Students Using AI
As discussed in a previous chapter, there are a number of ways gen AI can be used in the teaching and learning context. These include:
- Brainstorming
- Generating an outline
- Translation and language learning
- Explaining concepts
- Using as a “writing coach”
- Creating drafts/final versions of writing
- Studying for a quiz, prepping for exam
- Summarizing a text
- Time management/planning
- Coding and data analysis
Be sure to set expectations—through a syllabus statement, an announcement in Brightspace, and in class—around what is allowed and what is not allowed.
Citing Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Students need to be aware of the importance of being transparent about their AI use. This means citing and referencing, like with any other source of information. Citation styles for AI are changing almost as quickly as AI tools themselves, students should be directed to the Dalhousie Libraries Citation Style Guide for the most up-to-date information on citations and artificial intelligence.
When AI is Not Allowed
In circumstances when AI is not allowed, it may be useful to try to avoid academic integrity concerns by designing assessments that make it more challenging or less tempting for students to use A.I. in completing them. See the Designing Assessments with A.I. in Mind section for more about assessment design.
Gen AI and Learning Outcomes
Generative A.I. has many capabilities in supporting personalized learning for students, but it’s important for you to think carefully about what the central learning outcomes for the course, and how students will demonstrate they’ve made progress towards or achieved these outcomes. Any skills or knowledge that are not essential to the core learning outcomes might be appropriate for “cognitive offloading” to a generative A.I. tool, allowing students to focus their energy on the essential learning outcomes rather than irrelevant factors in the learning process.
Example
Could using A.I. to generate hypotheses be appropriate (i.e., result in cognitive offloading) for these learning outcomes?
Example 1
Learning Outcome: Students will be able to generate multiple hypotheses to explain a phenomenon.
Students using A.I. for this activity would be inappropriate as generating hypotheses is essential to their learning.
Example 2
Learning Outcome: Students will be able to test a hypothesis in a laboratory setting.
Students using A.I. for this activity may be appropriate as generating hypotheses is secondary to the learning outcome.
Impact of Gen A.I. on Learning
Whether or not generative A.I. can positively impact learning is a debated topic without clear consensus. While proponents argue that A.I. tools can serve as personalized tutors and writing assistants, others express concern about potential impacts on learning processes. The key debate centres around whether A.I. tools might short-circuit important cognitive processes that are essential for deep learning.
Educators have raised theoretical questions about whether A.I. assistance might affect the development of critical thinking and writing skills, particularly if students rely heavily on A.I.-generated content. These concerns centre on traditional pedagogical principles about the importance of students engaging directly with material—organizing thoughts, synthesizing information, and working through complex concepts independently.
In addition, there are concerns that AI-assisted work may create a false sense of understanding, where students feel they’ve mastered material without actually developing robust comprehension. In one study, students who used a GPT-based tutor showed significant improvement in their school performance, but when the tutor tool was taken away, the students’ performance dropped below that of the control group who’d never used an A.I. tutor[1].
However, as this technology is still relatively new in educational settings, long-term empirical studies on A.I.’s impact on learning are limited making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions.
Questions for Reflection
In your courses, which activities are essential for a student to complete independently and which ones would A.I. assistance be acceptable or even beneficial for student learning?
How might you help students develop the ability to discern about when it might be okay to use a generative A.I. tool for classwork?
How will you clearly communicate your expectations around A.I. use in your course?
