To promote a sense of Academic Belonging, it is important to develop a feeling of trust with students. While you should start from a place of trust and avoid assuming that students will act dishonestly, it is nonetheless important to have a plan in place for how you will respond if you do suspect a student has used GenAI in an inappropriate way. Being transparent about that plan can actually help to build further trust between you and your students, by demonstrating that you want them to have all the information they need to succeed in your course.
If you strongly suspect a student has inappropriately used GenAI in your course, the precise steps you might take will differ by your department, school, or college. However, the advice below, can help you to begin planning your responses.
- Beware of accusing students outright
- Our ability to accurately identify the use of GenAI tools at present is quite weak. Without concrete evidence, wrongful accusations can seriously damage student trust and morale. It’s crucial to focus on educating students about academic integrity and responsible tool usage.
- Ask the student to meet with you
- Say something like “I have some concerns about your assignment. Please come to see me.” Then during the meeting you should:
- Not be confrontational. (Remember that you may not be certain they used GenAI in an unauthorized manner.) Instead, start by asking them questions that will give them a moment to tell the story of their process, such as: How were you feeling about the assignment? What do you think was challenging about it? What materials did you choose and why did you choose them? Where did you struggle? Why don’t you tell me what your process was for getting it done. If there is research involved, you can ask what research they used. What textures or artistic styles did they consider and why?
- State your concerns. Point out any inconsistencies, odd language or visuals, repetition, or indications of AI use with the student.
- Use developmental language. Remember that your student may have used GenAI without realizing it is considered cheating, or there may have been factors that made them feel that they needed to cheat. A conversation with your student can be a learning opportunity for them.
- Say something like “I have some concerns about your assignment. Please come to see me.” Then during the meeting you should:
- Determine policies for GenAI Academic Dishonesty
- If your conclusion is that the student cheated, you’ll have to decide whether you allow them to complete the assignment again on their own (perhaps with a penalty) or whether you’ll give no further options to redo the assignment. You’ll also have to decide whether or not to report the violation.