Teaching, learning, and assessment with Generative AI

Identifying an appropriate use of Generative AI can be challenging, but this should evolve as our familiarity with AI grows and we learn more about how we can include it within our curriculum. At this point of time though, clarifying the ethical use of Generative AI with students is critical to help them maintain academic integrity while doing their assessment pieces.

Deciding what is appropriate

To decide what uses may or may not be acceptable, Matt Miller (2022) has developed the following questions to consider when making pedagogical decisions:

• which of the uses would you consider cheating?
• which uses are relevant to our students’ future?
• which uses would you use in your work as a professional?

To illustrate this, consider the scenario of students following the steps for writing an assignment (as adapted by David Rowland). The answer to the question whether the use of Generative AI is acceptable or not, may be very different for each stage of the process:

• developing research questions 
• initial conceptual understanding
• researching and note-taking
• organising ideas and outlining
• writing 
• editing.

So too, the use of Generative AI by your students may be appropriate depending on the disciplinary context and purpose of the assessment task.

Learning adviser David Rowland has developed a guide that explores options for AI-assisted research and writing with example prompts and critical commentary on potential issues to be aware of.