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AI statement for syllabi

  • 1.  AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Aug 09, 2024 17:51

    Dear all,

    This is my first post in the Tech Spark, prompted by today's email from Rachel Schwartz and Melissa Earle.

    I was wondering if you would be willing to post any statement you include on your syllabi about Artificial Intelligence. I'll start. I'm at Loyola University Chicago. Our SSW syllabi include the following boilerplate language: 

    Under Academic Integrity and Plagiarism:

    "Plagiarism includes the use of generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Bing, etc.). Use of generative AI tools in your academic work is prohibited unless explicitly allowed by your professor. Artificial intelligence tools that provide spelling or grammar assistance (e.g., Grammarly) are not prohibited. "

    I'm curious what everyone else is including. 

    Best,

    Jonathan



    ------------------------------
    Jonathan Singer Ph.D., LCSW
    Professor
    Loyola University Chicago
    Chicago IL
    512-585-4226
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Aug 10, 2024 10:44

    Hi Jonathan,

    Thanks for getting some discussion going - this is a great topic and timely for me at least - I have a meeting next week to discuss coming up with language for this to add to syllabi.  I recently moved institutions, and am at UConn - it looks like the university recommendations provide two examples for either allowing it or not, without much in between (here's the link - the sample language is at the bottom of the page - https://cetl.uconn.edu/resources/design-your-course/creating-your-syllabus/). I like the language in yours that also addresses tools like Grammarly, and notes that there may be space where it is used, but that the instructor would dictate some more guidance.

    At my previous institution, Rutgers, this is the language we added to syllabi:

    Use of artificial intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT is only permitted to help you brainstorm ideas and see examples unless otherwise directed by your instructor. All material submitted in the course must be your own as per the Academic Integrity policy. 

    Thanks,

    Rachel



    ------------------------------
    Rachel Schwartz
    MSW Program Director and Associate Professor in Residence
    University of Connecticut
    Hartford CT
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Aug 10, 2024 13:54

    Rachel,

    I like providing students with examples of what GenAI could be used for (e.g. brainstorming), rather than just saying it may or may not be permissible.

    Thanks for the link to UConn's syllabus resources. I liked the line about "you're responsible, even if AI generated it." The link was broken because it included the close parenthesis and period. We need AI to automatically detect and remove human punctuation artifacts :-) https://cetl.uconn.edu/resources/design-your-course/creating-your-syllabus/

    Best,

    Jonathan



    ------------------------------
    Jonathan Singer Ph.D., LCSW
    Professor
    Loyola University Chicago
    Chicago IL
    512-585-4226
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Aug 10, 2024 10:52

    Instructors can pick one of these three .. 

    AI Statement [Pick one and delete the rest]

    AI Policy: Permitted in this Course with Attribution

    This course encourages students to use Generative AI Tools like ChatGPT to support their work. To maintain academic integrity, students must disclose and properly attribute any AI-generated material they use, including in-text citations, quotations, and references. A student should include the following statement in assignments to indicate the use of a Generative AI Tool: "The author(s) would like to acknowledge the use of [Generative AI Tool Name], a language model developed by [Generative AI Tool Provider], in the preparation of this assignment. The [Generative AI Tool Name] was used in the following way(s) in this assignment [e.g., brainstorming, grammatical correction, citation, which portion of the assignment]."

     

    AI Policy: Permitted when Assigned in this Course with Attribution

    In this course, students are permitted to use Generative AI Tools such as ChatGPT for specific assignments designated by the instructor. To maintain academic integrity, students must disclose any use of AI-generated material. As always, students must properly use attributions, including in-text citations, quotations, and references. A student should include the following statement in assignments to indicate the use of a Generative AI Tool: "The author(s) would like to acknowledge the use of [Generative AI Tool Name], a language model developed by [Generative AI Tool Provider], in the preparation of this assignment. The [Generative AI Tool Name] was used in the following way(s) in this assignment [e.g., brainstorming, grammatical correction, citation, which portion of the assignment]."

     

    AI Policy: Not Permitted in this Course

    In this course, it is expected that all submitted work is produced by the students themselves, whether individually or collaboratively. Students must not seek assistance from Generative AI Tools like ChatGPT. The use of a Generative AI Tool to complete an assignment constitutes academic dishonesty.

    Rob



    ------------------------------
    Robert Lucio
    Online MSSW Program Director
    University of Tennessee at Knoxville
    Knoxville TN
    (865) 974-9129
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Aug 10, 2024 13:55

    Thank you Rob! I like giving instructors three options. Have your faculty had discussions about which classes to allow or disallow GenAI? For example, research classes but not HBSE?

    Jonathan



    ------------------------------
    Jonathan Singer Ph.D., LCSW
    Professor
    Loyola University Chicago
    Chicago IL
    512-585-4226
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Aug 10, 2024 14:00

    We have not yet. We are currently leaving it up to each group of instructors to decide (by course). Some best practices even go as far as breaking down an assignment and saying you can use it for this part but not that part. We are not there yet. 



    ------------------------------
    Robert Lucio
    Online MSSW Program Director
    University of Tennessee at Knoxville
    Knoxville TN
    (865) 974-9129
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Aug 11, 2024 10:08

    Hello Everyone,

    It's great to see this conversation about a syllabus statement about the use of generative AI. I have a feeling it's a conversation we will all engage this semester. Robert's examples are helpful and appreciated. I am the Chair of our Foundations of Social Work Practice sequence (among other things) and needed to put a statement together after students submitted both bio-psycho-social assessments and practice integration papers written by AI. Here is where we landed in a conversation that is still evolving at Stony Brook:

    Generative AI: Generative AI (such as chatGPT) can be a valuable resource when used properly and responsibly. Accordingly, you should research/know its limitations before using it in coursework. For instance, it can sometimes help you phrase ideas, but it is very bad at generating ideas or solving problems. 
    For HWC 514, you will not be asked to use generative AI. However, if you choose to do so, know that  you should not simply copy and paste content from generative AI; if used, it must  quoted and attributed. (This links to a way to cite chatGPT). Failure to follow this policy will result in referral to the School of Social Welfare's APP committee.
    You are asked throughout your HWC 514 assignments for your analysis or reflections on your practice. Using AI instead of your own thoughts or reflections could result in a reduction of points in your overall grade for the assignment. 
    AND... as an additional resource, here is the link to Stony Brook University's page for all faculty on this subject:  https://www.stonybrook.edu/celt/teaching-resources/aibot


    ------------------------------
    Melissa J. Earle, Ph.D., LCSW (pronouns: she, her, hers)
    Clinical Associate Professor
    Director, CASAC Program & Addictions Education
    Director of Online Instruction
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Aug 12, 2024 12:24

    In my online class when we meet synchronously, sometimes we type a question (about course content) into ChatGPT to see what answer we get. Then we talk about what is missing or what might be wrong. Its a fun activity.  UH does not have a mandated AI syllabi statement. I have helped other faculty craft one, here is an example:

    To maintain academic integrity and ensure the development of critical thinking skills, please do not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools on your assignments. Students are expected to conduct research independently, analyze information, and express their ideas.  Even some AI tools, such as grammar checkers or content generators, could affect the originality of your work. Submitting papers that appear to be AI-generated may result in a request to rewrite the paper to ensure it reflects your own intellectual effort.



    ------------------------------
    Virginia (Ginger) Lucas
    Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Clinical Associate Professor
    University of Houston
    Houston TX
    +1 (713) 743-8399
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Aug 12, 2024 13:18

    The University of Iowa has resources that can be adapted into syllabi. The Center of Teaching and Learning has been providing updates on AI in the classroom, for example: 

    https://provost.uiowa.edu/ai-classroom



    ------------------------------
    Stephen Cummings
    MSW Program Director
    University of Iowa
    Iowa City IA
    319-335-1331
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Aug 12, 2024 23:22

    Hi Jonathan, 

    What a great question that no doubt many in higher ed and social work have been struggling with for the past year, or more :-) 

    Here is the statement I include in certain courses, such as my Law & Ethics course for graduate students.

    Artificial Intelligence Policy (or ChatGPT Disclosure Agreement):  The use of AI writing tools to assist you in the writing process is allowed as long as you explicitly label, cite, or disclose the extent to which you use ChatGPT or any other AI assistant. All text written by AI must be quoted with the source model in parenthesis (OpenAI, 2023), and a reference citation included in the reference page. At the end of your paper, you should include a disclosure statement on the use of AI. Something like: "This paper used (did not use) AI for the following components of the writing process:" and then choose one or all of the following – None, Brainstorming, Editing, or Sentence Generation. Failure to adequately disclose the use of AI in your academic products may result in a grade deduction.

          Example: OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (March 14 version) [Large language model].

                                 https://chat.openai.com/chatinks to an external site.

                          Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)

                         Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

    I usually have a conversation the first day of class and then again as we discuss the major writing assignment for the semester. 

    Looking forward to what others share. 



    ------------------------------
    Jimmy Young
    Associate Professor
    California State University, San Marcos
    San Marcos CA
    +1 (760) 750-8540
    ------------------------------



  • 11.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Aug 16, 2024 07:04

    Hi there!

    Out of curiosity, are you still having students who abuse this policy and still submit full papers that are clearly written with AI without any modifications to it with this policy? I had a similar policy and recently had to change to what is essentially a no tolerance policy for AI use on any written assignments. Students were essentially going to ChatGPT and saying "write a paper about <insert topic here> using these instructions" and would copy and paste my instructions. Or "respond to this discussion board post" and copy and paste a classmate's discussion board into ChatGPT and submit what ever AI generated (I figure this out because I tried it and would get a paper that was close to identical to theirs). Then the students would be shocked by their grade when I would point out all these misinterpretations, content issues, and citation errors. Yet, they still continued to do it…

    Definitely still wrestling with this because I would like a policy similar to yours because I don't want to be outdated, but the no tolerance policy seems to be the only way I've been able to squash misuse. 

    -Kaycee 



    ------------------------------
    Kaycee Bills
    Saint Mary's College
    +1 (260) 229-2196
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Sep 17, 2024 10:10

    Hello all, here is our AI Policy that Instructors can include in their syllabus at this time (and modify):

    Policy on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tool Usage 

    Generative artificial intelligence tools-software that creates new text, images, computer code, audio, video, and other content-have become widely available. Well-known examples include ChatGPT for text and DALL•E for images. This policy governs all such tools, including those released during our semester together. 

     

    While you may leverage these tools, it is essential to understand and adhere to the following guidelines: 

    Prohibited Use 

    • Assignment Completion: The use of AI tools to complete assignments on your behalf is strictly prohibited. This includes papers, exams, discussion board posts, self-reflections, field process recordings, and presentations, among others. All assignments should reflect your independent thinking, analysis, and synthesis of course materials.   

    • Assessments: Students must not use AI to obtain answers on assessments. 

    • Citation Accuracy: Do not use sources that are cited by AI tools without reading those sources yourself. This is crucial because: 

    • AI tools can create citations for sources that do not exist. 

    • AI tools may cite real pieces of writing, but the cited content may be inaccurate.  

    • Confidentiality and Privacy: You may not copy the academic work, discussion posts, or reflections of another student into any type of AI tool as their privacy cannot be guaranteed on these platforms. Similarly, do not include identifying field recordings, client notes, and personal information in your AI prompts. 

    • No AI Assignments: Some assignments will be designated as "no AI" to help you practice essential skills like reflection, analysis, or the development of your own authentic voice. In these cases, your faculty member believes that AI will interfere with the development of a skill or learning outcome you will need for practice.  [Instructors – please note here any assignments where AI use is explicitly banned] 

     

    Permissible Use 

    In this course, some AI-powered programs, such as ChatGPT, can assist with certain assignments. If utilized, AI should be used to enhance and supplement academic work, not to replace it.  

    • Acceptable Uses: [Instructors – please note here any acceptable use of AI – for example, polishing a final draft of written assignments, using AI to generate images, serving as a writing coach, generating practice tests and study material from your own notes, creating summaries or abstracts, data analysis and visualization, reconfiguring content to a preferred learning modality, checking if references are in APA format, paraphrasing a direct quote for a reputable source, etc} 

     

    Academic Integrity and AI Tool Usage 

    The use of AI tools should enhance your understanding and critical thinking, not replace your intellectual engagement and analysis.  It is your responsibility to clearly communicate the AI's involvement in your work and distinguish your original contributions from any AI-generated content. 

    • Citing AI Tools: To maintain academic integrity, always cite the use of AI tools appropriately in accordance with the APA citation style guidelines.  The APA blog provides specific instructions on how to cite ChatGPT and similar AI models (https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt).  

    • AI Transparency Statement: If you choose to use AI or other technologies, you are required to include an AI Transparency Statement.  The statement should describe the AI tools you utilized and discuss their impact on your project (i.e. grammar correction, content generation, data analysis) in less than 500 words. Position the statement after the references section of your APA formatted works.  

     

    By adhering to these guidelines, you can responsibly incorporate AI tools into your work while ensuring academic integrity and transparency.  Please see the SSW Academic Integrity Policy in the Academic Catalog for more details and information.  

     

    Addressing Bias and Accuracy 

    Be aware that AI algorithms replicate systematic biases found in academic and popular media and may provide inaccurate information.  As scholars, it is crucial to approach AI-generated content critically and use your content knowledge or seek information from reputable secondary sources to verify any potentially biased or inaccurate information. This will ensure that your academic work is well-informed, reliable, and free from any unintended bias introduced by AI tools. 



    ------------------------------
    Nakiya Schurman
    Director of Online MSW Program
    University of Maryland, Baltimore
    +1 (410) 706-7707
    ------------------------------



  • 13.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Oct 28, 2024 22:20

    Hi Jonathan,

    UOI has a whole page of information regarding the use of generative AI in the syllabus, and here is the link. https://citl.illinois.edu/citl-101/instructional-spaces-technologies/teaching-with-technology/generative-artificial-intelligence/teaching-learning-implications-of-genai

    They also have a document that collected lots of various examples on the syllabi policies for AI Generative Tools. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RMVwzjc1o0Mi8Blw_-JUTcXv02b2WRH86vw7mi16W3U/edit?tab=t.0

    Best,

    Summer



    ------------------------------
    Xiayu Summer Chen
    PhD Candidate
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    urbana IL
    +1 (347) 265-2228
    ------------------------------



  • 14.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Sep 02, 2025 07:45

    Thanks for sharing! I'd be happy to share the statement I include about Artificial Intelligence on my syllabi.



    ------------------------------
    Jelly Bean
    +44 020 8432 4664
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  • 15.  RE: AI statement for syllabi

    Posted Sep 03, 2025 09:45

    I'll add that UKY's CELT has encouraged us to move away from negative/punitive language approaches in the syllabus and and shift towards incorporating a student GAI use scale that tells students at what level they're permitted to use AI at the assignment level. 

    https://celt.uky.edu/student-ai-use-scale 



    ------------------------------
    Lindsey Munoz
    Assistant Dean of Pedagogical Possibilities
    University of Kentucky
    Lexington KY
    +1 (859) 257-2290
    ------------------------------



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