AI guidelines
Think about the value that using AI will add to your educational experience and where it could hinder it.
When AI is chosen to be used within teaching you will be provided with recommendations for the different approaches you can be expected to use. This is likely to include:
- What tools you can use.
- Specific guidance for using the selected tool(s).
- Any limitations/ challenges that may be placed on using the tools.
- How to acknowledge use of the tool as specified by the University guidance.
- Whether you need to reflect upon or describe their use of the tool within their submission.
How and when to use AI?
The application of AI will be different between disciplines and contexts. It is important that you seek advice and support from your module tutor before using AI in your studies.
Through conversation and consultation with students and staff, ethical, practical, and technical considerations can be explored, whilst ensuring the application is transparent and permitted.
Academic Integrity
With the rise of AI comes the increased possibility of collusion or misconduct in reference to academic offences. However, AI as a tool can be used effectively within assessments to help support or enhance the offering and should not be discounted. There are two key parts that need to be considered when looking at academic integrity:
As part of the University’s guidance around academic offences we have an originality statement which is visible to students as part of guidance around assessment submissions. The originality statement was made in collaboration with the College Directors of Academic Quality and Standards, as well as in alignment with the regulations set out by the University. The statement highlights that the submission is the student’s:
“own work, without input from either commercial or non-commercial writers or editors or advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence services.” (reference originality statement)
If you are permitted the use of AI as a supportive element within an assessment, it is important to be aware of the acceptable limits and acknowledgments required.
If AI tools have been permitted the following will be part of your originality statement. This is usually found within the assessment folder within Blackboard Ultra under ‘Academic Offences & Originality Report’. If you are within Canvas, this can be found within the assessment instructions.
“…own work, without input from either commercial or non-commercial writers or editors or advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence services unless explicitly allowed and referenced.”
If AI tools have been built into your assessment you will be provided with clear instructions and guidance on expectations, and you must provide acknowledgement appropriately. The University library has created a guide on examples of how to acknowledge the use of AI:
University of Lincoln Library | Study skills: Artificial Intelligence | Web
Using AI Safely
Generative AI (Gen AI) services offer a wealth of opportunities, from enhancing personal productivity to supporting academic work and creating personalised learning experiences. For most uses, the University recommends Copilot, which is available to all staff and students.
However, other Gen AI tools may be preferred for specific uses, both personal and academic, but use of these should be undertaken with care. While these tools can be incredibly beneficial, it’s important to recognise the potential risks, especially when dealing with sensitive or confidential data. By understanding and implementing the necessary safeguards, you can confidently and effectively use Gen AI services both personally and academically.
Guidance on the Use of Gen AI Services:
- Personal Use: Using Gen AI for personal tasks can help streamline daily activities, such as drafting emails, organising schedules, or brainstorming ideas. For example, you might use a Gen AI tool to generate creative writing prompts or to help plan a project timeline. When using Gen AI personally, ensure that no sensitive university data is involved.
- Academic Use: When integrating Gen AI into your academic activities, it is crucial to adhere to university policies, assessment guidelines, and UK data protection regulations. For instance, you could use Gen AI to create self-tests or revision timetables but always ensure that your data is anonymised.
- Compliance with Regulations: Ensure that any data processed by Gen AI services complies UK Data Protection legislation, the University Data Protection Policy (UoL Data Protection Policy) and the University Acceptable Use Policy (UoL Acceptable Use Policy). For example, when using a Gen AI tool to analyse data, make sure that all data use is kept to a minimum and anonymised where possible, processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently and other relevant legislation.
- Anonymity and Pseudonymity: Where possible, use anonymised or pseudonymised data to minimise risks. Avoid using personally identifiable information (PII) unless absolutely necessary. For example, use generic IDs instead of names when inputting data into Gen AI tools.
- Data Retention: Retain data only for as long as necessary to complete the required activity. Ensure that data is deleted or anonymised after the activity is concluded. For example, if you use Gen AI to generate feedback on your essays, delete the data once the feedback has been provided.
Account Security: Do not reuse university email addresses and passwords for Gen AI services. Create strong, unique passwords for each service. For example, use a password manager to generate and store complex passwords.
- Transparency: Inform your peers and instructors about the use of Gen AI services, including the potential risks and benefits. For example, provide a brief overview of how Gen AI will be used in your group projects.
- Consent: Obtain explicit consent from your peers before using their data with Gen AI services. For example, include a consent form as part of your project documentation.
- Bias and Fairness: Be aware of and mitigate any biases in AI models to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all students. For example, regularly review the outputs of Gen AI tools to check for any signs of bias.
- Review Terms and Conditions: If you are unsure, ask the University the Information Compliance Team to review the terms and conditions of any non-recommended Gen AI service to ensure compliance with university policies and legal requirements. For example, the Team will check whether the service allows for educational use and complies with data protection laws. This is to protect you, your personal data, and the University.
- Licensing Agreements: Ensure that any licensing agreements are in place and that they cover the intended use of the service. For example, verify that the Gen AI tool you are using has the appropriate licenses for academic use. Always check with a colleague in Digital Services or Information Compliance if you are unsure.
Training for Students: Seek out training on the use of Gen AI services, including best practices for Data Protection and ethical considerations. The Information Compliance Team can advise on best practice for Data Protection considerations. Guidance from the Library is available on this website.
Accessible Tools: It is generally recommended that you choose Gen AI tools that comply with international accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG or Section 508). For example, select tools that offer features like text-to-speech, adjustable text size, and high-contrast modes.
Regular Reviews: Conduct regular reviews of Gen AI services to ensure they continue to meet security, privacy, and ethical standards. For example, schedule annual audits of the Gen AI tools you use.
By following these guidelines and utilising available support, you can leverage the benefits of Gen AI services while ensuring that all necessary safeguards, checks, and security measures are in place to protect sensitive and confidential data. Embracing these tools thoughtfully and responsibly can enhance both your personal productivity and academic success.
GDPR and Fair Use
When using AI services, it is important that you carefully consider how the service manages personal data. Are you inadvertently providing personal data (yours, or someone else’s) to the service?
It is important that both students and staff are aware of the difference between the data used to train the language model and the data submitted to the model as part of the prompt.
There are further serious privacy concerns that may arise when submitting personally identifiable information as part of using services like ChatGPT.
Anonymisation of any data submitted and removal of business identifiable information is a minimum, but if you are unsure, support and guidance can be obtained for the ICO team through emailing compliance@lincoln.ac.uk.
When accessing AI technologies, the accessibility level of those services needs to be considered. The University wants to ensure equitable and fair use when incorporating AI tools to ensure all students can succeed. To support this goal, the University is recommending that only AI tools, which all students have the same level of access are chosen. This is due to some tools providing ‘paid-for’ advanced versions of the system which may unfairly advantage students from certain economic backgrounds. Therefore, no AI tools that require payment to access will be permitted to use as part of any assessment and are discouraged for academic use outside of assessments.