TOEFL iBT (Writing for Academic Discussion)2026

Your professor is teaching a class on education policy. Write a post responding to the professor's question. In your response you should express and support your opinion. Professor: "Artificial intelligence tools are rapidly changing higher education. In your view, should universities embrace AI as a learning aid, or restrict it to protect academic integrity? Why?"

- Time pressure: 10 minutes total. Aim for roughly 120 well-chosen words rather than padding to a target length. - Vocabulary should be accurate and natural rather than fancy. Showy words used incorrectly cost more than they earn. - Address the professor's question directly and engage with at least one classmate-style angle (integrity, equity, skills). - The Power column upgrades word choice without changing meaning or grammar structure.

AI in higher education — academic discussion response

The boring draft

Score: 3 / 5

I think universities should embrace AI as a learning aid rather than ban it outright. Daniel worries that students will stop thinking for themselves, and that concern is real — but the same fear was raised about calculators and Wikipedia, and education got used to in both cases. AI tutors can make personalised explanations at 2 a.m. when no human tutor is available, which is especially helpful for first-generation students who lack family support. To answer Priya's point about cheating, the answer is to change assessment: oral defences, in-class drafts, and project portfolios are far harder to fake than take-home essays. Banning the tool only hurts honest students while doing little to stop dishonest ones, who will always find a workaround. A thoughtful integration of AI into coursework is a much better answer than a blanket prohibition.

The power upgrade

Score: 5 / 5

I believe universities should embrace AI as a learning aid rather than ban it outright. Daniel argues that students will stop reasoning for themselves, and that concern is legitimate — but the same fear was raised about calculators and Wikipedia, and education adapted in both cases. AI tutors can deliver personalised explanations at 2 a.m. when no human tutor is available, which is especially valuable for first-generation students who lack family support. To answer Priya's point about cheating, the solution is to redesign assessment: oral defences, in-class drafts, and project portfolios are far harder to fabricate than take-home essays. Banning the tool only disadvantages honest students while doing little to stop dishonest ones, who will always find a workaround. A thoughtful integration of AI into coursework is a much more durable answer than a blanket prohibition.