Optimizing AI for Teaching, Learning & Academic Integrity
Institutional Learning Outcomes
In keeping with Concordia University of Edmonton’s (2023-2028) mission and vision, our goal for students is to achieve the following four learning outcomes:
- Students demonstrate independent thinking.
- Students exemplify an ethical character.
- Students practice full citizenship.
- Students contribute to the foundational knowledge of their university degree.
Academic integrity is embedded in the high-quality learning and teaching practices that help to achieve these outcomes.
AI for Teaching and Learning Innovation
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to improve student learning and facilitate instruction. It offers the possibility of greater equity in educational contexts and provides time-saving shortcuts for users. The primary concern for post-secondary institutions, however, is the potential for unauthorized AI use and the impact this has on academic integrity. It is hoped that the following information will be used by all members of the academic community to help strengthen a culture of academic integrity at CUE.
Data collection and research will continue to inform the creation and revision of institutional policies on academic integrity as well as the university’s response to incidents of academic dishonesty. All members of the academic community are encouraged to review policies regularly to ensure compliance.
What is generative AI?
Generative AI explained in two minutes
Source: KI-Campus (2023). Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed) CC BY-SA 4.0
The Pros and Cons of Generative AI
| PROS of Generative AI | CONS of Generative AI |
| Can provide personalized learning help 24/7 | Has the potential to compromise privacy and collect data without authorization |
| Can reduce instructor workload (assignment and rubric creation, assignment grading) | Can generate incorrect information, produce biased content, and has limited ability to perform calculations |
| Provides immediate feedback and/or prompt results | Does not have access to real-time (current) data and information |
| Improves accessibility for students with learning disabilities or English language learners who require translation support | Lacks both the emotional intelligence and empathy needed to support inclusive interpersonal relationships |
| Can summarize information, simplify language, and differentiate content | Increases the potential for plagiarism and academic dishonesty |
Adapted from World Economic Forum (2024) and Samala et al. (2024)
FAQs
Yes, generative AI systems are capable of answering multiple choice questions. The accuracy of their responses varies with the complexity of the questions. Generally, they provide more accurate answers to factual questions compared to context-dependent ones.
There can be legal repercussions if AI systems are trained on copyrighted content without the presence of proper licensing. Citation of generative AI content is needed. Use the following link for more information on how to cite generative AI: https://libguides.bcit.ca/AI/citing-genai
There are no tools that can detect the use of generative AI with 100% accuracy. In fact, AI detection tools can generate false positives or negatives. The following points may be more reliable in identifying academic dishonesty:
1) There is a drastic improvement in the student’s quality of writing.
2) Terminology is used incorrectly.
3) The student’s insight into a topic is deeper than would be expected at the level of scholarship and in relation to was has been presented in course content.
4) Formatting is inconsistent.
Some of the most used AI systems include GPT-4, ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft Azure OpenAI. Additional educational AI tools can be found on the Generative AI for Teaching and Learning webpage: https://concordia.ab.ca/instructional-supports/generative-ai/
Yes, you can use GenAI to help you grade assignments — but should you? Consider the following points alongside university policies to guide your decision making.
1) ChatGPT does not know your students or your course learning outcomes. The feedback you provide students should align with course goals and your expectations.
2) A completed assignment is the student’s intellectual properly. As such, care should be taken not to submit student work to a third-party for grading.
3) You are responsible for the accuracy of your grading and the quality of your feedback. You should be able to defend your grading practices if asked.
4) A good use of genAI is rubric creation. Use the chatbot to quickly generate a rubric which can be adapted to fit assignment criteria.
The FAQs were inspired by the University of Toronto’s Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom (n.d.).
What is my position on AI use?
Now that AI tools are readily available to students, instructors are challenged to rethink and redesign assignments and assessments. It is important for instructors to clearly articulate their position with regards to AI use in their course. The “What is my Stance?” flowchart infographic (Forbes & Brandauer, n.d.) and the Artificial Intelligence Assessment Scale (Furze, 2022) are tools that help instructors to articulate their stance vis-à-vis AI use in their courses and within their respective disciplines.
Artificial Intelligence Assessment Scale
The AIAS comes before the assessment task and should be discussed and negotiated with students. It allows educators to clearly articulate how and why AI can or cannot be used in a given task.
The revised AIAS is designed to be flexible enough to account for a variety of disciplines and assessment forms, as well as allowing for the multimodality of generative AI. This means it can be applied to the use of image generation and editing tools just as easily as text generation like ChatGPT. It can also apply to tasks involving the creation of novel texts (such as writing essays or creating artworks) as well as tasks involving research, summarization, and synthesis which may (or may not) use internet-connected GenAI tools (Furze, 2022, para. 16).
Rethinking Assessment in the Age of AI
Use the following link to better understand the need for assessment redesign.
AI Applications Across the Disciplines
Learn how AI is currently being used in professional work environments.
References
Forbes, M. & Brandauer, J. (n.d.). What’s my stance on genAI in this class? Gettysburg College Johnson Center for Teaching and Learning. Retrieved June 3, 2024, from https://genai.sites.gettysburg.edu/positions-and-policies/
Furze, L. (2022). The AI Assessment Scale: Version 2. Leon Furze. https://leonfurze.com/2023/12/18/the-ai-assessment-scale-version-2/
KI-Campus. (2023, September 25). Generative AI explained in 2 minutes. YouTube. https://youtu.be/rwF-X5STYks?feature=shared
Office of the Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education. (n.d.). Generative artificial intelligence in the classroom: FAQ’s. University of Toronto. https://www.viceprovostundergrad.utoronto.ca/16072-2/teaching-initiatives/generative-artificial-intelligence/
Perkins, M., Furze, L., Roe, J., and MacVaugh, J. (2024). The artificial intelligence assessment scale (AIAS): A framework for ethical integration of generative AI in educational assessment. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 21(6). https://open-publishing.org/journals/index.php/jutlp/article/view/810/769
Samala, A.D., Zhai, X., Aoki, K., Bojic, L., & Zikic, S. (2024). An in-depth review of ChatGPT‘s pros and cons for learning and teaching in education. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 18(2), 96-117, https://www.researchgate.net/deref/https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.3991%2Fijim.v18i02.46509?_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6Il9kaXJlY3QiLCJwYWdlIjoicHVibGljYXRpb24ifX0
World Economic Forum. (2024, January 18). AI and education: Kids need AI guidance in school. But who guides the schools? Education and Skills. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/01/ai-guidance-school-responsible-use-in-education/