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Course instructors ultimately need to be the ones to decide if, when, how and why GenAI can be used by students to complete their academic work, because that decision is intimately tied to the course learning outcomes. In a writing class, perhaps GenAI shouldn't be used to draft a paper outline, but maybe in an Economics class, that would be okay. In a language class, ChatGPT shouldn't be used to translate readings or writings, but maybe in a Chemistry class, why not?
The decision may also be tied to the point of the particular assessment. Perhaps GenAI could be used for brainstorming ideas for a research paper, but not to do the data analysis.
Instructors have three Policy choices for their class: ban it, conditionally allow it, or fully allow it. Not sure which path you should take?
Check out this Mapping your GenAI & AI Policy Tool that we adapted from the AI Assessment Scale, which is intended to help instructors think through possible GenAI use for each course assessment.
One note about the AI Assessment Scale: it is being widely adopted but it is not perfect. Dr. Bertram Gallant would change two things about it: A) if an assessment falls in the "No AI" level, then it should be a secure assessment; and B) for all of the other levels, 2-5, students should be required to track their use of AI and be prepared to share that process with you. This is important for developing their AI Literacy, their meta-cognitive skills (how they think about how they think), and for teaching them that process matters more than the final product.
Use Stanford's Worksheet for Creating your AI Syllabus Policy if option 1 doesn't work for you.
A Ban Policy says "Stop!", it's not your turn right now. This policy might be necessary in courses that teach the fundamentals of a discipline, when the focus has to be on lower levels of taxonomies of learning (e.g., remembering, understanding) that's easy for GenAI to do/fake. This policy might also be necessary in courses that teach fundamentals of a skill (e.g., writing, language, math).
A Conditionally Use Policy says you can use, but proceed with caution and yield to other approaches if necessary for learning. This policy works if GenAI could be effectively used for learning on some assessments or in particular ways.
A Full Use Policy says "it's safe to proceed, although you should still be cautious". This policy allows students to use GenAI as long as they still follow the rules of the road and their use is transparent and beneficial for the journey.
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