DTS

Teaching & Learning with AI

AI's Impact on Teaching

AI’s impact on teaching will differ depending on factors like the field of study, classroom context, and disciplinary norms. Due to this, there isn’t a single way to address AI usage in the classroom or develop a comprehensive response for all courses.

Below, you will find some information on different ways to think about how AI might fit into your course.  

Include clear policies around AI writing on your syllabus. Tell students how (or if) they will be allowed to use generative AI and let them know why.

Below are three ways to address AI usage in your syllabus:  

  • You could completely ban AI usage in your course. Syllabus language outlining this may read something like, “Students are prohibited from using all forms of AI when completing work in this course. Any use of AI when completing coursework will be considered to be an instance of academic misconduct.”  
  • Alternatively, you could allow students to use AI on specific assignments or as a part of a larger lesson. In your syllabus, you might let students know by writing, “AI usage is generally prohibited in this course. However, you will be allowed to use it on specific assignments that are built around AI. However, you can only use AI on assignments where it is explicitly permitted in the assignment description.” 
  • Finally, you could allow AI usage as you would any other tool or source. In this case, students would be allowed to use AI in any assignment, but they would need to acknowledge how and why they used it. In this scenario, you may have syllabus language like, “You are allowed to use AI in this course. If you decide to use AI when completing an assignment, you will be required to cite the AI tools as you would any other source. Failure to reveal AI usage when completing an assignment will be considered to be an instance of academic misconduct.”  

No matter what, it is important to consider professional, departmental, and academic norms within your field when crafting an AI syllabus policy. Due to the wide-ranging possible usage of AI within the classroom, it is impossible to have a “one size fits all” syllabus statement for all courses. Syllabus statements on AI usage should be crafted with the specific goals and content of your course in mind.    

While there is no single way to completely eliminate the possibility of students using ChatGPT or generative AI in course work, there are a variety of strategies that can help instructors adjust their course curricula to adapt to generative AI. Generative AI detection tools, like Turnitin, can produce both false positives and false negatives, so instructors should not over rely on these platforms when determining whether students are using AI. 

Generative AI encourages instructors to reevaluate their assessment practices. If possible, instructors should consider either changing assignments to help sidestep AI usage or integrating generative AI into their assignments. For example, turning to in-class exams or presentations can help ensure students are utilizing their own embodied knowledge when completing assignments. While students could potentially use generative AI for study strategies or topic brainstorming, they will not have access to those tools at the time of the assessment.  

Instructors should ask: is the writing portion of this assignment just a way for students to demonstrate content knowledge, or is the actual writing process important to the course objectives? If the writing is simply a way to display knowledge, try having students record a short video. If you feel like the actual writing process is important to your course goals, consider having students incorporate generative AI.   

Engaging in an open conversation with students about the advantages, disadvantages, and ethical implications of generative AI tools is one of the best ways to prevent misuse. For example, students might not realize that large language models have a small chance to generate incorrect information, so using it to learn new information might be risky. Students need to know that ethical AI usage involves things like fact checking the information from LLMs that they incorporate into their work. 

Discussing why you are prohibiting students from using AI on specific assignments or in certain courses will also help students use these tools purposefully. If learning certain discipline-based skills without the aid of AI tools is important, let students know why. After students learn these skills without AI, consider showing them how AI can help complete the task more efficiently.

Workshops on AI & Teaching

UC regularly holds workshops on AI and teaching. To sign up for one of our generative AI workshops, please visit Faculty OneStop.

Recordings of these workshops are also available on CET&L’s Bearcats Landing page and below.

Other Resources