Determining Acceptable AI Use

For faculty responsible for creating student assessments, it can be a challenge to decide whether to restrict student AI use or incorporate it meaningfully into assignments. The core question centres around the course learning outcomes (CLOs), and whether students should be able to demonstrate their achievement of these goals without any AI, or if AI use might allow them to have better, but still authentic success.

However, a base-level expectation is that every course should include a standardized statement about academic integrity. Every course outline mentions that students are by default restricted from using GenAI tools to aid with assignments unless otherwise instructed by the professor. Accordingly, faculty who wish to permit AI tools in their courses should state this prominently on FanshaweOnline (FOL) and clarify this in class and for each assignment that might have different AI expectations. Courses that prefer to limit GenAI use should also reinforce this messaging similarly.

To streamline this process, faculty can quickly add a pre-made widget to their course homepage on FOL. This widget allows you to clearly communicate the generally-expected AI use in a place where students will frequently encounter this notice. To include this icon and notice as part of a course, see this quick guide: Adding AI Usage Widget to an FOL Course (2025 - PDF).

Additionally, we’ve provided the following three templates that you may include in your course plan, course introduction, or course homepage on FOL. Highlighted text must be removed or revised before posting, but you may otherwise copy, paste, and edit these so that they are appropriate to your course.

Limited: where learning outcomes would be invalidated by AI use

A brain showing "limited" sparks. The caption reads: You can use AI for learning or studying but it can't be used on any submitted assignments without consent.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) programs such as Microsoft Copilot may not be used for the completion of, or to support the completion of any assignments, tests, exams, or other assessment types in the course without securing prior consent from the professor. You may use GenAI for learning and/or studying purposes [such as], but any submission of work for assessment purposes that uses GenAI without consent may be considered an academic offence in this course.

Partial: where learning outcome achievement might be enhanced through AI use

A brain half-filled with sparks. The caption reads: Instructor to select appropriate uses and inappropriate uses within the course.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) programs such as Microsoft Copilot may be used in this course to [add or delete from this list or provide specific course assignments and/or activities: brainstorm, learn about a topic, revise your work, organize thoughts or draft outline, improve writing style, add other uses] with appropriate attribution. You are responsible for fact-checking and respecting intellectual property in any use of GenAI. GenAI may not be used for [add or delete from this list or provide specific course assignments/activities: completing assignments, composing written work or portions of work, completing a test or exam, other uses]. If you are unsure about how you may use GenAI in this course, you are encouraged to seek clarification from your professor. Inappropriate use of GenAI may be considered an academic offense in this course.

Full: where AI use is beneficial or required to achieve learning outcomes

A brain full of sparks. The caption reads: Use of generative AI is encouraged in this course to support learning outcomes.

The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) programs such as Microsoft Copilot is encouraged in this course to support the following course learning outcomes: [insert outcomes aligned to allowable and appropriate use of GenAI]. You are responsible for fact-checking, respecting intellectual property, and using appropriate attribution. The use of GenAI without appropriate attribution and documentation (as specified in the assessment by your professor) may be considered an academic offense in this course.

If you need any assistance with providing these textual and graphical indicators to your students on FanshaweOnline, contact your academic school’s Educational Support Technologist (EST) or area campus FOL Admin. Additional guidance around permitted student use of AI use can be found in Appendix C of Fanshawe College’s AI Framework or by contacting the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL@fanshawec.ca). We'd be happy to hear from you!