The Development of TRU’s GenAI Guidelines for Teaching and Learning

Panelists: Brian Lamb (LT&I), Melanie Latham (LT&I), Dave Cormier (Open Learning), Brian Burciaga (Software Engineering student)

Session materials: https://aishowcase.trubox.ca/guidelines/

Why guidelines?

Who is the working group?

It is the Data Stewardship and Analytics for Learning and Teaching (DSALT) working group of the Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC) of Senate. Current membership is our panelists, and…

Anthony Aighobahi (Science), Johnny Cuzzola (ITS), Stephen Doubt (Open Learning), Sean Donlan (Law, Academic Integrity Committee), Jamie Drozda (Open Learning), Frederic Fovet (EDSW), Brad Forsyth (LT&I), Jenna Goddard (Writing Centre), Yaou Hu (FACT), Diane Janes (CELT), Vivek Kumar (Science), Brett McCollum (CELT), Alex Morgun (ITS), Le Quan Nguyen (Science), Verena Roberts (Open Learning), Franklin Sayre (Library), Peter Tsiagaris (Bob Gaglardi School of Business and Economics), Anila Virani (Nursing), Wei Yan (CELT)

What are the expressed concerns and needs of our community? What resources and supports are available?

Melanie Latham

How have students been experiencing the emergence of Generative AI in their learning?

Brian Burciaga

The experience of developing GenAI Guidelines, lessons learned.

Dave Cormier

GenAI Guidelines for Teaching and Learning – Environmental Scan

Cited External Guidelines and Resources

Common themes

  • UFV stresses the importance of balancing AI with “human interaction” while remaining mindful of “data privacy, bias in algorithms, and the potential impact on education“.
  • This may be a good section to highlight the use of AI tools to enhance online accessibility (tools that improve captioning, alt-text for images, etc) and the inclusion of diverse learners.

TRU Resources: Critical AI Framework: https://aieducation.trubox.ca/critical-ai-framework/

  • U of T underscores that discussing GenAI tools with students will signal awareness of the technology and “generate discussion and help to set guidelines for students“.
    • Privacy and data considerations.
    • Potential for bias.
    • Inaccuracy and misinterpretation of information.
    • Ethics codes.
    • Plagiarism.
    • Exploitation.

TRU Resources

  • Multiple TRU units are actively providing resources, workshops, and consultations to support instructors during this transition.

TRU Resources

  • RRU advocates for “experiential and authentic learning activities and assessments …live cases, field trips, project-based learning…” along with “iterative writing assignments with feedback, and oral assessments“.
  • UAlberta promotes assessments that “promote academic integrity while fostering critical thinking, ethical reasoning, independent problem-solving, and essential learning“.

TRU Resources

  • RRU expects all members of the university community to “uphold recognized standards of academic integrity, demonstrating a personal commitment to truth“.

TRU Resources

  • RRU’s guidance stresses that “course outlines should provide clear expectations on the acceptable use of Generative AI in activities and assessments“.
  • Instructors are encouraged to be very transparent and clear as to whether, and in what ways, use of AI is permitted on any given assessment.

TRU Resources

  • U of T states, “The University does not support the use of AI-detection software programs on student work. None of these software programs have been found to be sufficiently reliable“.
  • UFV notes that such tools “fail to reliably distinguish between content which is original from that which is generated,” and that UFV “has not approved the use of any detection tools as of yet“.
  • UAlberta invites instructors to share their experiences with GenAI in teaching and learning to help build an AI-aware university community.

TRU Resources

  • TRU has hosted an institutional Artifical Intelligence Showcase “inviting instructors who have used AI in their courses to showcase, share, and reflect on their learnings so far.“ https://aishowcase.trubox.ca/

Sample language: “Instructors may determine how Generative AI is used in a course they are currently teaching, compliant with university policy and any emergent direction provided by their Department Chair, Dean, or the Vice-President, Academic & Provost.”

TRU Resources

Next steps

  • Determine structure of the shared guidelines: what goes in the guidelines themselves, and what is best presented in supplementary resources?
  • How to phrase key recommendations – broad guidance or action-oriented language?
  • Drafting key recommendations.
  • Updating resources – whether at https://aieducation.trubox.ca/ or elsewhere.
  • Community feedback sessions (like this one).
  • Circulate recommendations and resources for review and revision.
  • Gain approval from Teaching and Learning Committee.
  • Present to APPC and Senate for approval.

Feedback / Q&A

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