The rapid rise of generative AI has disrupted long-established assessment practices in history education.
New research from Associate Professor Sarah Midford examines what this disruption means for the role of the essay in the discipline of history.
“The essay has traditionally been the primary means of evaluating students’ ability to research, analyse evidence, construct arguments and communicate effectively,” she says.
“However, AI systems can now produce essays that convincingly imitate these skills. This undermines the reliability of traditional essay-based assessment.”
Associate Professor Midford says this shift has forced educators to reconsider what essay-based assessment is designed to measure, and whether the intended learning outcomes are still achievable in the age of AI.
Her research provides a framework for developing more authentic, process-oriented methods that preserve the core skills of historical inquiry.
“Rather than abandoning essays entirely, educators might adopt hybrid approaches that preserve the benefits of extended writing while addressing AI concerns,” she says.
“For example, supervising the essay writing process through scaffolded tasks that require students to submit research notes, outline drafts and reflection pieces alongside final essays.”
More broadly, Dr Midford says the research contributes to sector-wide conversations about assessment reform.
“This research helps us move beyond detection and prohibition models, instead proposing sustainable, pedagogically sound approaches that can future proof learning and uphold intellectual rigour.”
