Assessment and Assignment Guidance in the GAI Era

CATL is often asked questions about how to approach assessments in the wake of easy access to generative artificial intelligence (GAI). We hope to crowd-source suggestions and examples from our own instructors so that we can build a repository of work from the UWGB community in Canvas. Please take our GAI Assignment Repository survey if you have any ideas or assignment samples that you are willing to contribute. We will collect results and share them once we have a critical mass. In the meantime, please feel free to use these resources from other institutions or professional organizations.

Deterring the Use of GAI

One of the most frequent concerns expressed by instructors is that students will simply use GAI to complete their assignments. It makes very good sense to type your own assignment prompt into Copilot or another GAI tool to see if it can complete the assessment – and modify the assignment if it can. Although these are not perfect strategies, multiple authors have suggested the following mitigation strategies:

  • Be very clear with students about your GAI policy and talk with them about the reasons for it and for completing their work independently. Carleton College has an interesting site aimed at a student audience about GAI use and evolving understandings of academic integrity that you could use to frame a discussion with your class.
  • Use shorter, more frequent assessments that build on each other to reduce the motivation to use GAI that can come with a small number of high-stakes/point assignments.
  • Scaffold your assignments such that each one builds on another.
  • Create assessments that involve integration of material from class (which GAI does not have access to) with other sources.
  • Require some element of reflection on the learning experience or completing the assignment.
  • Ask students to submit outlines, drafts, or save their document history in Word or Google Docs to show the evolution of a paper or project.
  • Consider the use of oral presentations, including question and answer, as a method for demonstrating understanding.
  • Employ in-class writing assignments such as Minute Papers for face-to-face courses.

The Office of Digital Learning at UN-Reno has created a more detailed document with strategies for re-designing assessments in the GAI era.

Teaching About the Use and Ethics of GAI

Some instructors are seeking strategies for teaching students about GAI and how to use it, as well as about related issues, such as the ethics of use. Instructors from the University of Central Florida collected more than 60 assignments related to GAI, including the teaching of prompt engineering. The New School has a shorter, more direct page of instructions for prompt creation. Co-Intelligence author Dr. Ethan Mollick and collaborator Dr. Lilach Mollick have created an extensive paper that outlines seven complex ways to use GAI in education, and they include sample prompts and a discussion of the potential risks of their ideas. Finally, as just one example of teaching about the ethics of AI use, consider this assignment designed, in part, to teach about cultural bias in GAI.

Creating Assessments that Make Use of GAI

Finally, there are instructors looking for creative assignments that use GAI as an intentional tool in an assessment to facilitate student learning. Numerous universities and organizations have assembled collections of such assignments, including the following:

Remember, we hope to create a collection of examples from UWGB instructors. Please complete our survey today to share your contribution with your colleagues!

Sample Assignments for Different Approaches to GAI Use

In a previous CATL article, we recommended using the traffic light model to guide students on the appropriate use of generative AI (GAI) in assignments and course activities. Assuming you’ve already included a policy on GAI in your syllabus, it’s also important to provide clear instructions in your assignment descriptions. Below are some examples of assignment descriptions, using the traffic light approach and graphic. Instructors will vary on whether they want to use that visual or simply explain in words. If you choose to use the stoplight visuals, please be sure to provide an accompanying description of what that means for your specific assignment. While tailored to specific subjects, these samples share common strategies.

Consider the following general suggestions when designing your assignments:

  • Be clear and specific about GAI use in your syllabi and assignments. Clearly outline when and how GAI can be used for assignments and activities. Avoid ambiguity so students know exactly what’s expected. For example, if brainstorming is allowed but not writing, specify that distinction.
  • Include GAI usage disclaimers in assignment directions. Regularly remind students by adding a GAI disclaimer at the beginning of assignment instructions. This will make them accustomed to looking for guidance on AI use before starting their work.
  • Explain the rational for AI use or nonuse. Help students understand the reasoning behind when GAI can or cannot be used. This can reinforce the learning objectives and clarify the purposes behind your guidelines.
  • Clarify the criteria for evaluating AI collaboration. Specify how assignments will be graded concerning AI use. If students need to acknowledge or cite their AI usage, provide specific instructions on how they should do so.
  • Define which AI tools students can use. Should students stick to Microsoft Copilot (available to them with their UWGB account, so they don’t have to provide personal information to a third party or pay a subscription fee) or can they use others like ChatGPT?
  • Use the TILT framework. Leading with transparent design for assignments and activities helps students clearly understand the purpose, tasks, and assessment criteria. This framework can also help instructors clarify how GAI should be used and assessed in assignments.

Sample Assignment Instructions on AI Use

Red Light Approach: No GAI Use Permitted Assignment Example

The example below is for a writing emphasis course and the assignment purpose is to evaluate students’ own writing. For this assignment, GAI tools are not allowed. The instructor includes an explanation of this description to further clarify the assignment’s purpose.

Yellow Light Approach: GAI Use Permitted for Specific Tasks/Tools Examples

The yellow-light approach can be hard to define depending on what you want students to practice and develop for a given assignment. We’ve provided two samples below that each take a slightly different approach, but all clearly label what tools and for what tasks AI can be used and why.

Green Light Approach: All GAI Use Permitted

Instructors may choose to take a green light approach to AI for all assignments or allow AI use for selected assignments. The example below takes a low-stakes approach, permitting full AI use to encourage experimentation. Even with this method, instructors should provide clear assignment expectations.

Learn More

Explore even more CATL resources related to AI in education.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) and Acknowledging or Citing Use

UW-Green Bay’s libraries have an excellent student-facing webpage on how to acknowledge or formally cite the use of GAI. This blog is intended to supplement that resource with information more specific to instructors. Professors will be vital in helping students understand both the ethics and practicalities of transparency when employing GAI tools in our work. Please keep the following caveats in mind as you explore this resource.

  • As with all things GAI, new developments are rapid and commonplace, which means everyone needs to be on the alert for changes.
  • Instructors are the ones who decide their specific course policies on disclosing or citing GAI. The information below provides some options for formatting acknowledgments, but they are not exhaustive.
  • Providing acknowledgment for the use of GAI may seem straightforward, but it is actually a very nuanced topic. Questions about copyright implications, whether AI can be considered an “author,” and the ethics of relationships between large AI entities and publishing houses are beyond the scope of this blog. Know, though, that such issues are being discussed.
  • Please remember that it is not only important for students to acknowledge or cite the use of GAI. Instructors need to do so with their use of it, as well.

Acknowledgment or Citation of GAI

There is a difference between acknowledging the use of GAI with a simple statement at the end of a paper, requiring students to submit a full transcript of their GAI chat in an appendix, and providing a formal citation in APA, MLA, or Chicago styles.

  • UWGB Libraries have some excellent acknowledgment examples on their page.
  • UWM’s library page provides basic templates for citations intended to be consistent with APA, MLA, and Chicago styles.
  • There are also lengthy blog explanations and detailed citation examples available directly from APA, MLA, and the Chicago Manual of Style.

Regardless of the specific format being used, the information likely to be required to acknowledge or cite GAI includes:

  1. The name of the GAI tool (e.g., Copilot, ChatGPT)
    Microsoft Copilot, OpenAI’s ChatGPT 4.o (May 23, 2024 version), etc.
  2. The specific use of the GAI tool
    “to correct grammar and reduce the length in one paragraph of a 15-page paper”
  3. The precise prompts entered (initial and follow-up)
    “please reduce this paragraph by 50 words and correct grammatical errors”; follow-up prompt: “now cut 50 words from this revised version”
  4. The specific output and how it was used (perhaps even a full transcript)
    “specific suggestions, some of which were followed, of words to cut and run-on sentences to revise”
  5. The date the content was created
    August 13, 2024

Ultimately, instructors decide what format is best for their course based on their field of study, the nature and extent of GAI use permitted, and the purpose of the assignment. It is important to proactively provide specific information to students about assignments. Professors who are particularly interested in whether students are using GAI effectively may focus on the prompts used or even ask for the full transcript of a session. If, in a specific assignment, the instructor is more interested in students learning their discipline’s citation style, then they might ask for a formal citation using APA format. Although the decision is up to the professor, they should tell students in advance and strongly encourage them to have separate Word documents for each of their classes in which they save any GAI chats (including prompts and output) and their date. That way they have records to go back to; If they use Copilot with data protection, it does not save the content of sessions.

What Messages Might I Give to Students about Using, Disclosing, or Citing GAI?

Instructors should consider how they will apply this information about acknowledgments and citations in their own classes. CATL encourages you to do the following in your work with students.

  1. Decide on a policy for acknowledging/citing GAI use for each course assignment and communicate it in your syllabus and any applicable handouts, Canvas pages, etc.
  2. Reinforce for students that GAI makes mistakes. Students are ultimately responsible for the accuracy of the work they submit and for not using others’ intellectual property without proper acknowledgment. They should be encouraged to check on the actual existence of any sources cited by a GAI tool because they are sometimes “hallucinated,” not genuine.
  3. Talk to students about the peer review and publication processes and what those mean for source credibility compared to the “scraping” process used to train GAI models.
  4. Explain that GAI is not objective. It can contain bias. It has been created by humans and trained on data primarily produced by humans, which means it can reflect their very real biases.
  5. Communicate that transparency in GAI use is critical. Instructors should be clear with their students about when and how they may use GAI to complete specific assignments. At the same time, one of the best ways instructors can share the importance of transparency and attribution is through modeling it themselves (e.g., an instructor disclosing that they used Copilot to create a case study for their course and modeling how to format the disclosure).
  6. Remind students that even if the specific format varies, the information they are most likely to have to produce for a disclosure/acknowledgment or citation is: a) the name of the tool, b) the specific use of the tool, c) the prompts used, d) the output produced, and e) the date of use.
  7. Finally, encourage students to copy and paste all GAI interaction information, including an entire chat history, into a Word document for your course and to save it for future reference. One advantage of Microsoft Copilot with data protections is that it does not retain chat histories. That’s wonderful from a security perspective, but it makes it impossible to re-create that information once a session has ended. They should also know that even GAI tools that save interactions and use them to train their model are unlikely to re-produce a session even if the same prompt is entered.

Indicating Generative AI Assignment Permissions with the Traffic Light Model (Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light)

CATL recommends using the red, yellow, and green light approach to clearly label what level of generative AI (GAI) use is permitted for each of your course assignments. The traffic lights will be useful, but students will also need precise written instructions to supplement them on each assignment’s instructions. In general, you should include: a) whether GAI use is permitted, b) what tasks it can (e.g., brainstorming topic ideas) and can’t (e.g., creating text) be used on, c) how it should be cited (if applicable), and d) a rationale for why it can/can’t be used. We have provided brief examples below, but keep in mind that lengthy assignments that involve complex GAI use might require much more detailed instructions of even a page or more. Note that the text in brackets [ ] is designed to provide some examples of words that might go there; you will need to choose and insert your own text.

Red Light Approach: No GAI Use Permitted

A red traffic light illuminated with an “x” symbol.Collaboration with any GAI tool is forbidden for this activity. This assignment’s main goal is to develop your own [e.g., writing, coding] skills. Generative AI tools cannot be used because doing so will not be helpful to your own skill development and confidence in those abilities.

Yellow Light Approach: GAI Use Permitted for Specific Tasks and/or Using Specific Tools

A yellow traffic light illuminated with an “!” symbol.You may use the GAI tool Copilot – and only Copilot – for specific tasks in this assignment, but not for all of them. You may use GAI tools to [brainstorm a research topic], but not for [writing or editing your research proposal]. You will need to properly cite or disclose your generative AI using [e.g., APA Style]. If you are unsure or confused about what GAI use is permitted, please reach out to me.

OR

You may use GAI tools on this assignment to [e.g., create the budget for your grant proposal], but not to do anything else, such as create text, construct your persuasive arguments, or edit your writing. You will need to properly cite or disclose your generative AI using [e.g., APA Style]. Although other tools are permitted, you are strongly encouraged to use Microsoft Copilot with data protections for reasons of security, equity, and access to GBIT technical support.

Green Light Approach: All GAI Use Permitted

A green traffic light illuminated with a checkmark symbol. You are encouraged to use GAI tools for this assignment. Any generative AI use will need to be disclosed and cited using the methods described in your syllabus. For this assignment, you may use GAI tools to [e.g., brainstorm, create questions, text, or code, organize information, build arguments, and edit]. You will need to properly cite or disclose how/where you used generative AI using [e.g., APA Style]. If you would like feedback on your GAI tool use or have questions, please reach out to me.

 

Outlining When and How Students May Use GAI

An instructor may want to outline specific tasks when using the traffic light approach. Consider some of the examples below.

You may use AI to “[task(s)]”, but not to “[task(s)]”:

  • Analyze Data
  • Brainstorm Ideas, Thesis Statements, etc.
  • Build Arguments
  • Conduct Peer Review
  • Create Discussion Posts
  • Create Questions
  • Create Study Guides
  • Develop Thesis Statements
  • Edit Content
  • Format Documents/Presentations
  • Generate Citations
  • Generate New Text, Code, Art, etc.
  • Generate Research Questions
  • Generate Samples/Examples
  • Organize Information
  • Provide Explanations/Definitions
  • Research a Topic
  • Search for Research Articles
  • Summarize Text/Literature/Article
  • Write Self-Reflections

Learn More

Explore even more CATL resources related to AI in education:

If you have questions, concerns, or ideas specific to generative AI tools in education and the classroom, please email us at catl@uwgb.edu or set up a consultation!

How Will Generative AI Change My Course? (GAI Checklist)

With the growing prevalence of generative AI applications and the ongoing discussions surrounding their integration in higher education, it can be overwhelming to contemplate their impact on your courses, learning materials, and field. As we navigate these new technologies, it is crucial to reflect on how generative AI can either hinder or enhance your teaching methods. CATL has created a checklist designed to help instructors consider how generative artificial intelligence (GAI) products may affect your courses and learning materials (syllabi, learning outcomes, and assessment).

Each step provides guidance on how to make strategic course adaptations and set course expectations that address these tools. As you go through the checklist, you may find yourself revisiting previous steps as you reconsider your course specifics and understanding of GAI.

Checklist for Assessing the Impact of Generative AI on your Course

View an abridged, printable version of the checklist to work through on your own.

Step One: Experiment with Generative AI

  • Experiment with GAI tools. Test Copilot (available to UWGB faculty, staff, and students) by inputting your own assignment prompts and assessing its performance in completing your assignments.
  • Research the potential benefits, concerns, and use cases regarding generative AI to gain a sense of the potential applications and misuses of this technology.

Step Two: Review Your Learning Outcomes

  • Reflect on your course learning outcomes. A good place to start is by reviewing this resource on AI and Bloom’s Taxonomy which considers AI capabilities for each learning level. Which outcomes lend themselves well to the use of generative AI and which outcomes emphasize your students’ distinctive human skills? Keep this in mind as you move on to steps three and four, as the way students demonstrate achieved learning outcomes may need to be revised.

Step Three: Assess the Extent of GAI Use in Class

  • Assess to what extent your course or discipline will be influenced by AI advancements. Are experts in your discipline already collaborating with GAI tools? Will current or future careers in your field work closely with these technologies? If so, consider what that means about your responsibility to prepare students for using generative AI effectively and ethically.
  • Determine the extent of usage appropriate for your course. Will you allow students to use GAI all the time or not at all? If students can use it, is it appropriate only for certain assignments/activities with guidance and permission from the instructor? If students can use GAI, how and when should they cite their use of these technologies (MLA, APA, Chicago)? Be specific and clear with your students.
  • Revisit your learning outcomes (step two). After assessing the impact of advancements in generative AI on your discipline and determining how the technology will be used (or not used) in your course, return to your learning outcomes and reassess if they align with course changes/additions you may have identified in this step.

Step Four: Review Your Assignments/Assessments

  • Evaluate your assignments to determine how AI can be integrated to support learning outcomes. The previous steps asked you to consider the relevance of AI to your field and its potential impact on students’ future careers. How are professionals in your discipline using AI, and how might you include AI-related skills in your course? What types of skills will students need to develop independently of AI, such as creativity, interpersonal skills, judgement, metacognitive reflection, and contextual reasoning? Can using AI for some parts of an assignment free up students’ time to focus more on the parts that develop these skills?
  • View, again, this resource on AI capabilities versus distinctive human skills as they relate to the levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.
  • Define AI’s role in your course assignments and activities. Like step three, you’ll want to be clear with your students on how AI may be used for specific course activities. Articulate which parts of an assignment students can use AI assistance for and which parts students need to complete without AI. If AI use doesn’t benefit an assignment, explain to your students why it’s excluded and how the assignment work will develop relevant skills that AI can’t assist with. If you find AI is beneficial, consider how you will support your students’ usage for tasks like editing, organizing information, brainstorming, and formatting. In your assignment instructions, explain how students should cite or otherwise disclose their use of AI.
  • Apply the TILT framework to your assignments to help students understand the value of the work and the criteria for success.

Step Five: Update Your Syllabus

  • Add a syllabus statement outlining the guidelines you’ve determined pertaining to generative AI in your course. You can refer to our syllabus snippets for examples of generative AI-related syllabi statements.
  • Include your revised or new learning outcomes in your syllabus and consider how you will emphasize the importance of those course outcomes for students’ career/skill development.
  • Address and discuss your guidelines and expectations for generative AI usage with students on day one of class and put them in your syllabus. Inviting your students to provide feedback on course AI guidelines can help increase their understanding and buy-in.

Step Six: Seek Support and Resources

  • Engage with your colleagues to exchange experiences and practices for incorporating or navigating generative AI.
  • Stay informed about advancements and applications of generative AI technology.

Checklist for Assessing the Impact of Generative AI on Your Course © 2024 by Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Want More Resources?

Visit the CATL blog, The Cowbell, for more resources related to generative AI in higher education.

Need Help?

CATL is available to offer assistance and support at every step of the checklist presented above. Contact CATL for a consultation or by email at CATL@uwgb.edu if you have questions, concerns, or perhaps are apprehensive to go through this checklist.