Medicine Hat College LLM/Gen AI Stance
The latest generation of Large Language Model (LLM)/ Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) systems is impacting teaching and learning in many ways, presenting both opportunities and challenges for the ways our instructors and students engage in learning. LLM/Gen AI that can create content such as essays, computer code, and/or images using minimal human prompting, are proliferating, and becoming commonplace. While many LLM/Gen AI systems have recently become available, ChatGPT (the free, online chat system that utilizes the Open AI GPT technology) is currently the most prominent, garnering worldwide attention. The products the LLM/Gen AI tools create are dependent on the quality of the training of the LLM and the prompt given. While some responses may be of good quality, some may have inaccuracies and biases.
At Medicine Hat College (MHC), we remain committed to providing students with exceptional learning experiences and supporting instructors as they adapt their pedagogy in response to this emerging technology. MHC supports instructors in their choice to integrate or not integrate LLM/Gen AI in individual courses, assessments, and with individual students. MHC Academic Regulations clarify that students are expected to follow academic integrity, which is the “moral code of academia and can be defined as the use, generation, and communication of information in an ethical, honest, and responsible manner.” MHC Academic Integrity statements, policies, and procedures are clear in that students must comply with academic integrity as specified by MHC. Due to the rapidly changing LLM/Gen AI landscape, this stance will be periodically reviewed to remain current.
Principles on Generative AI at Medicine Hat College (MHC)
Generative Artificial Intelligence tools have broad implications across society, including for institutions of higher learning. In response, Medicine Hat College established a generative AI (Gen AI) working group in May 2023 to create an MHC LLM/Gen AI Stance and optional course outline language. The stance and course outline language are supported by the MHC Senior Academic Leadership Team. In March 2024, a working group was once again established to create MHC Gen AI principles to support students, instructors, staff, and administration more fully. The five principles below are based on McGill’s Principles for the use of Generative AI Tools in Teaching and Learning but were modified and elaborated upon to fit MHC strategic and academic plans with the understanding that these principles will need to be revisited and revised based on this emerging technology. The MHC Gen AI principles are to constitute a framework to integrate Gen AI tools into the academic mission of MHC.
First principle: The college community will have opportunities to learn about Gen AI tools, how they work, and the opportunities and challenges they entail.
Institutional leaders will work in consultation and collaboration with instructors and staff to support Gen AI principles and pedagogical training to adequately address Gen AI in the context of teaching and learning, research, administrative use, and institutional data governance. Educational programming will be developed and provided for staff, students, instructors, and administrators with the aim to be able to:
- explain the ethical implications of the use or non-use of such tools.
- identify when the use of Gen AI tools is appropriate and not appropriate.
- identify the biases and normative tendencies inherent in Gen AI tools.
- identify the affordances and constraints offered by generative AI tools.
- respect intellectual property, academic integrity, and privacy considerations, if using the tools.
- appropriately use publicly available Gen AI tools.
- evaluate overall student experience based on Gen AI usage.
Second principle: Instructors remain responsible for conducting themselves according to the highest standards of academic integrity in their use of Gen AI tools.
Instructors maintain responsibility and accountability for materials created for MHC usage.
Instructors will be supported in their decisions pertaining to Gen AI usage in their teaching.
Once established under the digital learning strategy, instructors will be responsible to use the MHC Information Technology Services (ITS) approved software.
Third principle: As with all learning technologies, instructors have autonomy to decide whether they will use a Gen AI tool in their teaching.
Instructors have the choice to integrate or not integrate Gen AI tools in their individual courses and/or programs.
Fourth principle: Staff remain responsible for conducting themselves according to the highest standards of the data management policy in their use of any of the Gen AI tools.
Staff maintain responsibility and accountability for materials created for MHC using Gen AI tools.
When applicable, staff have the responsibility to avail themselves of supports to ensure understanding about what Gen AI tools are, how they work, and the opportunities and challenges they entail.
Once established under the digital learning strategy, staff will be responsible to use the MHC Information Technology Services (ITS) approved software.
Fifth principle: Students remain responsible for maintaining academic rigour and availing themselves of supports to ensure understanding about Gen AI tools, how they work, and the opportunities and challenges they entail.
Students must maintain academic integrity as listed in the MHC calendar. Students should understand implications and consequences of academic integrity infractions.
Students are responsible for understanding and complying with instructors’ explicit expectations pertaining to Gen AI usage, respect limits established about the use of Gen AI tools in assessment tasks and follow Gen AI expectations as set out in course outlines.
Once established under the digital learning strategy, students will be responsible to use the MHC Information Technology Services (ITS) approved software.
Medicine Hat College POSSIBLE Course Outline Language
Decisions regarding the use of LLM/Gen AI tools in courses will remain with instructors based on the type of course, learning objectives, and assessments. Some instructors may allow or encourage these tools, some may limit their use to certain courses or assessments, and some may ban them.
Be clear about the rules and limits of using LLM/Gen AI tools for your course work. If you allow or encourage the use of LLM/Gen AI tools, think about security issues when creating accounts with personal and/or MHC email accounts.
The following sample statements can help you communicate the rules to your students on your course outlines and/or assignments. These are NOT mandatory to use. You can edit them to fit your courses. In these sample statements, there are references to MHC’s Academic Integrity statement which is located on page 53 of the MHC 2023/24 Academic Calendar.
Regardless of your stance on this technology, talk to your students about this technology and the course expectations. Give them a choice to opt-out if they have issues with the cost, privacy, security, or other aspects of the technology.
POSSIBLE COURSE OUTLINE LANGUAGE
1. ALLOWING OR ENCOURAGING USAGE OF LLM/GEN AI TOOLS
- Technology can help you understand course materials better. You can use LLM/Gen AI or other technological tools in this course to learn or to complete assignments.
- You must follow the MHC Academic Integrity statement (MHC 2023/24 Academic Calendar p. 53). Ask for clarification if you are unsure about the rules.
- Cite any content from LLM/Gen AI tools properly. Use these guidelines for citing LLM/Gen AI material:
2. ALLOWING USE OF LLM/GEN AI TOOLS WITHIN LIMITATIONS
- You can use LLM/Gen AI tools for these purposes:
- You cannot use LLM/Gen AI tools for these purposes:
- You can only use these LLM/Gen AI tools for this course: (PLACE SPECIFIC NAMES OF TOOLS HERE). No other LLM/Gen AI tools are allowed. Ask the instructor if you have any questions.
- You must cite your use of LLM/Gen AI tools correctly. Unauthorized use of LLM/Gen AI tools may be considered a violation of the MHC Academic Integrity statement (MHC 2023/24 Academic Calendar p. 53). Ask for clarification if you are unsure about the rules.
- While there are a variety of LLM/Gen AI tools available to assist writers, these tools are not a replacement for human creativity, originality, and critical thinking. Writing is a skill that you need to practice and improve. LLM/Gen AI tools may be used in limited circumstances and with proper attribution in this course.
3. PROHIBITING USE OF LLM/GEN AI TOOLS
- Do not use LLM/Gen AI tools or apps (such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, DALL-E, etc.) at any point and for any course assignments, evaluations, or assessments in this course. All work must be your own original work and follow the MHC Academic Integrity statement (MHC 2023/24 Academic Calendar p. 53). Using unauthorized LLM/Gen AI tools or apps will be considered a violation of the MHC Academic Integrity statement.
- The use of LLM/Gen AI tools (such as ChatGPT) is strictly prohibited in all course assignments, evaluations, and assessments unless the instructor says otherwise.
- Use of LLM/Gen AI tools in this course may be considered a violation of the MHC Academic Integrity statement (MHC 2023/24 Academic Calendar p. 53).
