The AI in Classes Experiment - Current Status

You are welcome to use generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Dall-e, Bard, Perplexity) in my courses. Using these tools aligns with my goal of preparing my students as leaders for our current and future society. However, AI is a tool for thinking and learning—not a substitute for your own analysis and writing.

The general rule: Your final ideas, reasoning, and written explanations must represent your own understanding. If you're unsure whether you're using AI appropriately, ask!

What You Can Do

Brainstorm possible topics, cases, or examples
Ask for explanations of course concepts
Ask questions that help you think through an idea
Get feedback on outlines or writing you've already produced
Ask for suggestions on how to strengthen your reasoning, organization, or clarity
Use AI for grammar/spelling checks

What You Must Do

Include a brief AI disclosure statement with all assignments, even if you didn't use AI. Describe what tools you used (if any) and how. Examples are below in purple!
Retain your AI conversation or prompt history until the assignment is graded (screenshots work!)
Verify and fact-check any AI-generated content for accuracy and reliability
Keep your voice. Your final work should sound like you—AI should support your thinking, not replace it.
Keep course materials secure. Don't upload readings, videos, lectures, or other U of A materials into AI tools. (U of A's NotebookLM or a 'private' AI could be an exception to this rule.)
Protect confidentiality. Don't enter personal or sensitive information into prompts.

What You Cannot Do

Submit AI-generated work as your own without disclosure
Generate an answer to an assignment and submit it unreviewed
Copy and paste AI-generated sentences or paragraphs into your paper
Ask AI to write or substantially rewrite sections of your work
Use AI-generated analysis of cases, experiences, or concepts in place of your own thinking
Upload course materials (readings, videos, lectures, syllabus) into AI tools
Use AI without disclosure or reflection

What You May Be Asked to Do (Accountability/Integrity)

Provide your AI conversation history or screenshots of your prompts
Explain your reasoning, examples, or concepts in your submitted work
Meet over Zoom to discuss your submission and answer questions about it

If you cannot explain or defend the ideas in your submission, or if submitted work includes AI-generated material presented as your own, this may be treated as a violation of the course academic integrity policy.

Your written work may be checked using AI-detection tools. These tools help predict whether content was created by generative AI or humans. This is part of ensuring academic integrity across our community.

If I have concerns about AI use, we will have an opportunity to discuss it. My goal is to support your learning, not create stress. I approach grading with fairness and transparency.

AI Disclosure Examples

Example 1 – Actively Transparent Disclosure:

ChatGPT was used to refine and reduce words after my initial independent brainstorming and drafting. All information provided by AI was fact-checked by the author, and references were investigated. Final editing was completed independently.

Example 2 – Using Multiple Tools:

This document was created using personal knowledge, independent research, and course material review. AI tools were used to check grammar (Grammarly), improve readability, and generate suggestions for this disclosure statement (ChatGPT). All AI contributions were reviewed and verified to ensure accuracy and reflection of my original perspective.

Example 3 – No AI Used:

No AI was used in any steps of the work for this assignment, except built-in spelling and grammar checking in Microsoft Word where this document was finalized.

Important Caveat: Be aware that other classes will have different policies and some may forbid GAI use altogether! When prohibited or not in compliance with a course's policy, usage could result in violations of the Honor Code and have actional consequences at the class, college, or University level.

So, you're ready to use AI? Then you need to:

Practice Self-Leadership!

Ask yourself these questions:

Will using AI prevent me from learning what I'm here to learn? If yes, don't use it—or use it only minimally.
What are the risks? In areas where your knowledge is still developing, use AI cautiously and fact-check rigorously.
Am I using AI to think, or to avoid thinking? There's a difference. One builds your skills; the other shortcuts them.

Why this matters: You're investing time and money in this course to develop skills and knowledge. If AI shortcuts that process, you risk missing the learning outcomes you're paying to achieve. The greater the involvement of AI in critical thinking tasks—especially where you're still building knowledge—the greater the risks.

For a deeper self-check on when AI helps vs. hurts, use this guide.

Ethical AI Use = Leadership Integrity

Ethical AI use isn't just about avoiding penalties—it's about building the habits of integrity that define great leaders. And all teachers are models and leaders in their classrooms. When you use AI responsibly, you:

Protect your reputation (which is the only real currency a leader has)
Strengthen your ability to lead authentically
Prepare yourself to participate effectively in a world increasingly shaped by technology

And Keep (or develop) Your Voice!

In leadership over the past decade, there's been a push for more transparent, authentic leaders—leaders prized for their unique voice. Great leaders help others see a shared goal and illuminate the path to achieve it. Their words feel real and alive, sparking connection and purpose.

AI tools, while helpful, often struggle with authenticity. Their outputs frequently lack the emotional resonance and originality needed to inspire and unite people. I encourage you not to surrender your voice to save time or effort.

Why this matters: Your voice is your value. Leadership is about engaging others and bringing your ideas to life—not completing tasks. Let AI support your thinking, but make sure your final words reflect who you are and what you believe.

Why AI at all?? Because it's an emerging skill.

Learning to use AI is an emerging skill, and those who develop competencies in this skill will likely be sought out over those who do not for future employment (particularly those with 'prompt engineering skills'; Visé & Klar, 2023).

If you want to know more including Ideal Class Uses, Limits, Ethics, links to types of GAI for different uses, etc., you can explore Pt. 1 of this experiment, here: https://www.brandyabrown.com/posts/the-ai-in-classes-experiment-pt-1-fall-2023

We’ll also explore and discuss AI usage together in class, so stay curious and engaged as we navigate this exciting (and sometimes tricky) toolset!

Acknowledgements + AI Disclosure

In this latest round of this experiment, I did use GAI to REFINE this page from my prior versions (those can be accessed via the subpages on this site) - I am wordy by nature and trade and often benefit from that kind of extra editor to be more clear + concise. The original content and intent are my own, though ChatGPT served as an editor for me on December 17, 2024, and Claude helped align it with my latest role and views in September 2026.

Ethics in Practice:

This page draws on resources shared by other educators working collaboratively to adapt to AI in the classroom. I gratefully acknowledge their contributions and welcome others to adapt and build on my work in a similar spirit. For example: Here is an ideal list of what to consider for ethics that I use to refine/guide these conversations.

Eaton, L. (Ed.). (n.d.). Classroom policies for AI Generative Tools. Crowd-Sourced Classroom Policies for AI Generative Tools. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RMVwzjc1o0Mi8Blw_-JUTcXv02b2WRH86vw7mi16W3U/edit?fbclid=IwAR1J1sSmlMv6YStCrn25JJINaEHcCHWbz9Trm1Vw-ot-xOf1tNIRjrvI70M

References

Loewe, D. M. (2023, July 15). Policy for ethical use of Generative AI Technologies. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1onwUP12kIqcU2-s-xjEMY-UJ4cWf-8xApCE3gxTcQB0/edit

McAdoo, T. (2023, April 7). How to cite chatgpt. American Psychological Association. https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt

Our Leadership Oriented Required Practice: Instead of linking to ChatGPT generically, use OpenAI’s new shareable prompt feature for more transparent citations (e.g., Example Shared Prompt). You should include an AI Disclosure section narrating the how, why, and what of their GAI usage. You can just ask your AI of choice to help you generate it!

Visé, D. de, & Klar, R. (2023, April 18). Nine in 10 companies want employees with Chatgpt Skills. The Hill. https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3955384-ai-employees-companies-chatgpt-skills/

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