Last updated on September 19, 2024
Beginning with the public release of ChatGPT in 2023, generative artificial intelligence, or GenAI, has taken the academic world by storm. Capable of producing novel works that are difficult to discern from human writing, GenAI presents new opportunities and challenges when it comes to your work as an educator. While there are still open questions about what role this technology will play going forward, we can be confident that it will have a major impact on how students engage with their coursework.
As an emerging technology, norms and standards regarding GenAI use in academic settings have yet to stabilize. Students and educators alike are exploring these new tools simultaneously, and maintaining an open dialogue is essential to establishing a shared understanding of what use is and isn’t acceptable. In this spotlight, we’ll discuss some ideas regarding this ongoing conversation and how you and your students can navigate these uncertain times.
We encourage you to keep an open mind when dealing with these new challenges. There is a strong impulse to defend academic integrity that cannot be ignored, but GenAI has a great deal to offer you and your students and shouldn’t be dismissed.
Contents
Let’s walk through it together
Best Practices
What doesn’t work?
- Complete prohibition against students’ use of GenAI is simultaneously futile and misses a key opportunity further to prepare students for their future academic and professional success. There are strong indications that AI will only become more ingrained in our society, and its responsible use will be an increasingly important skill.
- Instructors have an important duty to be vigilant against GenAI abuse, but a punishment-centered approach will encourage students to hide their use rather than use it responsibly and openly. Intervention or discipline should focus on correcting student behavior in its use.
- Ignoring a student’s misuse of GenAI diminishes the integrity of their education and can open the door to more egregious abuses in the future. Students who misuse GenAI will develop bad habits and overreliance on the technology to do their thinking for them. Catching that behavior early on allows for correction.
What should I look for?
While AI-generated writing is, by design, difficult to distinguish from human writing, certain features can indicate AI generation. The following indicators should not necessarily be taken as confirmation that work has been AI-generated, but they should provoke further scrutiny.
- The simplest and most obvious tell is the inclusion of material that directly states the content is AI-generated, like the phrase “as a large language model…”. A student may simply copy material directly from the AI and fail to edit out these kinds of phrases.
- GenAI works through analysis of existing human writing, leaving it susceptible to clichés. Overuse of phrases like “a rich tapestry” or “an incredible journey” is a hallmark of AI-generated writing.
- GenAI can struggle to match proper tone and word choice for certain academic disciplines. Student submissions that contain lots of jargon that they wouldn’t be expected to be familiar or an overly formal style can suggest the use of GenAI.
How should I communicate expectations about appropriate GenAI use?
- You should always include a statement in your course syllabus in regard to your expectations for student use of GenAI. Clearly outline what kind of use, if any, is acceptable. Invite students to ask clarifying questions about your policy.
- Please see the Generative AI Syllabus Language and Considerations guide for more ideas.
- If you expect a student has used GenAI in a way that violates your policy, speak directly with them about the course expectations and that you suspect their use is inappropriate. Try approaching the subject as you would if a student was failing to cite their sources correctly.
- If a student’s violations of your GenAI policy are consistent or egregious, it may rise to the level of academic misconduct. In these situations, you can refer to the Dean of Students’ resources on handling academic misconduct.
- If there are assignments in your course that you think students could apply GenAI to, communicate that to them as a suggestion in the assignment details. Inviting students to use the tool properly is more effective than simply pushing them away from improper use.
Wrapping Up
Implementing best practices, such as these, will help you turn the challenges of GenAI into teaching and learning opportunities for both you and your students. By setting clear expectations, fostering open dialogue, and guiding responsible use, you’ll not only manage the integration of this transformative technology but also enrich the educational experiences your are creating.
It might be helpful to view GenAI as an ally in your teaching toolkit that, when used thoughtfully, can spark creativity, deepen understanding, and prepare students for a future where technology and critical thinking go hand in hand. With an open and proactive approach, you’ll create dynamic learning environments where both you and your students can innovate and thrive together.