ChatGPT and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)

By now, you have probably heard a lot about the new AI tools that can write essays, generate images, and craft code. While you don't have to be an expert in AI to be a great teacher, you do need to understand how the tools work, how your student are likely to deploy them, and how they are likely to change the world of work your students will be entering. All faculty need to take steps to inform themselves and their students about AI, be clear about what is permitted and what is not, and reconsider their assignments in light of the growth of AI. 

Inform yourself & your students

Update your syllabus

Be clear what is permissible in your class and what is not. Below are a few examples of approaches to this. Some are more permissible, some are less so: 

  1. RESTRICTIVE: I expect you to generate your own work in this class. When you submit any kind of assignment (including projects, exams, quizzes, or discussions), you are asserting that you have created and written the text--not just paraphrased or edited it--unless you indicate otherwise by the use of quotation marks and/or proper attribution for the source. In this class, submitting content that has been generated by someone other than you, including content that was created or assisted by a computer application or tool, including artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT is cheating and constitutes a violation of the Student Conduct Code. You may use simple word processing tools to update spelling and grammar in your assignments, but you may not use AI tools to draft your work, even if you edit, revise, or paraphrase it. There may be opportunities for you to use AI tools in this class. Where they exist, I will clearly specify when and in what capacity it is permissible for you to use these tools.
  2. PERMISSIVE: You are welcome to use ChatGPT as a resource for research and information gathering, as long as you properly attribute any information you get from ChatGPT in your work. Proper attribution of ChatGPT should include citing the source of information as: (ChatGPT, OpenAI; DATE). When using ChatGPT for direct quotes, students should use quotation marks and cite the source in the same way as other sources. Please note: While ChatGPT can be a useful resource, it is important to remember that it is not always accurate and may not be suitable for all types of assignments or research. As with any source, students should critically evaluate the information obtained from ChatGPT and consider using other sources to verify the accuracy and reliability of the information.
  3. RESTRICTIVE: ChatGPT, Bing, or other AI tools may not be used to generate answers to assignments in this class. While ChatGPT may be a useful resource for exploring content or gathering information on a wide range of topics, you will not gain mastery over the topics in this class if you do not do your own work or are always assisted by AI. Many of you may already be using ChatGPT or other AI tools to assist you with many of your assignments, either in whole or in part. While I appreciate the usefulness of these tools, and understand that they may be helpful in assimilating information or to further explain or illustrate challenging topics, I want to be clear that it is important for you to spend time working on problems without the assistance of AI. Some of the tests and assignments in this class will be proctored and the use of outside sources will be prohibited and limited. It is therefore essential that you learn the materials and skills enough to be able to work on problems without AI assistance. I will be clear which assignments permit the use of outside sources such as ChatGPT. If I do not specify whether AI technology is allowed on an assignment, you should assume it is not. Please see me if you have any questions. My goal is for you to learn and become proficient in the skills of this class, both in combination with the technology and without it. 
  4. MORE: Big database of examples and sample policies Links to an external site.. 

Update assignment instructions

Again, you need to be clear what is permissible for a given assignment and what is not. The following is an example of instructions in a project assignment: 

I want to address the new AI-tools that you may be hearing about, such as ChatGPT Links to an external site., and their possible role in this project. I want you to be aware that ChatGPT is based on a large language model--it is basically crowdsourcing information and providing likely answers based on the vast amount of text in its database. While it can provide some helpful information, and may spur your thinking in some areas, it is not a reliable source Links to an external site. and cannot provide citations or references to reliable data or evidence. (If you ask it for a citation, be aware that it makes things up Links to an external site. and the information it's giving you likely garbage.)  

So, can I use ChatGPT or other AI tools to help write this paper? Yes and No! 

    • Things you can do: ask ChatGPT questions! I personally enjoy chatting with it about topics I'm interested in. For example, "What are some current issues related to sustainability in the airline industry?" When you read what it says, keep in mind that it's probably at least 60-70% correct, but perhaps not more than that. :-) Given that you're considering whatever it told you with a big grain of salt, you'll then need to do some research to find peer reviewed and reliable evidence that might corroborate (or disagree with!) what the AI tool told you. Use those articles to find other articles that consider the same question (review the citation list for other articles to read). Either before or after you ask ChatGPT a question, try a google search with the same sort of query and see what it turns up; also, try a search on the OSU library system. Review, compare, and investigate. Repeat this cycle, keeping in mind that what you're getting from AI is crowdsourced information, not the reliable product of research and assessment.
    • Thing you cannot do: Do not use ChatGPT to draft your paper. Do not use ChatGPT to give you citations. I am saying this both for purposes of coming up with reliable evidence and also from an academic integrity (i.e, cheating) standpoint. If you didn't write it, don't put your name on it and claim that you wrote it. Don't modify a few words here and there and claim you wrote it either. Close the window before you start drafting and put the real evidence and articles you've found into your own words. Do your own analysis and critical thinking.

Update your teaching and learning plans and curriculum

We cannot ignore the massive impact ChatGPT and other AI generative tools will have on the way our students learn, process information, and complete assignments. The following are some ways you can account for some of these changes: 

  1. Use in-class time for assessments. In a face to face class, consider having students hand-write answers to questions in class for formative or summative assessments. **Keep in mind that some students may have accommodations in place that allow them the use of a computer, or may struggle with handwriting, so don't make this your sole means of assessment. 
  2. Individualize and personalize your assignments. The assignment "define sustainable business" is easily completed by the ChatGPT tool. "Compare the three definitions of sustainable business discussed in the readings this week and explain which one fits with the ethical perspective you discussed in Week 1" is less so (note I said "less so"--we aren't going to be able to engineer assignments that are ChatGPT-proof). Connect your assignments to case studies, class discussions, or hypothetical scenarios you create. Ask students to connect course material to experiences they have had at work or in their personal lives. By making the work personal, you may encourage them to think first about how the work applies to their life, and second about how quickly AI can help them avoid completing the assignment.
  3. Give fewer assignments, but incorporate feedback. Try assigning students to turn in a draft essay or project and then give them specific feedback to incorporate into a second draft. Even if the first draft was artificially enhanced, students will learn more through the interaction with your feedback and how it impacts their work on subsequent drafts.   
  4. Make it meaningful. When students feel they are being asked to generate busy work, or prepare rote responses to questions that can easily be found on the Internet, they are more likely to respond by using tools like ChatGPT. Think about how your assignments tie back to your learning goals and employ critical thinking and analysis. What are you asking your students to do that a computer cannot? 
  5. Less content, more application, assessment, and curation. We are already experiencing a world that is overflowing with content, much of it false, misleading, or simply not useful. This problem will only increase as AI becomes a part of our daily lives. It is essential to understand that AI tools use predictive text and large language models to respond to queries. It is telling you the most likely answer to your question--not necessarily the correct one. ChatGPT does not do research, it crowdsources answers to the questions you ask. You can see the problem here, I'm sure! The answer isn't to have your students memorize more information--that's like asking them to drink the ocean to deal with rising sea levels. The answer must be to teach them the tools to verify information, find reliable evidence, apply basic information to solve problems using complex theories, and curate the vast troves of information they have available to them. I urge everyone to look at their courses and find curriculum focusing on content acquisition and ask if you can replace that lesson/activity/module with one that requires application, verification, or curation of information instead.  

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