THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES(UWI) ARTIFICIAL INTELLGENCE(AI) POLICY GUIDANCE FOR INSTRUCTORS

From UWI AI WIKI

GUIDANCE FOR INSTRUCTORS

Disclaimer: The field of generative AI and opinions about how to react to these tools in academia are evolving rapidly. As an organisation, The UWI is working to keep up to date with this issue in order to provide robust and timely advice for faculty.

Note: Given the rapidly evolving nature of GenAI technologies and largely opinion-based and low-level evidence on emerging practices for use in higher education, this resource represents the status quo at the time of writing (***). As changes to policies and technology develop, and evidence for best practice emerges, practice recommendations outlined here are likely to continue to change and develop.

Defining Acceptable AI Use

The UWI recommends the following guidelines in the use of Generative AI in teaching and research.
The increased availability and use of generative AI has raised a number of questions its use in Teaching and learning. Irrespective of your view, we encourage faculty to be critically creative in the use of Generative AI within the constraints of university standards. As a lecturer, you have the discretion to determine the degree to which Generative AI may be used in the context of your class. Be mindful though, that your students will be operating in a world where everyone around them will likely be using (or be expected to use) Generative AI tools in their everyday work environment, and your course will play a part in preparing them. Pay attention to your specific learning outcomes and how they may interact with the availability and scope of Generative AI tools. Consider whether the proficiency of such tools should be an important part of achieving those learning outcomes.

Define Acceptable Use

In each course, at least three possible approaches seem plausible in terms of student use of these tools:
1. Maximally Restrictive Use Policy
2. Encouraging Use Policy
3. Mixed Use Policy

Whatever decision you make, it is essential to clearly articulate your stance on Generative AI. There should be an acceptable use policy governing each assessment exercise. This could be done with a single statement for the course if all assessments are governed by the same acceptable use policy. Ensure that this policy is explicitly communicated in your syllabus, on the Learning Management System, and during the introduction of assessments. Clear guidelines on permissible uses and citing requirements should be established. We encourage all faculty to clearly communicate their stance on the use of Generative AI in course syllabi and guide regarding use and misuse of Generative AI. You may also provide clear expectations and guidelines on how students use Generative AI in their learning and response to course requirements, especially in assignments. Additionally, clear guidelines on permissible uses and citing requirements should be established. Having a policy helps to ensure your expectations on the use of Generative AI are clear to students.

Explore the Continuum of Policies

Each approach is discussed below with some thoughts and considerations; possible syllabus language for each approach is included in a separate section below. Regardless of the approach selected, faculty should explicitly discuss with students the approach and its underlying rationale. Faculty should remind students that the work they present should be their own and therefore discourage students from presenting Generative AI output as their own work.

Below are sample statements that may serve as a reference:

a. Maximally Restrictive Use Policy:

"In this course, the use of AI or intelligent assistants, including but not limited to chatbots, virtual teaching assistants, and automated essay graders, is strictly prohibited. All assignments, exams, and coursework must be completed by the students themselves without any assistance from AI or automated tools. Any violation of this policy will result in academic consequences, including possible failure of the course and academic integrity violations."



b. Encouraging Use Policy:

"In this course, the appropriate and ethical use of AI or intelligent assistants is encouraged as a supplementary learning tool. Students are welcome to use AI-powered resources to enhance their understanding of course material, seek clarification on concepts, and receive additional practice. However, it is essential to maintain transparency and ensure that all AI-generated work is clearly identified as such. The primary responsibility for learning and completing assignments rests with the students themselves."


"Students are encouraged to explore the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, for all assignments and assessments. Any such use must be appropriately acknowledged and cited, following the guidelines established by the relevant Style Guide, including the specific version of the tool used. Submitted work should include the exact prompt used to generate the content as well as the AI’s full response in an Appendix. Because AI generated content is not necessarily accurate or appropriate, it is each student’s responsibility to assess the validity and applicability of any generative AI output that is submitted. You may not earn full credit if inaccurate, invalid, or inappropriate information is found in your work. Deviations from these guidelines will be considered violations of The UWI’s academic integrity policy as well as expectations for “plagiarism, cheating, and acceptable assistance” on student work may vary across your courses and instructors. Please email me if you have questions regarding what is permissible and not for a particular course or assignment.



c. Mixed Use Policy:

This mixed-use policy aims to strike a balance between leveraging technology for learning and ensuring the integrity of assessments. Any violation of these guidelines will be subject to appropriate academic penalties. This course adopts a mixed-use policy regarding AI and intelligent assistants. While students are allowed to use AI-powered resources for certain tasks, there are specific guidelines to follow:

Research and Conceptual Understanding: Students are encouraged to use AI for research, data analysis, and concept clarification. AI can assist in finding relevant sources and providing additional insights into the course material.

Collaborative Work: Collaboration with peers and AI assistance is permitted, but individual understanding and contributions must be evident in group assignments. Proper citation and acknowledgment of AI tools used are required.

Assessments and Exams: During assessments and exams, the use of AI or intelligent assistants is prohibited. All work submitted in these contexts must be the product of individual effort, and any violation will result in academic consequences.

Transparency: When using AI, students must be transparent about its use. For assignments and projects, students should indicate if AI tools were employed and acknowledge their role in the work.

This mixed-use policy aims to strike a balance between leveraging technology for learning and ensuring the integrity of assessments. Any violation of these guidelines will be subject to appropriate academic penalties. This course adopts a mixed-use policy regarding AI and intelligent assistants. While students are allowed to use AI-powered resources for certain tasks, there are specific guidelines to follow:

Research and Conceptual Understanding: Students are encouraged to use AI for research, data analysis, and concept clarification. AI can assist in finding relevant sources and providing additional insights into the course material.

Collaborative Work: Collaboration with peers and AI assistance is permitted, but individual understanding and contributions must be evident in group assignments. Proper citation and acknowledgment of AI tools used are required.

Assessments and Exams: During assessments and exams, the use of AI or intelligent assistants is prohibited. All work submitted in these contexts must be the product of individual effort, and any violation will result in academic consequences.

Transparency: When using AI, students must be transparent about its use. For assignments and projects, students should indicate if AI tools were employed and acknowledge their role in the work.


Please adapt these policy statements to fit your specific course and the university's guidelines. The choice of policy should align with your educational goals and the nature of the course content. By including such statements, you provide clarity and guidance to students regarding your expectations and policies regarding Generative AI usage in your course.

Specifically, it is recommended that faculty also consider the following when using Generative AI to support their teaching and learning processes.

Maintaining Academic Rigor: The introduction of Generative AI tools should not compromise academic standards. Adherence to The UWI’s Academic Policies, Procedures, Regulations, and Guidelines is essential. Students must properly acknowledge their sources and follow course/programme requirements. Regular evaluations are crucial to uphold quality.


Enhancing Course Design and Development:
  • Redesigning course guides or curricula using carefully engineered prompts for Generative AI assistance. This includes developing program outcomes and elements for lesson plans.
  • Utilising Generative AI in assessment design.
  • Creating Generative AI-driven student activities, effectively functioning as a Generative AI tutor.
  • Designing rubrics or mark schemes by providing relevant and accurate information as prompts.
  • Generating new assessment formats like simulations, scenarios, case studies, or role-playing exercises to enhance engagement and authenticity.


Virtual Critical Teaching Assistant:
  • Utilising Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, to assume the role of a critical evaluator of assessments. For instance, re-evaluating existing assessments and providing feedback on question clarity, accuracy, and difficulty. Additionally, identifying potential biases in the assessment.


Assistant Grader:
  • Employing Large Language Models (LLMs) (like ChatGPT) to assess student submissions. Calibration and spot checks on outputs are essential to maintain consistent evaluation standards across multiple submissions.

LLMs offer an excellent opportunity to enhance our efficiency as educators; however, they cannot replace the critical thinking that a human brings to the process. As you integrate these tools into your teaching practices, ensure you retain control over your teaching objectives, learning exercises, and assessments.


Citing Generative AI

If you allow AI, point students to proper citation rules. Students should understand how to cite or give credit to AI content generators. They can list ChatGPT as a reference work or quote it within their work. MLA, APA, and other style guides have developed specific guidelines. Instructors can also ask students to retain original conversations and prompts and append them to writing assignments.


How can I know/detect if students are using AI (e.g. what detection tools are available)?

The University of the West Indies advises caution in using AI detection tools, such as those offered by companies like Turnitin, to determine if student work has been aided by or created with AI. These tools have not yet proven accurate and may yield false positives, false negatives, or inconclusive results. Although these tools can estimate the likelihood of AI-generated content in submissions, instructors are advised to consider more than just these estimates when assessing potential breaches of academic integrity.

Until (and after) robust and stable AI detection tools are available, we recommend that you consider the variety of instructional design and teaching strategies provided in this resource. You might first want to consider if AI output will pose a problem for your teaching and learning context. [1]

Rethink your assessments and course activities

Faculty can utilise Generative AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance assessments by refining prompts for originality and generating more challenging questions. It is important to note that students utilising Generative AI without proper attribution or claiming AI-generated work as their own would violate the assessment policy.

To promote critical thinking, assignments should encourage analysis and application, leveraging Generative AI's strength in summarisation. Integration of class discussions and personal experiences into responses enhances engagement. For effective close reading, focus on specific text excerpts. Encourage thought processes and reflections through annotations and digital tool use. Additional strategies encompass leveraging social annotation tools, fostering creativity with diverse assignments, and integrating oral tasks. Implement structured drafting, teach AI navigation skills, and experiment with ChatGPT prompts for deeper analysis. Collaborative AI assessment exploration can follow text engagement.

Additional resources can be accessed in the "Additional Resources" section at the end of the guide.


Adapting Assessments in Light of the Emergence of Generative AI Tools

As generative AI tools become increasingly integrated into academic environments, it's crucial for faculty to adapt their assessment strategies to ensure they remain effective and maintain academic integrity. Here are some guidelines for faculty who are considering adapting their assessments in response to the emergence of these AI tools:

Understand AI Capabilities
  • Stay Informed: Regularly update your knowledge on the advancements in AI technology, particularly those capable of generating content or solving problems.
  • Educational Workshops: Engage in or facilitate workshops that focus on the application of AI in academic settings, addressing both the potential benefits and the challenges.
Revise Assessment Design
  • Promote Critical Thinking: Craft questions and tasks that demand critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis, which are less likely to be effectively automated by AI.
  • Application-Based Tasks: Shift focus from rote memorisation to the application of knowledge in real-world or novel scenarios, which are more challenging for AI tools.
Use AI as a Teaching Tool
  • Integration into Learning: Integrate AI tools into the learning process as aids to demonstrate both their potential and limitations.
  • Ethical Usage: Educate students on the ethical use of AI, including discussions around academic integrity and the appropriate application of AI in their work.
Modify Exam Protocols
  • Open-Book Exams: Consider open-book exams that emphasize knowledge application over simple recall, reducing the effectiveness of generative AI tools.
  • Oral Exams or Presentations: Employ oral exams or presentations to evaluate students' understanding and their ability to express their knowledge and reasoning.
Implement Diverse Assessment Methods
  • Portfolio Assessment: Utilise portfolio assessments that compile work overtime, providing a comprehensive assessment of a student’s capabilities.
  • Peer Collaboration: Encourage group projects with peer evaluation components to promote collaboration and shared accountability.
Regularly Update Assessment Materials
  • Regular Revisions: Update questions and exam materials frequently to avoid predictability that could be exploited by AI tools.
  • Dynamic Content: Create dynamic assessment tasks that adjust based on responses, challenging pre-programmed AI tools.
Monitor and Evaluate
  • Use Detection Tools: Apply advanced plagiarism and AI detection tools to ensure the originality of submissions.
  • Continuous Evaluation: Constantly assess the effectiveness of your assessment strategies and make necessary adjustments.


Follow Established University Guidelines
  • Adherence to Policies: Follow the university’s established guidelines and policies that guide the revision of assessments.
  • These provide a framework for ensuring that changes align with institutional standards and legal requirements.
  • Consultation: Engage with relevant university bodies or committees when planning significant changes to assessment strategies.
Foster a Dialogue
  • Student Engagement: Openly discuss the implications of AI on learning and assessments with students, promoting a culture of honesty and integrity.
  • Feedback Mechanisms: Implement feedback mechanisms to continuously improve the fairness and effectiveness of assessments.
By adhering to these guidelines, faculty can effectively navigate the integration of AI tools into their teaching and assessment methods, ensuring that these technologies enhance rather than compromise the educational process.
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