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Ai : Guidelines for Ethical AI Use

An overview of Ai

📘 Deliverable #2: Addressing Guidelines for Ethical AI Use in the Classroom and Instruction

  • Guide institutional policies that promote responsible AI engagement while aligning with educational goals and College values.
  • Safeguard academic integrity, privacy, accessibility, and curricular standards in the use of AI tools.
  • Ensure clarity and consistency in classroom expectations related to AI across disciplines.
  • Support faculty and students in making informed, ethical decisions when using generative AI in academic settings.
  • Develop shared definitions and examples of ethical AI use tailored to instructional contexts.

 

 

Ethical Use of AI in Education

Ethical Principle Your Responsibility Faculty Examples Student Examples
Transparency Be honest about your use of AI tools. Clearly state when and how AI contributed to your work. Transparent use when it impacts students (e.g., using AI to compare student work to a rubric).

“In this course, I may use AI tools such as ChatGPT to assist in developing instructional materials, discussion prompts, or example content. All AI-generated content is reviewed and edited by me to ensure accuracy, alignment with learning outcomes, and appropriateness for our course.”
“I used ChatGPT to help brainstorm topic ideas and organize an outline for this paper. The final content was written and revised by me. I take full responsibility for the accuracy and originality of the submission.”

“I used ChatGPT to check grammar and sentence clarity. No content or ideas were generated by AI.”
Critical Evaluation AI content is not inherently accurate or unbiased. Verify facts, check sources, and use your judgment. Using ChatGPT to create case studies or generate discussion prompts.

“This example was initially generated using ChatGPT. I reviewed and revised it to ensure the information is accurate, free from bias, and aligned with course objectives.”
“I used ChatGPT to clarify some concepts. I verified all responses with my textbook, academically credible sources, or instructor-provided resources before including them in my final work.”
Academic Integrity AI cannot be used to bypass learning objectives. Follow your instructor's policies. Clearly state what is and isn’t allowed.

“Unless otherwise stated, all work submitted must be your own. AI-generated work is not allowed and will be treated as a violation of academic integrity.”

“If AI is used, it must be cited.”
“I understand that using AI to generate answers without permission undermines the assignment’s purpose. I completed this task independently.”

“While the short story assignment was developed and written by me, AI was used to generate the illustrations.”
Intellectual Property Respect ownership and avoid plagiarism. Do not present AI content as your own without attribution. Avoid uploading student work into AI tools without consent.

“If you use AI tools, cite them: ‘This content was generated in part using ChatGPT on [date] to brainstorm structure and ideas.’”
“Some examples in this section were paraphrased from AI (ChatGPT), which I reviewed and edited.”

Uploading copyrighted content into AI and passing off the output as fully original violates intellectual property rules.

 

AI Use and Academic Integrity

In this course, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools (such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, DALL-E, and other generative AI platforms) is permitted under specific conditions, which your instructor will communicate. These conditions are designed to maintain academic integrity while allowing you to benefit from technology as a learning aid.

Permissible Use of AI Tools:

  • Learning Aid: You may use AI tools to help understand concepts, generate study notes, brainstorm ideas, and practice skills.
  • Content Creation: If permitted by the instructor, you may utilize AI for drafting, proofreading, or creating visual elements. However, you must disclose AI use in your work.
  • Critical Thinking and Analysis: While AI can support your understanding, you are responsible for critically evaluating any AI-generated content and ensuring it is accurate and aligned with course requirements.

Prohibited Use of AI Tools:

  • Unauthorized Assistance: Using AI tools to complete assignments, quizzes, exams, or any assessments without explicit permission is a violation of academic integrity.
  • Plagiarism: Submitting AI-generated content as your own without disclosure is considered plagiarism. This includes text, images, code, or any other material.
  • Misrepresentation: Providing false information about the extent of AI use in your work.

Disclosure Requirement:

If you use AI tools in any part of your assignment, you must include a brief statement specifying:

  • Which AI tool(s) you used
  • What tasks or sections of the assignment were created, edited, or enhanced using AI

Academic Integrity Violations:

Violations of this AI Use and Academic Integrity policy will be addressed following the institution's academic integrity policy, which may include penalties ranging from grade reduction to course failure or further disciplinary action.

When in doubt: If you have any questions about the appropriate use of AI tools for a specific assignment, consult your instructor.

Competencies

📘 Draft ACC Master Syllabus Policy

Use of Generative AI Tools – Academic Integrity Statement for ACC Students

📝  Austin Community College Policy Draft Statement

Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and others, are rapidly evolving technologies that have great potential in all realms of human endeavor, including teaching and learning. They also pose serious challenges, particularly with regard to academic integrity. At Austin Community College, the use of these tools in coursework, like any others, is subject to the same standards outlined in the college’s Academic Integrity policy.

Presenting AI-generated content as your own without proper attribution is considered a violation of academic integrity. All work you submit must reflect your own understanding and effort. If you use generative AI to help with your work, you must clearly acknowledge how and where it was used. Intellectual honesty is essential to a fair and supportive academic environment.

Individual instructors may set their own expectations and limitations regarding the use of generative AI tools in their classes, which should be clearly stated in the syllabus.  To ensure you are complying with your course requirements, always consult with your instructor before using AI tools for assignments.  Policies regarding the use of AI may vary by instructor; it is contingent on them to state them, and contingent on you to follow them.

To learn more about the college’s expectations around academic honesty, please refer to the college’s statement on Academic Integrity and the Academic Integrity Process.

 


🔎  Key Considerations and Samples

Departmental AI Policy / Framework

This site contains examples of policies that instructors can use in their classrooms, developed by a team of ACC faculty.

Ethical Guidelines

  • Transparency: Always disclose the use of AI tools in your work, specifying how and where AI was utilized.
  • Critical Evaluation: Critically assess all AI-generated content. Do not accept AI outputs without verification and thoughtful consideration.
  • Original Thinking: Use AI as a tool to enhance your ideas, not as a replacement for original thought and analysis.
  • Academic Integrity: Do not use AI to complete assignments entirely or to circumvent learning objectives. Your work should primarily reflect your understanding and efforts.
  • Respect for Intellectual Property: Ensure that AI-generated content does not infringe on copyrights or plagiarize existing works.

Outline AI Policy & Responsible Use of AI – Boodlebox

Want help writing your syllabus AI policy? Try the AI Syllabus Statement GPT. You’ll need to log into ChatGPT Plus to use it.

 

🧭 Ethical Guidelines

  • Transparency: Always disclose the use of AI tools in your work, specifying how and where AI was utilized.
  • Critical Evaluation: Critically assess all AI-generated content. Do not accept AI outputs without verification and thoughtful consideration.
  • Original Thinking: Use AI as a tool to enhance your own ideas, not as a replacement for original thought and analysis.
  • Academic Integrity: Do not use AI to complete assignments entirely or to circumvent learning objectives. Your work should primarily reflect your own understanding and efforts.
  • Respect for Intellectual Property: Ensure that AI-generated content does not infringe on copyrights or plagiarize existing works.

 

 

📚 How to Cite AI Tools

🔹 APA Style

Guideline: APA Blog on Citing ChatGPT

Format: Author. (Date). Title (Version) [Description]. Source

Example Reference:
OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Feb 13 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com

In-text Citation: (OpenAI, 2023)


🔹 MLA Style

Guideline: MLA Citing Generative AI

Format: “Prompt.” ChatGPT, Version, OpenAI, Date, URL.

Example Works Cited:
“Explain antibiotics” prompt. ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 16 Feb. 2023, chat.openai.com.

In-text Citation: (“Explain antibiotics”)


🔹 Chicago Style

Recommendation: Cite AI-generated content in a footnote.

Example Footnote:
1. Text generated by ChatGPT, March 31, 2023, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com.


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