AI for Teaching & Learning Toolkit: Policy & Recommendations

Requiring Generative AI in the Classroom (Office of Academic Technology) – See tips for how to prepare students to use generative AI tools in the classroom.

AI Detection Software Guidance (Office of Academic Technology) – Dig into our stance on AI detection software and its privacy implications.

Resolving Academic Misconduct (Division of Student Affairs) – See what the process of reporting an incident of academic misconduct like unauthorized use of AI entails.

Acceptable Use of Generative AI Tools (Information Security Office) – Become familiar with uses of AI that are allowable and prohibited under University guidance and state law.  

Local and Cloud Services Decision Matrix (Information Security Office) – Understand what kinds of data can be used with which tools.  

AI Use in Graduate Education (Office of Academic Technology and the Graduate School) – Explore a set of recommendations for departments creating and maintaining generative AI policies for graduate students.  

How  do I get started using AI with  my students?

UT Austin provides free access to a variety of AI tools. UT Sage lets you design custom tutors that can be accessed by students in Canvas.

Which AI detector  tool can I use with student work?

UT does not endorse AI-detection software and holds no central contract for it. See the AI Detection Software Guidelines policy for more details.

Do I have to address AI in my syllabus?

Yes. Every syllabus must include a course AI policy that designates whether AI is permitted, prohibited, or partially permitted, with clear conditions for use. If you permit or partially permit AI, give written instructions on what is allowed and how students should disclose their use. See the sample statements in Your Syllabus at UT Austin.

Can I require students to use a generative AI tool?

Yes, if such use is essential to the assessment of course learning outcomes. Where the tools are recommended but not required, we suggest that instructors provide accommodations to students with reasonable objections. In all cases, use of AI tools should be carried out responsibly. See Recommended Practices for Requiring Generative AI in the Classroom for more information.

How should AI use be cited?

Diligence about transparent use is a key aspect of AI fluency. The Office of Academic Technology recommends that appropriate citations and AI disclosure statements be included in significant work products. Check your discipline’s or professional organization’s style guide for more information about how to appropriately disclose AI use in your context.

Can I run student work through AI to grade it?

There are many reasons to think twice before automating aspects of the teaching and feedback process. Instructor guidance is a crucial part of the learning process.  

The Acceptable Use of Generative AI Tools policy explains that, under Texas law, AI tools must not “autonomously make or be a controlling factor in making consequential decisions without meaningful human review”. The decisions include grading, the evaluation of academic work, the development of curriculum and teaching materials, and the conducting of research. Meaningful human review means that you should exercise the practice of human-in-the-loop when you do use AI tools, making sure that you review all output since you are solely responsible for the result.  

While grading systematically with machine learning might be acceptable for some assignments, generative AI tools do not, by design, consistently and reliably produce the same output every time. If you need help understanding what kinds of artificial intelligence is being used in an academic technology tool, please reach out to the Office of Academic Technology.  

If you have any questions about these guidelines or policies, please contact the Office of Academic Technology at oat@utexas.edu.