The University Teaching Committee recently approved a new Guidance for Students on using Generative AI. The new guidance was developed through consultation with this community and through Schools via Learning and Teaching Directors.
One main change in the new policy is that greater attention is paid to ways in which students may use Generative AI for independent learning that is not directly assessed. In addition, concerning using Generative AI in assessed work, students must include a statement at the start or end of their submission explaining what tools they have used and how they have used them. For full details of the ‘statement’, please see the Guidance.
Concerning using Generative AI in assessed work, the guidance makes it clear that if a student uses Generative AI to create content they then pass off as their own, this is misconduct. There will, of course, be some exceptions where including content from a Generative AI is integral to and part of the assignment.
The guidance clarifies that students are accountable for their work and should be able to explain the process they went through to arrive at any output if asked to do so. The guidance also stresses that students should be aware that AI can make mistakes and invent facts, so refining AI outputs and confirming information provided by AI is essential.
Using generative AI can be prohibited by tutors for specific assignments or classes if there is a reason to do so related to the assessment’s nature.
We are developing resources (short videos and FAQs) to support colleagues and students in engaging with the new Guidance. As soon as these are available, they will be widely circulated.
Please note the Guidance can also be accessed by students and colleagues via the University’s AI blog page on Guidance.
