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Developing a Personalized Generative AI Statement for A Course Outline

Introduction

In accordance with McMaster’s guidelines on generative AI (it is recommended that you review them prior to engaging with this resource), undergraduate and graduate course outlines should include a statement on the acceptable and unacceptable use of AI for assessments in the course. If any use of AI is permitted in the course, individual assessments should specify what is allowed and for which task(s).

This resource is intended to help you, as an instructor, reflect on your views and assumptions about generative AI and how they align with a specific course’s intended learning outcomes, assessments, and context. Through a series of prompts, you will develop a course-specific generative AI statement for inclusion in a course outline, Avenue site or both, that communicates your generative AI-related expectations and rationale. Because each course is unique, your approach to generative AI may differ across courses.

There is no single “correct” approach to generative AI in teaching and learning. Whether you view AI as a valuable professional tool, have concerns about its impact on learning, or fall somewhere in between, your statement should: 1) clearly communicate your approach and rationale, 2) align with McMaster’s guidelines, and 3) help students comprehend expectations and where to direct questions.

PART A: A Step-by-Step Reflective Process

Step 1: Reflect on Your Perspective

Before writing a statement, spend a few minutes considering your own views, assumptions, and experiences about generative AI.

Reflect on:

  • What opportunities and concerns do you see in the use of generative AI for teaching and learning?
  • What experiences, assumptions, or teaching values inform your perspectives on generative AI?

You may find yourself balancing competing priorities:

Tension

Value

Reflection
Human responsibility and critical evaluation The individual using generative AI remains responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and appropriateness of the final work Even when generative AI is used to support learning or work, what responsibilities should remain with the student or instructor for evaluating the accuracy, completeness, and appropriateness of the final product?
Transparency and disclosure Emphasize disclosure when generative AI contributes to work that affects others and the importance of being transparent about generative AI involvement at all levels How can generative AI use be disclosed in meaningful ways without creating unreasonable reporting expectations for students?
Privacy and protection of personal information Caution against uploading personal information, student work, or other sensitive data into unapproved generative AI tools (e.g., images of others, instructor materials) How can the potential benefits of generative AI be balanced with the need to protect personal information, student work, and sensitive data?
Academic integrity and original thought Generative AI outputs require human judgment and should not replace expertise or evaluation How can students use generative AI as a learning support while still demonstrating their own understanding, judgment, and intellectual contribution?
Bias, accuracy and limitations Generative AI outputs can represent a biased viewpoint which needs to be evaluated and checked for accuracy If you prohibit generative AI use, what might be limitations of that approach?

How can students and instructors benefit from generative AI while critically evaluating outputs for inaccuracies, omissions, bias, and unsupported claims? How might differences in access to generative AI tools, digital literacy, cost, or willingness to use generative AI affect students’ opportunities to succeed in the course?

 

In addition to the tensions above, you may also be influenced by broader considerations that extend beyond teaching and learning (e.g., the environmental impacts of generative AI, disciplinary expectations, accessibility, and equity). Consider how these factors may shape your decisions about the role of generative AI in this course.

Complete the sentence:

  • In the context of this course, I view generative AI as __________.

Please feel free to download the editable statement template and save it to your device so you can record your response for future reference.

Step 2: Consider The Course Context, Intended Learning Outcomes, and Assessments

Your perspective on generative AI is only one consideration in the decision-making process. Deciding whether to permit use of generative AI in the course is a pedagogical decision, one that should be grounded in the course context, disciplinary and professional considerations, and the program and course level intended learning outcomes. Together, these factors can help determine the role that generative AI should (or should not) play.

Reflect on:

  • What disciplinary norms or professional practices are relevant to generative AI use in the field?
  • How likely are students to encounter generative AI in future academic and professional contexts?
  • Are there characteristics of the student population (e.g., level, prior experience, accessibility and accommodations needs) or course (e.g., accreditation requirements) that influence your approach?
  • Does your Faculty, department, or program have established norms around AI use that should inform your course-level decision?

Complete the sentence:

  • In this course, students need opportunities to learn __________ in relation to generative AI.

Remember to record your response in your saved editable statement template if you would like to have a record for future reference.

McMaster’s generative AI guidelines encourage instructors to make decisions about generative AI use based on what students are learning in a course rather than on the technology itself. Students should have opportunities to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and values that the course is intended to help them develop.

Reflect on:

  • What knowledge, skills, and values are students expected to develop in the program and course (i.e., the intended learning outcomes), what learning tasks or processes should remain the responsibility of students to support meaningful learning and development, and are there aspects of learning where generative AI could be a helpful support?
  • How might generative AI use affect students’ achievement of the intended learning outcomes and their ability to demonstrate that achievement through assessments? What implications does this have for whether AI use expectations should be consistent across all assessments or vary from one assessment to the next?

Complete the sentence:

  • Because this course is designed to help students develop __________, I want generative AI to play the following role: __________.

Remember to record your response in your saved editable statement template if you would like to have a record for future reference.

Step 3: Define Student Use of AI

Generative AI permissions for students generally fall along a spectrum from no use permitted to purposeful integration where AI use is expected or encouraged as part of developing relevant skills and practices. Moreover, generative AI usage may vary by assessment even in the same course. The guidelines website includes sample course outline / syllabus statements across this range that you can adapt. If you expect students to use generative AI in the course, please remember that students should not be required to create an account with, or accept the terms of service for, an unreviewed third-party tool as a condition of completing assessed work.

Regardless of where generative AI usage falls in the spectrum noted above, students remain responsible for all submitted work and must be able to explain, justify, and defend any ideas, analyses, or content they submit. Student usage of generative AI in ways not described in the course outline or assessment, or students submitting work that includes uncited or unacknowledged AI-generated content, may constitute a violation of McMaster’s Academic Integrity Policy.

If you are generally prohibiting the use of generative AI, you may specify that students are not permitted to use AI at all, or they may not be permitted to use it to do things like generate assignments, produce analyses or conclusions presented as their own, complete assessments requiring independent work, or submit AI-generated content without authorization. Students should also verify the accuracy of any AI-generated citations.

If you are generally permitting the use of generative AI, you may allow students to use it as a learning support tool to brainstorm ideas, develop study materials, clarify concepts and instructions, improve writing, test their understanding, or explore alternative perspectives before forming their own analysis, among other things.

For each assessment, provide specific instructions in your course outline on how you want AI use acknowledged or cited. What counts as disclosable use will depend on the nature of the use. As a general principle, if AI made a substantive contribution to the work students are submitting (generating content, producing analysis, or shaping your argument) that use should be disclosed.

Complete the sentences that apply to your course context:

  • Students may use generative AI to __________.
  • Students should not use generative AI [full stop, or to__________].
  • Students should acknowledge / cite generative AI use by __________.

Remember to record your responses in your saved editable statement template if you would like to have a record for future reference.

McMaster’s guidelines on generative AI recommend developing your AI use policy collaboratively with students and revisiting it periodically, revising the policy as needed. This approach encourages critical discussion about the role of AI in the discipline, supports student engagement and shared understanding, and allows the policy to evolve in response to course needs and emerging practices. This resource will help you explore your own ideas and values in advance of the future discussion you will have with students. For helpful information on engaging students in conversation about generative AI, please see the Conversations About Generative AI Guide. You can also remind students that McMaster does offer supports for writing.

Step 4: Consider Instructor and Instructional Team Use of Generative AI

McMaster’s guidelines encourage instructors to be transparent when AI contributes meaningfully to teaching materials, feedback, or course processes. Keep in mind that current guidelines prohibit the use of generative AI to provide grades (letter or numeric) on student work. Generative AI tools may be used to provide feedback on student work if it is disclosed in the course outline, the feedback is checked for accuracy and bias, and students have the ability to opt-out of AI generated feedback.

Reflect on:

  • Will I use generative AI to generate content, activities, or assessments?
  • Will the instructional support staff (e.g., TAs) be permitted to use generative AI?
  • How will AI use be disclosed and documented, and what will the opt-out process entail for students?

Complete the sentences:

  • In this course, as instructor, I may use generative AI to __________. Teaching assistants and instructional support staff may use generative AI to __________. Any AI-generated content or feedback will be reviewed before being shared with students.

Remember to record your responses in your saved editable statement template if you would like to have a record for future reference.

Step 5: Plan for Questions and Uncertainty

Students will sometimes encounter situations not explicitly addressed in your course outline.

Reflect on:

  • What should students do if they are unsure whether use of generative AI is appropriate?
  • How will you encourage conversation about generative AI use?

Complete the sentence:

  • If you are unsure whether a particular use of generative AI is appropriate, __________.

Remember to record your response in your saved editable statement template if you would like to have a record for future reference.

PART B: Putting It All Together as A Statement

Use your reflections to draft a concise paragraph using clear, accessible language that avoids vague statements.

Template

Note: If no generative AI use is permitted in the course, the pieces in italics should be omitted.

In this course, generative AI is viewed as __________. Because students in this course need opportunities to learn how to __________ in relation to generative AI, and because the course is designed to help students develop __________, generative AI use is [prohibited, permitted, or integrated]. More specifically, students may use generative AI to __________ but should not use generative AI to __________. Where generative AI is used, students are expected to acknowledge / cite its use by __________. As the instructor, I may use generative AI to __________, and instructional support staff (e.g., TAs) may use generative AI to __________. Any AI-generated content or feedback will be reviewed before being shared with students. If you are unsure whether a particular use of generative AI is appropriate, please __________.

For a modifiable version of this paragraph, please download and save the editable statement template.

Example Statements

In this course, generative AI is viewed as a tool that may interfere with the development and demonstration of independent learning. Because students in this course need opportunities to learn how to develop and communicate their own ideas without the use of generative AI, and because the course is designed to help students develop independent writing and analysis, generative AI use is prohibited. As the instructor, I may use generative AI to support resource development. Any AI-generated materials will be reviewed before use. If you are unsure whether a particular use of generative AI is appropriate, please ask before using it.

In this course, generative AI is viewed as a learning support tool that can assist students when used thoughtfully and critically. Because students in this course need opportunities to learn how to evaluate and use AI-generated content responsibly, and because the course is designed to help students develop critical thinking and effective communication skills, generative AI use is permitted. More specifically, students may use generative AI to brainstorm ideas, study course concepts, and refine drafts, but they should not use generative AI in ways that replace the learning processes being assessed. Where generative AI is used, students are expected to acknowledge / cite its use as per the Students section of McMaster’s guidelines on generative AI. As the instructor, I may use generative AI to support course design and resource development, and instructional support staff (e.g., TAs) may use generative AI for crafting feedback on assessments. Any AI-generated content or feedback will be reviewed before being shared with students. Students may opt out of AI-supported feedback by contacting their TA. If you are unsure whether a particular use of generative AI is appropriate, please ask so we can discuss it together.

In this course, generative AI is viewed as an important professional and learning tool. Because students in this course need opportunities to learn how to use generative AI effectively, critically, and ethically, and because the course is designed to help students develop skills that are increasingly relevant in academic and professional contexts, generative AI use is integrated. One graded assessment in this course includes the use of generative AI to explore a course concept; students who prefer not to use generative AI may complete an alternative assessment. Broadly, students in the course may use generative AI to brainstorm ideas, explore concepts, refine drafts, and complete designated practice activities. Students should not use generative AI to submit work without critically evaluating, adapting, and taking responsibility for the final product. Where generative AI is used, students are expected to acknowledge / cite its use as per the Students section of McMaster’s guidelines on generative AI. As the instructor, I may use generative AI to help develop learning activities, examples, and supporting materials, and instructional support staff (e.g., TAs) may use generative AI to support approved course-related tasks, including feedback preparation. Any AI-generated content or feedback will be reviewed before being shared with students. Students may opt out of AI-supported feedback by contacting their TA. If you are unsure whether a particular use of generative AI is appropriate, please consult with me before proceeding.