During the previous term, a significant portion of my grading hours was dedicated to evaluating the presence of AI in student assignments. This involved distinguishing between AI-generated and non-AI-generated posts, tracing AI-generated references, analyzing how students utilized AI in their work, and engaging in discussions with students who excessively relied on AI about issues of plagiarism and the ethical use of AI. Additionally, we deliberated on how unethical AI usage in academic settings could adversely affect their future practice in social work, especially with vulnerable and marginalized populations.
This process has been exhausting. As an educator, my primary
role is not to police my students. Therefore, I seek to find a way to assist
myself, my colleagues, and my students in navigating this complex landscape,
allowing us to focus on course content rather than the intricacies of AI usage.
I propose an expansion of the current academic standards, particularly the APA
format, which students are accustomed to using for their assignments. This
expansion would provide a framework for the ethical usage of AI.
Scholarly writing already incorporates a foundation for
academic integrity, and the APA style can be adapted to address some of the
challenges posed by generative AI in our educational system. Although some
students might still evade these measures, I believe that most students can
benefit from AI if used ethically. A familiar format and process are essential
to educating students on how to integrate AI ethically into their work and
utilize various tools to enhance the content they produce.
Tracking AI use in assignments can enhance students' learning. One example of AI use by students offers a way to mitigate some of the inequities
inherent in educational systems, but educators must understand how
this would work. The benefits of an APA AI approach can assist students for whom English is a Second Language (ESL). ESL students can ethically use AI software to address grammatical and
stylistic differences between their primary language and English. ESL students
can also write their papers in their native language and use translation
applications. AI detection software flags such uses as not being in the
student's own words. Educators can focus on content rather than grammar or inappropriate AI use by adopting an extended form of APA referencing that includes links to comparisons between original work and AI intervention.
This approach allows students with different linguistic backgrounds to
concentrate on learning course material without being misunderstood by
monolingual educators. Educators can differentiate their grading of ESL students through a fair assessment process reducing penalties for errors inherent in cross-cultural communication.
Educators are navigating the evolving landscape of AI
alongside their students. I do not believe the majority of students have
malicious intentions regarding AI use. Students do, however, need more training
and guidance on how to use AI tools. Employing an expanded APA format for AI
content fosters greater awareness of students' decisions when
integrating AI into their learning process. This approach allows educators to
determine which AI-generated references necessitate supporting documentation,
ultimately facilitating a more focused and content-driven educational
experience.
The examples below begin to provide a framework for AI tracking academic behavior in student assignments. I welcome your feedback and enhancements to this procedure. Here is a link to a crowd-sourced document for comments. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mUicNnddZ4U9iVPM7UWz7ZrM_6XpVxZDPTZ4QdhNMkQ/edit?usp=sharing
APA Extended Reference
Options for AI
AI Referencing Format
Name of AI company.
(year). Name of AI program: “Prompt used” (version date) [Type of AI]. Purpose
of Use. (Appendix Identifier or Link to Chat).
Appendices
Each appendix should include a title underneath, identifying
the content. i.e. Chat Log, Outlines, Summaries, Paraphrasing, etc. If the students
use more than three different types of chat logs, then the logs should be categorized
into different appendices related to their function (i.e., Outlines, Summaries,
Grammar Corrections, Brainstorming, etc.) Each reference includes either a link
to a chat or a transcript of the chat. If transcriptions are over two pages
total, students will create a Google Doc on their drive and make the appendix
sharable to anyone with the link.
Footnotes
When the student uses AI to paraphrase a quote within an assignment, footnotes need to be included. Link the quote to its original source. The
example provides an AI paraphrase of a direct quote from an academic source.
I would mandate the student compare the original quote and
AI paraphrase to relay the information in their own words. Using the term “Explain
it to me like I am a 5th grader” in AI helps students find meaning and
connect it to the original work as they develop a new paraphrase of the concept.
APA Referencing Format for Footnotes
Footnote number Paraphrasing. (Author, year, page,
paragraph). Link to paraphrasing tool’s chat
Example of
Reference Pages
References
Fording, R. C., Soss, J., & Schram, F. S. (2011). Race
and the local politics of punishment in the new world of welfare. American
Journal of Sociology,116, 1610-1657.
AI References
Claude. (2024). Claude:
“Identify colonialist ideas in TANF” (June 18 version) [Chatbot], Brainstorming.
(Appendix A).
Google. (2024). Google Chrome: Check spelling and grammar in
this document. (June 16 version) [Large language model]. Spelling and Grammar.
Quillbot. (2024).: Google Chrome Extension (June 16 version)
[Large language model]. Paraphrasing. (Appendix B).
Grammarly (2024). Grammarly (June 18 version) [Large
language model]. Spelling and Grammar.
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT “Give me an outline for the
following assignment: Using the six stages of the Policy Change Process (based
upon the Generalist Intervention Model of Social Work Practice), choose a
policy area from below. Identify each stage as it occurred in the history of the development
of the chosen policy within this area of practice. Specifically, detail each
area according to its definition and how the policy advocates addressed each
stage. Evaluate how you would change the approach of one of the stages. Use the
Violence Against Women Act as the policy.” (June 16 version) [Large language
model] Outline. https://chatgpt.com/share/39be0dac-f99f-41e2-ae43-4d7e16d0c7d9
OpenAI. (2023). ]. ChatGPT: “Identify colonialist ideas in TANF” (June 16 version) [Large language model]. Understanding. (Appendix A).
Appendix A
Chat Logs
1. Claude. (2024). Claude (June 16 version)
[Chatbot]. “Identify Colonialist Ideas in TANF” (June 16 version) [Large
language model] Brainstorming.
Chat History
a. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, which replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program in 1996, has been criticized for incorporating certain colonialist ideas and perpetuating systemic inequalities. Here are some ways in which colonialist ideas have been identified within the TANF program:
b. Paternalism and control: TANF's work requirements, time limits, and strict rules have been seen as a form of paternalism, where the government exerts control over the lives of low-income individuals, particularly women of color, under the guise of promoting self-sufficiency. This echoes colonial practices of controlling and disciplining colonized populations.
c. Perpetuation of stereotypes: The rhetoric surrounding TANF often portrays recipients as lazy, irresponsible, and dependent on welfare, reinforcing negative stereotypes about poverty and race. These stereotypes have historical roots in colonial representations of colonized peoples as inferior and in need of "civilizing" interventions.
d. Emphasis on nuclear family structure: TANF's promotion of traditional nuclear family structures and emphasis on marriage and responsible fatherhood have been criticized for imposing Western, Eurocentric values on diverse family structures, particularly those of indigenous and minority communities.
e. Criminalization of poverty: The strict rules and sanctions associated with TANF, including the potential for loss of benefits or criminal penalties for non-compliance, have been likened to the criminalization of poverty, which echoes colonial practices of controlling and punishing colonized populations.
f. Undermining of self-determination: The top-down, restrictive nature of TANF has been seen as undermining the self-determination and autonomy of low-income individuals and communities, similar to how colonial powers imposed their will on colonized territories.
g. It's important to note that these criticisms highlight the systemic inequalities and biases embedded within the TANF program, which disproportionately affect marginalized communities, particularly those with historical experiences of colonization and oppression.
2. OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT “colonialist ideas in TANF” (June 18 version) [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com/share/f41d25ac-512a-4f08-9afa-149013a65d39
3.
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT “Give me an outline for
the following assignment: Using the six stages of the Policy Change Process
(based upon the Generalist Intervention Model of Social Work practice), choose
a policy area from below. Identify each stage as it occurred in the history of development
of the chosen policy within this area of practice. Specifically detail each
area according to its definition and how the policy advocates addressed each
stage. Evaluate how you would change the approach of one of the stages. Use the
Violence Against Women Act as the policy.” (June 18 version) [Large language
model] https://chatgpt.com/share/39be0dac-f99f-41e2-ae43-4d7e16d0c7d9
Appendix
B
Other Uses of AI within this Paper
Google. (2024). Google Chrome (June 16
version) [Large language model]. Grammar and Spelling Check.
Google. (2024). Quillbot: Google Chrome
Extension (June 16 version) [Large language model]. Paraphrasing.
Grammarly (2024). Grammarly (June 18
version) [Large language model]. Grammar and Spelling Check.
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (June 16 version)
[Large language model]. Definition Summaries.
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (June 16 version)
[Large language model]. Summarize PDF’s.
Footnote Example
The first approach, often called
"paternalist," has led governance to take a more explicit role in
directing and overseeing the behaviors of the poor (Mead 1997). By using images
of disorder and dysfunction as justifications, public authorities have claimed
a duty to "tell the poor what to do" (Mead 1998). Consequently,
programs for poor people have been redesigned to focus on behavioral
expectations, administrative monitoring, incentives for proper behavior, and
penalties for noncompliance (Mead 1997). Various means-tested benefits, such as
nutritional assistance and housing support, have been made contingent on
compliant behavior. [1]
[1] Paraphrasing.
(Fording et al. 2011, p 1161, para 1). https://chatgpt.com/share/239069b4-bb10-472e-ae08-c318d028c674
