The rise of generative AI tools has fundamentally changed academic integrity in VET. Students can now submit AI-written essays that pass a quick read but were never actually composed by the student. Simultaneously, traditional copy-paste plagiarism remains a persistent problem in online delivery. Essay Guard integrates directly into Moodle's assignment submission workflow, automatically scanning every essay for both traditional plagiarism (against web sources, databases, and previously submitted work) and AI-generated content patterns — before the submission reaches an assessor.
Why your RTO needs this
For RTOs, the stakes of undetected plagiarism are significant: you may be issuing qualifications to students who haven't actually demonstrated the required competency. ASQA's Standards require assessment to be valid and reliable — and if assessments can be gamed by AI tools, validity is compromised. Essay Guard gives your assessors the context they need to make informed decisions: a percentage similarity score, a highlighted source match report, and an AI-content probability score — all attached directly to the Moodle submission record.
Key Features
Web & Database Plagiarism Checking
Submissions are checked against billions of web pages, academic databases, and previously submitted work at your RTO — identifying copied content with source links.
AI Content Detection
Advanced analysis identifies text patterns characteristic of AI-generated writing, scoring submissions with a probability percentage.
Highlighted Similarity Reports
Every flagged submission includes a colour-coded report showing exactly which phrases match external sources — with direct links to the originals.
Assessor Workflow Integration
Plagiarism scores and reports appear directly in the Moodle grading interface — assessors see results without leaving the marking screen.
Configurable Thresholds
Set institution-specific similarity thresholds for automatic flagging. Legitimate citations and reference formatting are excluded from the similarity score.
Common Use Cases
- 1Screening all written assessment submissions in online Certificate and Diploma courses
- 2Detecting AI-generated reflective journals and case study responses in healthcare and community services units
- 3Investigating suspected contract cheating incidents with detailed submission evidence
- 4Meeting ASQA's assessment validity requirements by demonstrating integrity processes are in place
Related topics
Moodle plagiarism checker, essay plagiarism detection RTO, AI content detection Moodle, academic integrity VET, contract cheating detection
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