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Using GenAI in Teaching and Learning

Generative AI (GenAI) technologies offer many potential benefits for teaching and learning - but GenAI also presents risks if implemented without due consideration to areas such as academic integrity, privacy and equity of access. For example, an AI-powered chatbot may allow opportunities for students to engage in a Socratic dialogue with a virtual tutor. However, students may have committed plagiarism if they then reused the chatbot's responses without proper citation.
This section aims to support you to:

  • identify ways in which GenAI can be used to enhance and support teaching and learning;
  • define key questions to consider when planning your use of GenAI;
  • utilise the PAIR framework to make informed decisions regarding ethical and responsible use of GenAI within your own teaching.

Using GenAI to enhance and support learning

Given the capabilities of GenAI tools, they hold considerable potential for enhancing and supporting the learning process.  However, they also have limitations which can pose risks to academic integrity. When deciding if you will use GenAI or how you will use it, it is useful to consider the following questions:

 (adapted from UK Government (2023).

  • How is the system using your question? Recognising that all GenAI systems learn from every input they receive is essential. Therefore, whenever you or your students interact with any of these tools, carefully reflect on the type of information and tasks provided, as they will contribute to the system's learning and development.
  • How can the answers provided by GenAI mislead you? Be aware that the output always requires that content and references are verified.
  • How does GenAI operate? What context might the tool have missed? GenAI works based on predictions. These tools cannot understand or analyse the context of bias. For this reason, always use your knowledge and judgement to analyse and identify gaps, weaknesses, inaccuracies or false information in the outputs.

If you decide to embed GenAI into your teaching, you should also ensure that:

  • students have equitable access to tools at no additional costs;
  • students are given opportunities to practice using GenAI tools;
  • parameters for the appropriate use of GenAI tools are clear;
  • students are supported to write effective prompts for GenAI tools: the quality of the prompt is essential not only for a good output but also to avoid plagiarism;
  • any GenAI use is aligned with learning outcomes and related teaching strategies. Clearly explain the purpose of using GenAI and how you expect students to use it as part of their learning experience.

GenAI tools are developing rapidly and the use of GenAI for teaching and learning is new for both staff and students. As with any new practice, it is advised that you experiment responsibly, reflect on your experiences and use your reflections and students’ feedback to inform your teaching practice. An example of this approach in action can be found in the podcast series 'Generative AI in Radiation Oncology Education - Friend of Foe?' by Prof. Michelle Leech from Trinity where discusses the opportunities and pitfalls of GenAI in oncology education.

Click on the links below to explore examples of how GenAI can be used as part of the teaching and learning process, along with links to relevant examples from the disciplines.  

Using GenAI as an initial research tool

GenAI is trained on a vast pool of content and artefacts and as a result, can be useful for gathering basic information about a topic as part of initial research activities.

When using GenAI in this way, students should always be advised that:

  • the outputs of the tool are only as accurate and up-to-date as the content on which the tool has been trained. If the data on which the tool has been trained is outdated, the outputs will also be outdated. Similarly, if a GenAI tool is trained on biased information (and many such tools are), the outputs will also reflect these biases.  
  • they should check all references and cited sources. GenAI is notorious for generating false citations.
  • they should verify all facts and data. Never consider the output as a unique source, and complement and contrast the information with other sources.

The following excerpt from Trinity’s School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies provides a useful example of GenAI used in this way and related guidance:

Suppose your prompt is “Discuss the causes of the French Revolution” and you want to know if anyone has ever discussed them in terms of climate change. We cannot reasonably expect you to read everything, and if nobody whom you read on the topic mentions climate change, you are left wondering if someone else might have mentioned it. At this point you can start googling or doing JSTOR searches, and AI could be a useful shortcut for this. However, you need to check the result: suppose AI tells you that “A prominent advocate of the role of climate change in causing the French Revolution has been Samantha O’Donnell in a series of papers starting from the 1990s, especially Grain and the Guillotine, published in Historical Studies” … You need to go and check that this paper (and even this author) actually exist! Also, you will probably impress the marker more if you go on to read the paper, and have something to say about it).
(School of Languages, Literature & Cultural Studies, Student Handbook 2023-24, p.31)

Using GenAI as a summarising tool

GenAI can be a useful tool for summarising content from a wide range of sources,   generating key takeaways, highlighting actionable tasks, or identifying key information from a data pool (e.g. an excel spreadsheet).

When using GenAI in this way, students should be advised to:

  • ensure that any document or information that they are inputting into GenAI does not compromise privacy or intellectual property. (For example, it would be a breach of privacy to ask GenAI to summarise private emails.)
  • check that key information is captured and accurately represented and interpreted.

GenAI as tool to develop and strengthen critical thinking skills

While the current limitations of GenAI technologies can present various risks for staff and students, these limitations can also present an opportunity for developing and strengthening students’ critical thinking and analytical skills.  
For example:

  • Ask students to compare two GenAI outputs generated in response to the same prompt with a view to identifying bias, decontextualised content, inaccuracies and/or fake information. This will help students to understand the limitations of the tools and strengthen their critical skills.
  • Ask students to design a solution for a particular problem. Then ask them to use GenAI to generate a solution for the same problem. By comparing both solutions, students can get an insight into different arguments or problem-solving strategies.

Ask students to create a prompt for a particular question/task/problem within your discipline. (For example “Can you identify three ways of reducing water consumption?”)
Then ask students to (a) verify the accuracy of the references and (b) find 3-5 additional reliable resources to back up the output. In a post-task discussion, ask students to consider and reflect on the accuracy and reliability of the GenAI output (including references) and how these compare to other reliable resources.
By cultivating a critical approach, students learn to question and challenge the source and indeed the logic behind what they read, including AI-generated text.

GenAI for personalised learning support

GenAI tools (such as chatbots) can provide personalised learning support, catering to students’ unique needs and learning preferences. For example, GenAI can be used to create customised learning materials and revision notes in response to individual student prompts and it can provide immediate feedback. This level of personalisation combined with a critical approach, can be invaluable for students who require additional support or guidance outside of the classroom.

When using GenAI in this way, students should be advised to:

  • read the output carefully and consider if it has addressed the questions asked;
  • consider the accuracy of any revision notes and/or feedback.

Using the PAIR Framework supporting Teaching and Learning when using GenAI

The PAIR framework (Problem formulation, AI tool selection, Interaction and Reflection) supports staff and students to use GenAI in responsible, skilled and human-centred ways through a structured four-phase approach. Developed by Professor Oguz Acar (2023) from King’s College London, the PAIR Framework consists of four steps:.

PAIR Framework

Figure 1: PAIR Framework. Based on Acar, Oguz A. (2023). “Are Your Students Ready for AI? A 4-Step Framework to Prepare Learners for a ChatGPT World.”

Click on the titles below to read more about each of the four elements of the PAIR Framework:

Identify the core problem that students aim to address. Analyse and define the scope and boundaries of the problem in an accurate manner to help students identify what they expect to get from using GenAI.

For example:

Engineering students are asked to find an environmental solution to make their campus more sustainable. They must target the solution to address one of the following three areas:  energy efficiency, water management or waste management.  Students choose the specific area they wish to target and the problem they wish to address, ensuring the scope is well-defined and manageable. By setting clear boundaries, students can focus their efforts and formulate the problem in an accurate manner.

Undertake a thorough analysis of available AI tools and select the one most suited to respond to the identified problem. This selection process requires a justification that clarifies the potential and limitations of each evaluated tool.

Students engage with the chosen AI tool and analyse its outputs in the context of the problem. For example, they should identify gaps, decontextualised information, hallucinations or other inaccuracies. This interaction is designed to foster a deep understanding of the AI-generated responses.

Students are then encouraged to reflect critically on and evaluate how the outputs contribute to resolving the problem. This critical evaluation allows students to critique, analyse, judge, and, if necessary, enhance the AI-generated solutions to the disciplinary problem.

Frequently asked questions when using GenAI for teaching

To download these questions, please click here.

What should you NOT do with GenAI?

It is important to understand that some uses of GenAI are illegal and break General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law. For example, just as you are not allowed share private data or sensitive information about colleagues, students or other personal information on websites or via other electronic means, you are NOT allowed to use private student or staff information as part of your queries or instructions when using GenAI tools. Sensitive information includes: personal or identifiable information, financial or health information, passwords, sensitive or classified communications, and legal documents; to do so is illegal as you are sharing private information with a third party (the GenAI provider). Most GenAI tools harvest such information and use the interactions with users for training their systems.

Content which is confidential in Trinity, confidential to your studies or work (research, teaching or administrative), which is not public or for which you do not own the copyright should NOT be used in creating prompts or providing contextual information for GenAI to generate content. This is because sharing such information with another party is against College regulations. For example, it is not appropriate to use confidential university data as input information to a GenAI tool to generate new content. 

How do I cite or acknowledge the use of GenAI ?

Students must disclose and acknowledge the use of GenAI in their academic work and this can be done using various formats. Two examples (APA and Chicago) are illustrated below. Further examples are provided in this guide from UC San Diego. It is advisable to check School guidelines to ensure that you are using the correct format.

APA Style:

APA citation style

Example adapted from: Trinity College, Perth, Australia (unaffiliated to Trinity College, Dublin).

Chicago Style:

Chicago citation style

In this format the URL at the end is not essential in the citation.

Sample Guidance from Trinity College Dublin Course Handbooks

Some examples of guidelines on how to reference the use of GenAI are below:

School of Languages, Literature and Cultural Studies General Handbook 2023-24 (2023, p.27):

Open AI. Accessed 5th Jan 2023. ChatGPT. Accessed at: https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt/. Prompt: “Give me two scholars who are sceptical of deconstructionist approaches to Italian poetry”.

Centre for Academic Practice Student Handbook 2024-2025 (2024, p.35):

If you use GenAI as part of your work, please adhere to the following: 

  • State what tool(s) you used: include the version (for example, ChatGPT 3.5) and add a link to the tool. 
  • Explain how (and at what points) you have used the tool(s) to support the completion of your work: for example, to enhance your original work, to brainstorm ideas, to generate materials to support your learning, etc…) 
  • Add your prompt (s) and provide details on the outputs generated. (You can add a screenshot) 
  • Explain how you used the outputs in your learning or assessment context. 

Can I use, or ask my students to use, GenAI to analyse data (numeric or text-based)?

You may use GenAI if:

  1. the data is GDPR compliant, and
  2. it does not contain sensitive or private data and
  3. If you own or hold the intellectual property / copyright for the data.

Meeting all the conditions mentioned above, you can use GenAI which will give you a starting point for your analysis, but in any case, it should not be used as a unique source. You are required to use other reliable mechanisms and tools to analyse your data.  

Important:

Do not input data for analysis without the consent of the data owner. Do not rely on the GenAI outputs. You should ensure your analysis is complete, accurate, and follows scientific principles.  

(Adapted from the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies Student Handbook in Trinity) 

Can I ask my students to use GenAI for writing activities?

When advising students to use GenAI for writing activities, consider that you and your students should be clear that any learning activity that includes submissions (even if it is not assignments) must be written by each student. You need to guide them to understand that only original work will be considered. If at any stage of the writing process GenAI is used, it should be acknowledged as mentioned above.

In cases where you or your students are using text from a GenAI source, this should be acknowledged and put in quotation marks with a reference as suggested:

Creator. Date of Access. Platform/Tool used. Accessed at: URL. Prompt: “[Text of the prompt you entered].”

Example using ChatGPT:

Open AI. Accessed 5th Jan 2023. ChatGPT. Accessed at: https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt/. Prompt: “Give me two scholars who are sceptical of deconstructionist approaches to Italian poetry”.

If a student gave multiple prompts, there should be multiple citations.

If a student generates content from a GenAI tool and submits it as their own work, it is considered plagiarism, which is defined as academic misconduct in accordance with the College Academic Integrity Policy. If a sentence or quotation is being used by a student in their answer, then it must be referenced. <A link to College guidelines will be added here when published.>. For more details and examples, please see the GenAI and Asssessment page. Cases of plagiarism are considered under College Academic Misconduct Procedures.

(Adapted from the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies Student Handbook in Trinity) 

Can I or the students use grammar spellcheckers?

Microsoft Word spellchecker and grammar checker (or the equivalents) are fine: they are not considered AI, and you can use them without special acknowledgement – even if the assessment is in a foreign language.

Microsoft Word Editor (accessed by clicking top right in recent versions of Word) is a borderline case. Some markers will not object to this, some will depend on the purpose of the writing, i.e. an essay in an assessment context.

Ensure that your school/programme team has guidelines which students can easily refer to in their course handbook, Blackboard module etc.

(Adapted from the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies Student Handbook in Trinity) 

How can I support my students to author effective prompts for GenAI?

The quality of the prompts is essential not only for a good output but also to avoid plagiarism (see the Assessment page). This is why it is so important to help and support your students to create prompts. Some practices to consider:

  • Be specific, clear and detailed on what you are asking GenAI to do. For example, using the prompt ‘find weak ideas or gaps between ideas in this text’ produces different results to a simple prompt such as ‘improve this text’. With the first prompt, student can more fully evaluate how to improve the original and unique ideas of their work.
  • Provide specific tasks to focus the AI output.
  • Break down complex tasks into multiple short prompts.
  • Specify the desired format, tone and style of the output (Elon University and AAC&U, 2024).

For more information on maximizing learning with effective prompt writing, visit the University of Calgary guidelines.

Key Takeaways

  • GenAI tools can provide scaffolding for personalised and adaptive learning experiences, creating customised learning materials based on individual student requirements and preferences. All these opportunities can increase the quality of the learning process and outcomes.
  • GenAI can be used to support teaching and learning in various ways, for example, as an initial research tool, a summarising tool, a tool to develop and strengthen critical skills, a Study Buddy tool, and a tool to personalise learning support.
  •  The PAIR Framework (Problem formulation, AI tool selection, interaction and reflection) provides a structured approach to integrating GenAI into teaching and learning in higher education.
  • Before prompting any GenAI tool, respond to the three ‘How’ questions to make an informed decision: How is the system using your question? How can the answers provided by GenAI mislead you? How does generative AI operate?
  • It is essential to ensure that students have equitable and free access to tools, that you have discussed the parameters for their use of GenAI, and that you have offered instances to learn how to prompt and interact with GenAI.
  • There are key questions to respond to before planning the uses of GenAI in teaching: What should you not do with GenAI? How do you use GenAI for analysing data (numeric or text-based)? How do you use it for writing activities? How do you use it for grammar spellcheckers?

Resources

  • Acar, A. (2024). "Are Your Students Ready for AI? A 4-Step Framework to Prepare Learners for a ChatGPT World" Harvard Business Publishing Education.
  • Ding, L., & Wu, S. (2024). Digital transformation of education in China: A review against the backdrop of the 2024 World Digital Education Conference. Science Insights Education Frontiers, 20(2), 3283-3299.
  • Dwivedi, Y. K., Kshetri, N., Hughes, L., Slade, E. L., Jeyaraj, A., Kar, A. K., & Wright, R. (2023). “So what if ChatGPT wrote it?” Multidisciplinary perspectives on opportunities, challenges and implications of generative conversational AI for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management71, 102642.
  • Godwin-Jones, R. (2024). Distributed agency in second language learning and teaching through generative AI. arXiv preprint arXiv:2403.20216.
  •  Jisc (2024). Embrace Artificial Intelligence with confidence. Jisc National Centre for AI
  • Leech, Michelle (Host) (2024-present). Generative AI in Radiation Oncology Education - Friend of Foe? [Audio podcast]. Spotify.
  • Trinity College Dublin, School of Languages, Literature and Cultural Studies. (2023-2024). Student handbook.
  • UK Government. (2023). Guidance to civil servants on use of generative AI.

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