Yes. Students can use AI to create assets for use in their Creative iMedia NEA tasks. They must reference them correctly in their assets table and follow the JCQ guidance:

“Where AI tools have been used as a source of information, a student’s acknowledgement must show the name of the AI source used and should show the date the content was generated. For example: ChatGPT 3.5 (https://openai.com/ blog/chatgpt/), 25/01/2024. The student must retain a copy of the question(s) and computer-generated content for reference and authentication purposes, in a noneditable format (such as a screenshot) and provide a brief explanation of how it has been used.”

Further support

Please refer to the JCQ AI use in assessments: Protecting the integrity of assessment document for further information on managing the use of AI within your assessments. Please refer to the Instructions for conducting non-examination assessments (Vocational and Technical Qualifications) for guidance on how to deliver NEA in your centre.

We also have a range of support resources, included recorded webinars, on our AI support page.

Stay connected

If you have any questions, you can email us at ocr.vqit@ocr.org.uk or call us on 01223 553998. You can also sign up to receive subject updates to keep up-to-date with the latest news, updates and resources.

About the author

Before joining OCR in September 2021, Connor worked as a head of Computing in Cambridgeshire. Prior to teaching, he studied Computer Games Development at the University of Bedfordshire. Outside of work, Connor is a keen golfer, avid tech head and music enthusiast.

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