Responsible Use of AI
Carolina University AI Ethical Use | |||||
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We are a Christ-centered University committed to student success. | |||||
AI should assist learning, research, and revision without replacing diligence, honesty, original thought, or authentic participation. | |||||
| Principle | Core Commitment | Ethical Focus and Benefit | Student Expectation | Faculty Expectation |
B | Begin with your own ideas and use AI only within the parameters established for the assignment. | Teach the appropriate and inappropriate uses of AI and establish clear boundaries for its use. | |||
R | Use AI to clarify, focus, and organize original thinking without compromising originality. | Use AI to refine questions, compare ideas, and sharpen your thinking while retaining ownership of the work. | Teach students how to use AI to refine inquiry without surrendering originality. | ||
U | Understand AI’s Limits | Recognize that AI may assist learning but cannot replace individual study, reflection, or skill development. | AI should support the acquisition of knowledge and skills by providing information that students evaluate and integrate. | Use AI-generated content to inform your learning, but never allow it to replace your own reflection, analysis, or practice. | Teach students to evaluate, question, and critically integrate AI-generated information into the learning process. |
I | Implement Strategically | Use AI intentionally at selected points in the assignment process. | AI should support student success by helping gather, organize, compare, and assess information. | Use AI to streamline tasks, organize information, compare alternatives, and check coherence when permitted. | Teach students where AI can appropriately assist with planning, organization, analysis, and administrative tasks. |
N | Never Replace Authentic Voice | Ensure that AI enhances rather than substitutes for the student’s ideas, judgment, and expression. | AI should contribute to stronger research and writing while preserving genuine authorship and disciplinary voice. | Use AI to strengthen research depth and writing quality while maintaining your own ideas, style, and conclusions. | Teach students to use AI as an aid to original research, writing, and disciplinary expression. |
S | State AI Use Clearly | Disclose AI use accurately, transparently, and without ambiguity. | Clear acknowledgment protects academic integrity and promotes accountability. | Use AI only as permitted and provide complete disclosure of how it contributed to the work. | Communicate allowable AI use, teach appropriate disclosure practices, and enforce accountability consistently. |
Level | Assignment Type | AI Permission | Examples | Development Progression |
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AI-0 | No use of AI | No AI use at any stage. | Exams, quizzes, in-class writing, original reflection, unaided exegetical observations. | Work independently. |
AI-1 | Limited Editing and Technical Assistance | AI may support mechanics after student work is complete. | Grammar check, spelling, punctuation, citation-format reminders, readability checks. | Improve your own work. |
AI-2 | Guided Process Support | AI may support planning, inquiry, organization, and coherence, but not final prose. | Brainstorming, narrowing topics, research-question refinement, outline support, source leads. | Think with AI. |
AI-3 | Integrated AI Use | AI may be intentionally used as part of the assignment and then evaluated, revised, and disclosed. | Prompt critique, AI-assisted workflow report, AI-generated outline critique, AI-supported ministry plan with evaluation. | Learn with AI. |
AI-4 | Advanced AI Collaboration | AI serves as a collaborative partner in authentic disciplinary work. Students are expected to direct AI strategically, verify outputs, integrate independent judgment, document their workflow, and critically evaluate AI's strengths and limitations. | AI-assisted business consulting report, software development with AI pair programming, curriculum design with AI evaluation, policy analysis, engineering design iterations, marketing campaign development, strategic planning, ministry resource creation with theological review, data analysis with AI interpretation, case-study solutions using AI-supported research. | Solve authentic problems collaboratively with AI. |
Purpose. The Carolina University AI Assignment Framework provides a consistent, assignment-level approach for communicating appropriate uses of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in teaching and learning. The framework enables faculty to designate the degree to which AI may be used for a given assignment, ranging from no AI use (AI-0) to advanced AI collaboration (AI-4). It is grounded in the University's commitment to academic integrity, authentic student learning, critical thinking, ethical AI use, and transparency in the disclosure of AI-assisted work.
Using the Framework. Faculty specify an AI level for the graded activity based on the intended learning outcomes of the assignment. The designated AI level should be communicated clearly in the assignment instructions in the Learning Management System. Students are expected to adhere to the requirements of the assigned AI level, maintain responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of their work, preserve their authentic voice and disciplinary judgment, and include the appropriate AI Use Disclosure Statement whenever AI use is permitted. While faculty may determine the appropriate AI level for individual assignments, consistent communication of expectations is essential to promote transparency and support student success.