Two players holding cards, one of whom is cheating by looking at the others' cards

Is it Cheating to Use AI in Higher Ed?

I recently deposited the resource Using AI in Higher Ed: Is it Cheating? in Geneseo’s institutional repository, KnightScholar.

The resource describes a series of activities through which students generate a course-based or college-wide policy regarding the use of Generative AI, based on assigned readings, discussion, and practice using the tools on writing assignments. To prepare for the activities, students read the following essays:

  • Martha Nussbaum, “Education for Citizenship in an Era of Global Connection.”Studies in Philosophy and Education 21: 289-303 (2002).
  • Mathieu Bouville, “Why is Cheating Wrong?” Studies in Philosophy and Education 29: 67-76 (2010).
  • Owen Kichizo Terry, “I”m a Student. You Have No Idea How Much We’re Using ChatGPT.” Chronicle of Higher Education, May 12, 2023.

With these essays in view, as well as SUNY Geneseo’s mission, vision, values, “connected world” curricular framework, and learning outcomes for information and digital literacy, students set about to

  • consider the value of academic integrity, including as it is captured by Geneseo’s policy on Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism.
  • gain experience interacting with generative AI platforms (e.g., ChatGPT).
  • identify key questions related to the emerging popular use of artificial intelligence and outline strategies or methods to tackle these questions.
  • identify and analyze arguments concerning the ethics of cheating.
  • reflect upon how learning about artificial intelligence shapes your daily life, short- and/or long-term goals, interests, and/or civic responsibilities.
  • reflect upon their experience using generative AI to consider what would be an appropriate course-specific or college-wide policy governing its use.

I aim to build a genuine dialogue with students around AI, academic honesty, and the aims of higher education in part by asking them to use ChatGPT in a series of writing exercises, then reflect on that use and bring their reflections to our discussions.

You can download the complete resource from KnightScholar, together with a .pptx or .pdf of the slide presentation below that I developed on “Conspiracy Theories and Artificial Intelligence.”

Image Credit: “Cheat !” by CJS*64 is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 .