Post by Dr. Karen Magruder, School of Social Work (Faculty Profile)
In this informative and practical blog post, award-winning faculty member, Dr. Karen Magruder shares insights into getting started with teaching students about AI. –Peggy Semingson, Interim Director of CRTLE
A few additional resources:
- AI-Powered Education: Innovative Teaching Strategies to Elevate Student Learning (Free OER book)
- AI Essentials for Students (tutorial) by: Dr. Jessica Kahlow, UT Arlington, Center for Distance Education and College of Education
It’s no secret that artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the landscape of higher education. Serious and valid concerns about AI have been raised, including academic dishonesty, misinformation, and bias. On the other hand, AI can boost efficiency, enhance creativity, and provide personalized learning experiences. Regardless of whether you deem AI a friend or foe, it is our professional obligation to equip our learners with digital literacy skills to navigate a technology that is increasingly being embraced in today’s workplaces. As educators, it’s essential to navigate this new technological frontier with clear expectations and guidelines for AI use in the classroom.
Setting Clear AI Expectations
Opinions on AI use vary widely among students and faculty alike, and we should not hold students accountable to expectations we haven’t clearly articulated. While an AI statement in the syllabus is an important first step, AI expectations should also be reviewed in detail through an in-class discussion or video announcement. A syllabus quiz or academic integrity attestation can also ensure accountability. Beyond sharing what they should or should not use AI for, it’s critical to explain why these boundaries exist; “because I said so” does not cut it! Focusing on how avoiding overreliance on AI will aid them in their careers, with specific and relevant examples, can increase buy-in. While the nuances of AI ethics are complex, and binary advice doesn’t apply to all situations, having memorable guidelines can help. Transparency and context are two key metrics that can guide students in understanding when AI use is appropriate.
AI Guideposts: Context and Transparency
- Context: Understanding the Purpose of Education vs. Professional Practice.
Academics
In academic settings, we are tasked with measuring students’ mastery of learning outcomes. Have scholars developed the knowledge & skills that will be critical for their professional success? Overreliance on AI to complete assignments can undermine this purpose. Therefore, some tasks that should be completed independently in school may eventually be supplemented with AI after the skill is mastered. For example, just as students are first taught to perform calculations by hand to build a strong foundation in math before being allowed to use calculators, students should develop core writing, analysis, and problem-solving skills independently before incorporating AI tools to enhance efficiency and productivity.
Workplace
In some career settings, AI is prohibited. For example, we know that some academic publishers have strict rules about AI-generated content. On the other hand, in many professional environments, AI is already being embraced as a valuable tool for tasks such as drafting emails, creating presentations, or analyzing data.
In other professional contexts, using AI is not only acceptable but also highly beneficial. Encouraging students to explore AI tools now can help them develop valuable skills that are increasingly in demand in the workforce, such as prompt engineering, critical evaluation of AI-generated content, and effective integration of AI into workflows. Just as professionals use AI to streamline tasks like content creation and client communication, students can benefit from learning how to leverage these tools responsibly. By allowing opportunities to experiment with AI in low-stakes assignments or as a supplement to their own work, educators can help students build confidence and competence in using AI thoughtfully and ethically.
2. Transparency: Would You Be Comfortable if Everyone Knew You Used AI?
A useful metric for students is the “transparency test”: If everyone knew you used AI to complete an assignment, would you be comfortable with that? If the answer is no, it might suggest that AI is being used inappropriately. Transparency promotes honesty and accountability, encouraging students to use AI as an “above board” tool for learning rather than a sly shortcut to bypass effort.
The AI Assistant Analogy: Guidance and Training Required
A helpful way to think about AI is to imagine it as an intern—eager to help but needing guidance and training. Just as it’s perfectly acceptable to brainstorm with a colleague or ask them to review a draft, it’s also reasonable (in some contexts) to use AI to assist with idea generation or proofreading. However, outsourcing an entire academic assignment to AI is akin to asking a classmate to write a paper for them—compromising the authenticity of their work and the integrity of their learning.
Effective use of AI requires us to set boundaries and train it to work according to our standards, much like onboarding a new assistant. This means refining AI prompts, critically reviewing its outputs, and ensuring that the final work reflects the student’s unique voice.
Are your assignments AI-proof?
Even with clear guidance and rationale, the temptation to take an AI shortcut is strong. AI-proofing involves designing assessments (both low-stakes and graded) to minimize the risk of students relying solely on AI to complete them while maximizing opportunities for authentic learning and critical thinking. Activities like oral presentations, synchronous discussions, in-class writing, fast-paced interactive polling games like Kahoot, or role-plays can also reduce AI’s utility.
Modeling Appropriate AI Use
Banishing AI is becoming increasingly unrealistic. As instructors, we can model appropriate and ethical use of AI to enhance, not diminish, learning. For example cross-disciplinary AI-infused teaching activities with step-by-step implementation guidance, check out UTA’s newly released OER AI Powered Education: Innovative Teaching Strategies to Elevate Student Learning. [link]
Conclusion: Embracing AI Ethically and Responsibly
AI in both work and education is not a passing trend but a growing reality. Embracing its potential responsibly involves recognizing its drawbacks, setting clear guidelines, and helping students understand the ethics of its use. By focusing on transparency and context, educators can empower students to embrace AI appropriately—maximizing its benefits while maintaining the integrity of their learning journey.
Encouraging students to explore AI tools now can help them develop valuable skills that are increasingly in demand in the workforce, such as prompt engineering, critical evaluation of AI-generated content, and effective integration of AI into workflows.