Important: Staff should read the University's Policy on the Use of Generative AI in Teaching, Learning and Assessment to understand their responsibilities around the use of AI in courses and assessment. In addition:
Book a consultation with an LDTI Learning Designer to discuss options for using genAI in teaching and learning activities (including assessment).
If you have questions around accuracy/evaluation, use of materials, attribution, or ownership, you can reach out to a Teaching or Research Liaison Librarian or the University's Copyright Advisor.
Further reading article: Developing evaluative judgement for a time of generative artificial intelligence (Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, April 2024)
See also: GenAI - Frequently Asked Questions at the University of Newcastle, plus the boxes for Communicating with students and Support for the use of genAI in teaching, learning, and assessment below.
GenAI in Courses and Programs - Examples and case studies from across the Global HE Sector
Course coordinators must clearly communicate their expectations regarding academic integrity, including appropriate use of genAI and other emerging technologies.
Highlight the possibilities and transformative power of genAI in your disciplines and the students’ future professional endeavours, emphasizing the value of learning and academic integrity.
Encourage students to develop ethical capabilities in using genAI through active engagement with AI tools in learning and teaching activities or personal exploration. Discuss how AI can be responsibly harnessed to enhance their skills while aligning with the University's guidelines and expectations.
Clearly communicate the University's guidelines for using genAI in assessment tasks and learning activities. Be explicit about your expectations for each assessment item, ensuring students understand the requirements. If you are using Copilot or similar technology in your teaching, model the behaviour that you expect of your students, including acknowledging your use of genAI tools.
Remind students that genAI is not infallible and should be used as a complementary tool to their expertise. Encourage them to critically evaluate AI-generated outputs, cross-check information from reliable sources, and take responsibility for the accuracy of the material they produce.
Highlight the evolving nature of genAI and its relevance in future work environments. Encourage students to stay informed about any updates or changes in expectations or constraints related to AI in their fields. Empower them to proactively adapt and leverage the transformative possibilities of genAI in their future careers.
The University has a number of support materials to assist with ho to communicate with students around the use of genAI in their courses, including:
GenAI is likely to change the way Australians work, and the University will look to harness its potential in teaching and learning. Recognising the rapidly changing employment environment our students will be entering when they graduate, the education experience offered to students will prioritise activities that develop life-ready graduates who are community-minded, resilient, and ready for work.
The emergence of genAI, while creating new possibilities for learning and teaching, has increased the academic integrity risks associated with some assessment options.
Appropriate use of genAI will vary across different disciplines and is likely to change as its use becomes more ubiquitous in society.
The University's Artificial Intelligence Working Group and Learning Design and Teaching Innovation (LDTI) unit have developed the following:
"We cannot expect students to act in ways that are respectful of academic integrity if we do not explain what it is, why it is important, and teach in ways that reflect its importance." (Sefcik et al., 2020)
It's important to model expected behviours for students in your course. As students are expected to be transparent in their use of genAI tools, so should staff. This includes having an acknowledgement or declaration of which tool you've used and how. Kester Brewin's article from The Guardian provides some useful guidelines:
Was anything generated using AI (e.g., text, images, etc.)?
Was anything suggested using AI (e.g., creating an outline, discussion points, etc.)?
Was anything improved using AI (e.g., clarity, structure, tone, format/layout, etc.)?
Was anything corrected using AI (e.g., spelling, grammar, etc.)?
Guidance for students around this declaration/acknowledgement is provided on the Cite page. You may wish to follow the same template to provide full details, or you may decide to employ a more concise statement, like:
Openness and consistency are key in this space.
Several free and low-cost courses are available to staff who wish to learn more about the impact and opportunities of genAI in higher education, with some introductory courses taking as little as 30 minutes. Consider completing a free introductory genAI course if you would like to continue your learning.
For teaching staff looking for more formal study options, the course EDUC6902 - Emerging Technologies: Planning teaching and assessing (part of the Grad Cert in Higher Education) covers a range of technological tools (including genAI) and gives tertiary educators knowledge and skills to practically apply and integrate emerging technologies into their own educational programs.
Join the University's Artificial Intelligence Community of Practice to stay up to participate in the ongoing open and informal dialogue around our experiences with AI, to float possible benefits to our work, to share interesting articles and information, and discuss how you can use AI in your day-to-day work.
The University of Sydney has a free Canvas site AI for Educators that includes information on assessments and teaching with genAI. Note that we do not have access to Cogniti.
We'd love to hear your feedback on this portal. If you think changes could be made, or more information added, please visit our feedback page.
