Generative AI (GenAI), its applications, reach and emergent state, continue to rapidly evolve. Pervasive opinions have given rise to a wealth of tried and tested case study interpretations of ethical and responsible use, guidelines, mandates, short courses and special interest groups, meaning that whilst our academic community has access to a rich and deep evidence base to guide our good practice, the sheer volume of resources that exist on any facet of Gen AI can make getting to the important points challenging.

At City of Glasgow College, our priority continues to be the promotion and protection of academic integrity as a principle and in practice. With this comes an appreciation of the potential, often unintended ways, in which Gen AI may compromise or undermine this most important of all of our College values, and to resolve a solution to mindfully and carefully agree on how we can guide ethical and responsible use. Our shared responsibility, then, is to inform, support and to encourage our students to learn honestly and ethically.

In framing our AI guidance for students, below are some considerations for academic practitioners to enhance appreciation of AI and more fully engage with its place and role in our learning community.

Finding uses for Gen AI

• As a complementary tool: GenAI should be seen as a tool to support, not replace, human expertise and judgment. It can enhance productivity but does not diminish the role of academic or professional staff.

• To improve administrative efficiency: GenAI tools can streamline administrative tasks, such as creating summaries, helping with spreadsheet formula or creating outlines for lesson plans. The efficiency is gained in the time taken to suggest or create these resources, but effort is still required in maximising the usefulness of outputs.

• As a basis for widening general knowledge that MUST be critiqued. Outputs from GenAI are based on existing data, which may contain biases and inaccuracies. It's crucial to critically evaluate and verify the information generated, which, again, relies on your own expertise and understanding.

What do we need to do?

However, we know that some students will use AI to generate content, and there are currently limits to how well we can detect this through originality checking, text matching or plagiarism detection software.

 Therefore, a whole-College commitment to ensuring the protection of academic integrity should include:

• Staff drawing on their expertise to make judgements about student submissions; is there anything that is incongruous in a student’s assessments, in terms of what you know about them as a learner and the evidence base on which they draw?

•  Encouraging staff to explore the application of AI in their own practice to increase awareness of possible uses;

• Supporting students to know how to use AI tools efficiently, ethically and responsibly, and within agreed parameters;

• Have clear statements within assessment briefs on a curriculum area’s stance on using AI;

• Considering potential use of AI in assessment design; in what ways can students’ knowledge and understanding be assessed in a breadth and depth of ways that require critical engagement and application of knowledge as opposed to replication of fact?

• Evaluating the role of formative assessment to have a more thorough appreciation of a student’s approach to assessment, understanding their subject and ability to articulate their learning;

• Encourage an open conversation within our community. Establish an AI interest group where colleagues can share practice and thoughts as generative technologies and their range of impacts evolve;

• Ensure ongoing dialogue with students. Undertake consultative exercises to gather student perspectives on our guidance and to provide insight into how our students are using GenAI tools.