Checklist for Limiting or Excluding Generative AI (GenAI) Use in the Classroom
This checklist is intended to help instructors think through the process of designing an assignment that limits and/or excludes students’ use of GenAI. The following tasks are separated into four distinct categories, each of which is based on evidence-informed teaching strategies that foster deep learning, student engagement, transparency in teaching, and equity in the classroom. These tasks, while good practice, might not apply to all teaching/learning contexts.
We invite instructors to use this checklist and reflect on their practices in ways appropriate to their courses. This checklist can be used for self-assessment purposes with your syllabus and assignment designs, or you are welcome to contact a staff member at the Center for Integrated Professional Development for a consultation at ProDev@ilstu.edu.
To download a PDF form of the Checklist for Limiting or Excluding Generative AI Use in the Classroom, click here:
Course-Level Policy
The following tasks pertain to your entire course and provide transparency for students as to your expectations for how they should frame their learning for all assignments, projects, assessments, etc.
- You have provided specific guidance for your students as to your policy for the use of GenAI in your classroom. This policy might be combined with an academic integrity statement or might be a statement on its own.
- You have checked to make sure that your course policy for GenAI use is aligned with other institutional policies (i.e., Student Code of Conduct, Honor Code, Academic Affairs policies) that might exist related to GenAI use.
- GenAI is defined clearly in relation to other machine learning technologies students may have access to, like spellcheck, Grammarly, or Zotero.
Assignment Design
The following tasks relate to individual assignments and provide transparency for students about your expectations for how they should avoid using GenAI to complete individual assignments.
- You have clearly described at what stages of an assignment GenAI should not be used for the assignment in question (e.g., GenAI can be used for brainstorming, but not creating a draft, or it’s forbidden entirely).
- You have discussed the reasons why GenAI would not support students’ learning and/or completion of their assignment with your students.
- Assignment prompts have been tested with various GenAI services to see what aspects of an assignment could be created by GenAI
- Assignment prompts have been adjusted to higher levels of complexity to mitigate the potential for AI use.
- Any direct steps to prevent the use of GenAI are made in compliance with institutional and departmental policies.
Accessibility
The following tasks center the ability for all students to complete individual assignments in a manner that is equitable and fosters a culture of access for all students. Methods to mitigate AI use have been selected with accessibility in mind.
- If handwriting is used as a way of avoiding AI, a plan has been put in place to accommodate students who may need to type their work.
Communication
These tasks address the need to communicate directly with students about GenAI restrictions and limitations so that they can understand how your course/assignment learning objectives are not in alignment with the use of GenAI.
- You have discussed your reasons for restricting the use of GenAI with your students, sharing how the use of GenAI would negatively impact or otherwise compromise their learning.
- You have communicated that your guidance related to GenAI applies to your course only and that other instructors’ expectations might be different.
- In talking with your students, you have advised them to seek guidance, as needed, to clarify instructor expectations for the use of GenAI.
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