The following information is designed to complement University academic integrity policies; in no way does it supersede or replace that information.
With respect to educational and academic outcomes, the infusion of AI-enabled tools into higher education has been polarizing. Students who develop AI-related proficiencies benefit their marketability and career-preparedness; however, this is only true when students learn to use those tools ethically and responsibly. Improper use impedes learning, opportunities for helpful academic feedback, and stunts the development of cognitive skills and expertise. When used improperly, AI-enabled tools not only fail to benefit a student’s marketability and career-preparedness, they undermine them.
To best prepare themselves, students should use AI-enabled tools to augment, not replace, their learning, their understanding of foundational knowledge, and their information-synthesis and information-application skills. Students bolster their marketability when they demonstrate their cognitive skills broadly and deeply without assistance, including their abilities to think flexibly, critically, creatively, and ethically.
“Although AI can perform many tasks faster and at a greater scale than humans, it often struggles in situations that demand human judgment, connection, and interpretation. As a result, these skills become a meaningful competitive advantage for individuals seeking to future-proof their careers and for organizations navigating digital disruption”
-Tim Stobeierki, Digital Transformations & AI, Harvard Business School
With this in mind, Penn State educators need to consider their learning objectives and determine the role AI-enabled tools will play in their courses. They need to communicate clearly how they will assess students’ progress and achievement and how they will do that fairly. To that end, we provide Senate-approved language for an academic integrity syllabus statement, recommended language about students’ use of AI tools, and recommendations around students’ use of Smart Glasses.
Penn State also provides resources and pointers to resources designed for educators and students. These resources include a general use guide and a guide to AI use designed by Penn State Libraries, which further includes information on citing the use of an AI-enabled tool and guidelines for ethical use.
Educators are also reminded that the results of AI detecting tools may motivate conversations with students, but are not reliable enough to use as the basis for an academic decision. Educators seeking guidance on the detection of AI-enabled tool use should consider the information in the Academic Integrity FAQs for Faculty (PDF).