Generative Artificial Intelligence in Learning and Teaching at TMU

Principles and Guidelines on Generative Artificial Intelligence in Learning and Teaching

_Principles

Foster AI literacy and encourage equitable access at TMU

In order to effectively integrate AI into educational settings, it is crucial to prioritize AI literacy. This involves preparing students to engage with AI technologies in an ethical manner. It's important to establish clear guidelines and limitations that promote informed and ethical use and application of AI. The emphasis should be on fostering an environment conducive to learning and experimentation, and on creating equitable opportunities for all students to access, utilize, and benefit from AI tools. This approach ensures that the integration of AI into the educational realm is both responsible and beneficial for all involved.

Prioritize the ethical use and application of GenAI

Educators should conscientiously align the use and impact of GenAI with an awareness of potential limitations and biases, particularly those that tend to reinforce dominant perspectives and ideologies. This approach requires a respect for and valuing of diverse ways of knowing and being, and an inclusive approach that ensures that AI serves as a tool for enriching the educational experience, rather than diminishing it. It is crucial to emphasize the importance of human relationships, reciprocity, and the social dynamics inherent in learning, feedback, and assessments. These human elements should remain at the forefront of educational experiences.

Encourage authentic, transformative learner-centered experiences

In designing assessments and learning experiences, instructors are encouraged to prioritize principles of inquiry, connection, critical analysis, voice, and contextualization. This approach emphasizes the development of deeper understanding and engagement in learning. Educators should aim to design learning experiences that not only impart knowledge but also facilitate processes of experimentation and reflection. This method enhances the students' ability to think critically and creatively. Additionally, if GenAI is integrated into the learning experience, it is beneficial to frame its use as a tool for students to become 'expert learners.' This involves leveraging AI to tackle complex problems that push the boundaries of traditional learning methods. Authentic, transformative learner-centred experiences create more dynamic, engaging, and effective learning environments that prepare students for the challenges of the modern world.

Protect academic rigor and the integrity of learning at the University

Instructors are advised to establish and nurture a culture that emphasizes the ethical and transparent use of GenAI at TMU. This includes the development of assessments that effectively mitigate the misuse of GenAI while maintaining academic rigor. When integrating GenAI into assessments, ensure that its use supports meaningful and rigorous learning experiences. In designing assessments and learning experiences, it is important to begin with clear learning outcomes that specify the essential skills and knowledge graduates are expected to acquire, while also identifying areas where there is scope for experimentation and innovation. Educators should ensure that the integration of GenAI into the curriculum is beneficial, responsible, and aligned with overarching educational objectives.

Connect learning and uses of GenAI beyond the classroom

Prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of GenAI in their disciplines by educating them to be critical users, understanding its applications and implications. Prioritize human experience, skills, and development in assessments and activities, as these competencies are valued by employers and crucial for the future success of graduates. Where possible, foster collaboration with employers, community partners, and industry leaders to align educational outcomes with emerging social, economic and career needs. This approach ensures students gain both theoretical knowledge and practical skills for success in a GenAI-influenced landscape.

_Guidelines

Preamble

The emergence of new generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies presents both opportunities and challenges to the way we learn and teach at Toronto Metropolitan University. As with any new technology, students and instructors will need to approach GenAI technologies with openness, curiosity, and caution as we strive to adapt to the changing conditions in our classrooms and the world beyond TMU.

These guidelines are intended to support educators and students as they explore the opportunities and challenges these technologies bring to teaching and learning.

General Guidelines

GenAI/AI literacy is an important skill for educators and students
The permissible uses of GenAI tools in learning and teaching should be determined by an academic program and/or course instructors (faculty and contract lecturers)

Unless explicitly communicated by the course instructor, the use of GenAI for coursework is not permitted
GenAI should be engaged with in ways that advance and improve learning and teaching
Use of GenAI in learning and teaching should be disclosed and transparent and can include:
- Statements explaining methods
- Notes indicating text or images that were created using GenAI
- Acknowledgements or citations to the use of GenAI (See TMU Library guide to citing artificial intelligence)
Do not submit anyone’s personal information into GenAI models without consent or ability to opt out and be aware that, in many cases, material uploaded or entered into GenAI tools is used to train future models.
Authorship is ownership. You are responsible for the integrity and accuracy of work with your name on it. This includes work created with GenAI tools. GenAI models are known to fabricate facts; they are also known to perpetuate biases captured in their datasets and/or created through the developers’ algorithms. Verify facts and examine the output for missing perspectives.

Academic Integrity Considerations

GenAI technologies pose a significant risk to academic integrity
Use of GenAI can constitute a breach of Policy 60: Academic Integrity in several instances:
- Plagiarism, including but not limited to:
  - “claiming, submitting, or presenting the words, ideas, artistry, drawings, images, or data of another person, including information found on the Internet and unpublished materials, as if they are one’s own, without appropriate referencing” (1.1)
  - “claiming, submitting, or presenting someone else’s work, ideas, opinions, or theories as if they are one’s own, without proper referencing” (1.2)
  - “claiming, submitting, or presenting another person’s substantial compositional contributions, assistance, edits, or changes to an assignment as one’s own” (1.3)
  - “claiming, submitting, or presenting collaborative work as if it were created solely by oneself or one’s group” (1.4)
  - “minimally paraphrasing someone else’s work by changing only a few words, and/or not citing the original source” (1.5)
- Misrepresentation of personal performance
  - “impersonating someone or having someone impersonate you in person, in writing, or electronically” (5.2)
  - “submitting work created in whole or in part by artificial intelligence tools unless expressly permitted by the Faculty/Contract Lecturer” (5.5)
  - “submitting work that does not reasonably demonstrate your own knowledge, understanding and performance” (5.6)
- Contract Cheating
  - occurs when a third party completes work, with or without payment, for a student, who then submits the work as their own, where such input is not permitted (4)
- Cheating
  - “having ready access to and/or using aids or devices (including wireless communication devices) not expressly allowed by the instructor during an examination, test, quiz, or other evaluation” (3.1)
AI detectors are not currently endorsed by TMU. If you have concerns about unauthorized use of GenAI by students, contact the Academic Integrity Office for recommendations on how to investigate the concern.
Instructors who suspect that a student has used GenAI tools in a manner that constitutes academic misconduct should follow the formal process for academic misconduct concerns. The heart of this process is a non-adversarial conversation between the student and the instructor where the instructor will be able to assess the student’s understanding of their work and educate the student on appropriate and inappropriate uses of GenAI.
Any assessment that is completed outside of a live proctored environment is vulnerable to academic misconduct involving GenAI. As well, GenAI is integrated into our authoring tools (eg. Google Docs, Microsoft Word). Instructors should consider mitigative measures for assessments that are vulnerable to academic misconduct involving GenAI.
- Raise the expectations for the assignment
- Assess students on originality of thought and analysis, and creative applications of course perspectives and materials rather than simply factual knowledge (e.g. Choice of sources, originality of research questions, and synthesis and analysis of scholarship).
- Create scaffolded assignments that are authentic (i.e. capture real-world challenges that students will face in their field)
- Build rubrics that heavily reward authentic student voice and that require students to demonstrate direct engagement with lecture materials and class discussions
- When feasible, require that students author their work in Google Docs / Slides / Sheets using their TMU email account (These tools maintain version history and help students document their process)
- Oral assessments and participation
- Proctored examinations

For faculty and contract lecturers

Statements on Permissible Uses of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Courses

Always include an explicit statement on the course outline and in assignment instructions regarding permissible uses of GenAI. Options include (but are not limited to):
- Prohibited - Use of GenAI is not permitted
  - Sample course outline statement suggestion:
    
    “The unauthorized use of Generative AI is prohibited and will be considered to be in breach of Policy 60: Academic Integrity.”
- Assistive - Use of GenAI is permitted for assistance and support
  - Sample course outline statement suggestion:
    
    “Generative AI may only be used for [approved task(s)], but not for the creation of submitted work.”
- Integral - Use of GenAI is essential or required for completion and submission of course work and assignments
  - Sample course outline statement suggestion:
    
    “Use of Generative AI tools is essential to course learning outcomes and students are expected to engage with these tools and utilize them for the completion of specific course work indicated in this course outline.”

Integrating GenAI into assignments

Instructors are not required to integrate GenAI into assignments.
If Instructors choose to integrate GenAI in an assignment, student instruction should include basic GenAI literacy
Discuss the strengths, limitations and risks of GenAI technologies, including factual inaccuracies, biases in training data, and privacy concerns
Integration of GenAI should not compromise program or course learning outcomes and students’ attainment of these outcomes must be validated
Any additional costs associated with the use or integration of GenAI in a course should be communicated to students in the course outline
Instructors should consider equity of access to GenAI tools when designing assignments
Instructors may permit students optionally to use GenAI to generate formative feedback on their assignment in advance of submitting for grading. If so, students should be given clear guidance on:
- The extent to which GenAI can be used
- How to critically evaluate GenAI feedback
- How to make decisions on integration of GenAI recommendations
- Authorial responsibility

Marking/grading

Instructors and TA/GAs are advised not to use GenAI tools to generate formative or summative feedback directly on student assessments or to generate quantitative grades. This ensures that feedback remains personal, tailored, and free from potential biases or errors introduced by GenAI technologies.
If applicable, provide your GAs and TAs with explicit instructions on appropriate GenAI use in their work as well as explicit instructions on how to guide student use of GenAI in the course

Book a Consultation:

Faculty and Contract Lecturers are encouraged to reach out to the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching for personalized guidance and support about addressing Generative Artificial Intelligence in course design and assessments.
Other resources include:

For Students

Always consult the course outline to determine permissible uses of GenAI
Unless explicitly communicated by the course instructor, the use of GenAI for coursework is not permitted
GenAI tools must be used in a manner that is consistent with Policy 60: Academic Integrity
Use of GenAI tools may constitute academic misconduct:
- Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:
  - Uncited facts that are not common knowledge (If GenAI gives you the fact, you need to find the original source and cite it.)
  - Falsified quotations, erroneous information and/or incorrect citations (If GenAI gives you a source, you need to find it, read it, and ensure that it is accurately represented in the model’s output)
- Misrepresentation of personal performance
  - Work you submit must be representative of your knowledge and ability
- Cheating
  - Instructors define the rules for assessments based on the learning outcomes they’re trying to validate. Unauthorized aids undermine the instructor’s ability to evaluate your knowledge and skills
With instructor permission, GenAI tools can be used to support and enhance student learning. This can include:
- Brainstorming and ideation
- To get recommendations for improvement
- Study preparation
- Data analysis
- Research support
While GenAI can be a helpful tool for learning, it comes with several risks and limitations
- GenAI cannot help you understand a particular instructor’s perspective on a subject. Take advantage of your instructor’s expertise.
- Engagement with lecture materials, readings, and class discussions are essential for success in your courses.
- Over-reliance on GenAI tools can undermine skills development, including writing, critical thinking, deep reading, synthesis, analysis, numeracy, and others.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of the many human resources in place to support their success including: