AI: Class Policies

Introduction

Clear classroom AI policies in your syllabus will shape and guide students’ expectations around AI-generative usage (ChatGPT, Bard, MidJourney, Dall-E, etc). 

 Resources

• AI at NYU
• ChatGPT as a teaching assistant
• Citing AI
• Examples of AI classroom policies
• Proactive tips
• NYU academic integrity policy

Policy Recommendations

• You're free to create your own class policy. 
• Consider creating a policy using one of the 3 approaches below:

1. Forbidden: 
   1. Participants are prohibited from all generative AI use.
   2. Explain the repercussions for violating violation and connect it to academic integrity.

Sample statement for syllabus or class:

Because writing is a form of thinking, you should not use ChatGPT or similar tools for drafting or editing written work. Doing so in this class is a violation of NYU’s Academic Integrity policy.

2. Avoided: 
   1. Assignments are (re)designed to not be overly reliant on generative AI.
   2. Invite questions and permission from students. 

Sample statement for syllabus or class:

It is important that the written work required by the course is yours. You should not use ChatGPT or other AI tools for any purpose other than idea generation. When you use any of these tools, you must include a note describing how you used them with the assignment.

3. Integrated: 
   1. Participants are allowed or required to use generative AI.
   2. Allow participants to use AI, but require citations and/or explanations of the AI process in an appendix.
   3. Consider adding an AI citing criteria into a rubric.

Sample statement for syllabus or class:

Use of ChatGPT and related tools is allowed in this class, but only in ways noted in the assignments. When you use any of these tools, you must include a note describing how you used them with the assignment.

Academic Integrity

• Discuss how academic integrity upholds us to the highest standards of scholarship, research, and academic conduct, and emphasize that participants are expected to develop and clarify their thinking. AI can violate academic integrity, such as through plagiarism.

If you Suspect AI Usage

• Note that as of November 2023, AI detection software is not sophisticated enough to provide credible measures of AI usage.
• Don’t automatically suspect a student used AI because their writing differs from their speech.
• Hold a meeting with the student.
  • Ask if they used AI.
  • Ask if they can provide credible evidence to support specific claims, which you suspect used AI in their assignment