Artificial Intelligence

We in the ADC understand that artificial intelligence (AI) is new and evolving area and can bring uncertainty. This may raise concerns for some faculty, particularly how students use AI both in and out of class. To address this, the Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Working Group has created guidelines for instructors to define how students can use GenAI tools in their course outlines and assessments.

Kindly note that AI is an ever-changing field. While we strive to update regularly, we cannot guarantee that all resources on this page will be the most current.

Guidelines for Responsible Use of GenAI in Course Outlines and Assessments

The information below is intended to provide guidance to instructors seeking to clearly articulate, in their course outlines/syllabi and assignment documents, parameters for student use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools. It is important to distinguish between students’ use of tools that affect academic standards especially in assessments, and students’ use of tools to support their own learning. For example, an instructor might have concerns with students submitting text generated by ChatGPT in their assessed work but feel comfortable with them using ChatGPT to generate practice questions as a study strategy to prepare for an exam.

If you have questions about using GenAI in teaching, please contact us at adc@mtroyal.ca. You can also check for professional development and workshop opportunities here. It is important to discuss significant GenAI initiatives with your chair or, in some cases, your dean.

Why address GenAI in my course outline?

GenAI tools are widely used and rapidly evolving, with many students and instructors curious about their potential for use in teaching and learning. Reflective pedagogy requires thinking through the knowledge and skills a course will deliver, and the assessment strategies so students can demonstrate those. Programs and faculty are able to set the academic standards to maintain appropriate rigour, and this primarily relates to assessment. Students, though, have leeway to use tools that support their learning.

Because GenAI tools take many forms, and because expectations around their use vary from instructor to instructor and course to course, we recommend setting your expectations for assessments early, often and clearly with your students. One way to do this is by including a statement in your course outline or syllabus.

The syllabus statement is the start of a conversation, and we strongly encourage you to continue it as you introduce students to each learning opportunity, assignment, exam, or other assessment. Some assessments may allow for different degrees of engagement with GenAI tools; in this case, specific expectations can be outlined in assignment documents and discussed in class.
Statements about GenAI and your expectations for its use help to establish trust, goodwill and understanding around the value of GenAI tools in the learning environment. They also serve to increase clarity for students around the use of tools in specific courses, programs, and assignments; this is helpful to avoid students making assumptions that standards are the same across multiple courses and assessments.

You can also include expectations around GenAI use in statements around academic integrity. Our Code of Student Academic Integrity is founded on the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, and courage. Utilizing a values-based and proactive approach rather than a detect and capture one can help build positive experiences for students and encourage them to engage with GenAI in an ethical manner.

What should I include?

Clearly include, as applicable:

1. Approved uses - how, where and when students are expected/permitted/not permitted to use GenAI tools in your course assessments
   • Give explicit reasons for the GenAI uses that are approved / not approved. When students understand the sound rationale behind a guideline, they may be more likely to follow it. Be sure to mention that some academic accommodations include AI tools and will require a discussion.
   • Provide examples of approved uses. Consider facilitating a classroom discussion and/or demonstration. If you are allowing GenAI use for initial brainstorming, for example, showing students samples of the output from a few different GenAI tools can spark a helpful discussion of how this output could and should be used.
   • If the approved uses of GenAI vary among assessments, make expectations clear for each task. If you use separate assignment guidelines documents, you may wish to put most of the details in those documents.
   • It may be helpful to name specific tools that are more or less appropriate for a particular task or discipline (e.g., coding tools such as Codex, proofreading tools such as Grammarly Pro, research assistants like Elicit). This is a fast-moving field, so make sure to update any changes to tools, including versions, functionalities, and terms of reference, to minimize confusion for learners.
2. Attribution and documentation requirements - how, where and when you expect students to declare their use of GenAI tools
   • Examples: Reflective comments, methodology, footnotes/endnotes, citations
   • Consider providing samples that show the level of detail you expect. Here is a sample AI declaration you could adapt.
3. Statement of responsibility - reminder that students are ultimately responsible for the work they submit
   • Emphasize the need for students to verify the accuracy of GenAI output before incorporating it into their work.
   • If your assessments require adherence to a particular referencing style, caution students against using GenAI to format their citations and references; this can result in students submitting work that cites non-existent sources.
4. Techniques you will use to identify non-permitted uses of GenAI
   • Students own the copyright for their work, so instructors are discouraged from submitting student work to online AI detectors without disclosure and consent. Use of Turnitin’s AI writing detection tool is subject to the Matching Software Policy.
   • Please note that, while MRU licenses Turnitin AI as its approved detection software, in general it and other AI detectors are unreliable and can report false positive results for documents where AI was not used. AI detection scores should only be used as the beginning of a conversation with your students.
5. Consequences for failure to comply with stated expectations
   • Refer to the Code of Student Academic Integrity policy.
   • Describe the steps you will take. We encourage you to let students know, at minimum, that you will be notifying them in writing of the issue and that they need to meet with you to discuss your concerns.

How can I make these shared expectations?

An excellent approach is to collaborate with students to craft the final version of the statement. You can model the use of GenAI tools in class to show students how the tools function, explore with students how the use of these tools could advance or hamper their learning, and discuss important ethical considerations. Through this process, a final set of expectations that feels fair to all can be negotiated.

How does this relate to academic misconduct?

The Code of Student Academic Integrity Policy (and corresponding Procedures) outlines our formal response to instances of academic misconduct. This is a values-based document that also includes rights and responsibilities for both students and all other members of the university community. Our goal is not to set a trap and capture students who make mistakes, but rather to develop a culture of respect and accountability that allows us to foster a positive learning environment while holding those who step outside of those expectations responsible for their actions.

Misuse of GenAI is included in the Code but it is not relegated to just one type of violation. It is important to consider which type of misconduct has occurred. If your primary concern is the use of GenAI that is in violation of your guidelines/expectations, then you would refer to section 2.1.a.v. If you have concerns about failure to properly cite the use of GenAI, that might also fall under 2.1.a.ii. In short, it is not your sole responsibility to determine which section of the Code has been breached. Please contact the Office of Student Community Standards anytime and we will be happy to help you talk through your academic misconduct concerns. You can request a consultation or send us an email: studentcommunitystandards@mtroyal.ca

Sample statements:

What you see below are options that you may include, combine, or adapt for use in your syllabus. You are encouraged to personalize them to fit your expectations. Consider using plain language to enhance clarity and accessibility.

Resources

Please see the resources below for more information and guidance on GenAI.

MRU Artificial Intelligence Guide

The MRU Library, Student Learning Services, and Academic Development Centre collaborated on the creation of a living guide on GenAI which is updated regularly. You’ll find descriptions of different types of GenAI, opportunities and challenges associated with this technology, suggestions for use by faculty and students, and plenty of recommended readings and resources.

Office of Student Community Standards (OSCS)

OSCS is responsible for promoting the rights and responsibilities of students through the administration of the Code of Student Community Standards and the Code of Student Academic Integrity. If you have questions about the use of GenAI in an assignment, course, or academic assessment at MRU, please email them at studentcommunitystandards@mtroyal.ca.

Library

Librarians at MRU can help you assess the credibility of Generative AI results, evaluate GenAI tools, understand ethical and copyright considerations, and recognize limitations in what these tools produce. They can also help you cite information from GenAI sources in your work. Ask a librarian for help or visit the artificial intelligence guide for more information.

Academic Development Centre (ADC)

The Academic Development Centre (ADC) supports faculty in thoughtfully and ethically integrating Generative AI into their teaching and learning as requested. ADC offers a range of professional development opportunities including workshops, consultations, and resources on topics such as academic integrity and AI ethics, prompt engineering, designing AI-enhanced learning activities and assessments, and redesigning courses for an AI-integrated classroom.

Faculty members are invited to attend scheduled workshops or request one-on-one consultations to discuss discipline-specific challenges, assessment design, and strategies for supporting student learning while maintaining academic rigour. ADC also facilitates the Generative AI Community of Practice, providing a collaborative space for faculty to share experiences, explore emerging practices, and stay informed about developments in AI in higher education.

For more information or to book a consultation, visit the ADC website or email adc@mtroyal.ca.

Student Learning Services (SLS)

SLS offers a workshop on GenAI that is open to students in any program and year. Students can also book meetings with a Learning Strategist to discuss GenAI use - one on one for individual assignments, or as a group for team projects. Strategists can help students distinguish between uses of AI that can enhance learning and uses that could put learning at risk.

Access and Inclusion Services (AIS)

Assistive Technology Advisors help you learn what tools are used for accessibility and how they incorporate AI and interact with other tools used at MRU. For example, did you know that Respondus Lockdown Browser conflicts with Read & Write, MRU’s preferred text-to-speech program? It’s true! Reach out to AIS staff for more information.