Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Teaching

Generative AI is the term used to describe advanced technologies which create new, frequently original content based on information given to it. This includes information provided by people as well as other computer tools.

Generative AI has existed for years in some form. Since 2022, it has increased in public awareness and prevalence by becoming highly interactive, competent, and versatile. Because of that versatility, Generative AI can be an invaluable tool for spreading knowledge and opportunities. Like other tools of great power, there comes great risk for negative impacts, such as the spread of misinformation, biases, and inequity.

High quality Generative AI tools are now available at no cost to anyone in the world through access to the internet in the form of chatbots, websites to create video, images, music, and sound, as well as a staggering list of assistants, aids, and tutors. Generative AI can be accessed by computer, smartphone, or home assistant speaker. The technology continues to move at such a staggering pace that it is difficult to stay current.

The multitude of tools which provide Generative AI differ in quality, speed, and transparency. For example, some Generative AI chatbots provide sources while other tools may allow people to develop software, analyze data, or even create personalized chatbots for a specific purpose.

Teaching Students Expectations for Generative AI Use

Because Generative AI is an emerging and evolving technology, educators should make expectations for Generative AI use clear to students. Creating an explicit syllabus policy and sharing expectations for Generative AI use at the start of the course and again with each assignment is important to help students understand appropriate use (see syllabus samples below). If Generative AI use is encouraged or allowed for specific assignments, it is necessary to help students understand the limitations, ethical implications, and proper way to credit/cite Generative AI. See the UWM Library resource on using and citing Generative AI.

Assignment Design Considerations

While no assignment design is perfect to foil cheating (AI-based or otherwise), various assignment factors reduce the motivation to cheat (e.g., assignments that connect to necessary skill development or are personally relevant) and make cheating more difficult (e.g., scaffolded assignments that build meaningfully to larger projects, assignments that include description of thought processes and decisions, or work that requires revision and analysis of existing work).

Contact CASL for course design assistance.

Academic Misconduct

Generative AI use has heightened plagiarism concerns. Industry has responded to these concerns swiftly with products geared to “detect” student Generative AI use. Concerns about student misuse of Generative AI are valid, but as with many use cases, the answer is rarely ever purely technological.

No technology accurately detects use of Generative AI (not even Generative AI) and many plagiarism technologies misidentify non-AI generated work as AI work (false positive identification). Use of Generative AI detection products is discouraged. Additionally, because student data and assignments are protected by privacy-related laws, including the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) as well as UWM and UW data security-related policies, educators must not share protected student information with programs operated by outside entities without approval by the UWM Office of Information Security.

The Dean of Students office has provided guidance on how to handle the suspected misuse of Generative AI.

Access Syllabus Statements Resource

The following is a list of tools which may be used at UWM, with varying levels of support.

Tools to Grade Assignments and Manipulate Sensitive Data

No tools are generally available to UWM faculty, staff, and students which can be used to help grade assignments or work with sensitive data such as personnel records, FERPA-protected information, or confidential university business information.  If you want to use Generative AI to work with confidential data, please work with UWM’s Procurement Office, which will ensure that the intended tool is evaluated via Procurement’s Cloud Services process and appropriate data protections are in place.

Tools for Brainstorming, Researching Select Topics, Creating Content, and Developing Courses

Microsoft Copilot with Consumer Protection (a.k.a. Microsoft Copilot Enterprise or Bing Chat) can be accessed using your UWM Digital Identity to provide a degree of privacy and safety. It uses the same technology available in ChatGPT but can be used by you and your students to create content with reduced risk of sharing information for inclusion in future Generative AI tools. Capabilities include:

• Searching the web and researching through conversations
• Summarizing documents displayed in the Edge browser
• Creating unique text and images
• Chatting about a file, an image, or a website by uploading it
• Having a voice-based conversation
• Integration with Microsoft Edge
• Integration with University-managed Windows 11 PCs via the “Copilot” icon
• Writing computer code

For your protection, log into Copilot with your UWM Digital Identity. While Copilot does not save your information by default, be careful when adjusting settings as it may unintentionally give Microsoft permission to save your conversations.

Primary support is provided by Microsoft, with as-able support provided by the UWM Help Desk and CASL.

Tools for Working with Publicly Available Information

ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and other Generative AI tools may be used to create and process publicly available information as long as:

1. UWM faculty, staff, and students individually make the informed choice to use the tools; and
2. You understand the associated risks of using the tools; and
3. You take steps to protect yourself and the university by opting out of sharing information whenever practical; and
4. Your academic department or business unit allows the use of Generative AI for works produced for UWM.

ChatGPT Plus has been purchased by several academic departments for use by instructors and departmental staff. In each instance, the UWM Office of Information Security has advised departments on the safe use of ChatGPT in the workplace. To purchase ChatGPT Plus, submit an IT Procurement Request.

Support for ChatGPT Plus is provided by OpenAI. The UWM Help Desk and the Center for Advancing Student Learning (CASL) will provide as-able support. CASL may reference ChatGPT during presentations for demonstrational purposes.