Transparent GenAI Policy Communication

Shirley Yeung's learner-centred approach to GenAI policy uses table-based visualization, helping students immediately understand course boundaries while modeling acceptable prompts and building responsible AI practices through reflection and disclosure requirements.

Shirley Yeung Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, Department of Anthropology, UTSG

The Approach

As generative AI tools become increasingly accessible, instructors face the challenge of establishing clear, pedagogically-sound policies that maintain academic integrity and communicate expectations transparently to avoid confusion or inadvertent policy violations. The Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education (OVPIUE) provides sample syllabus statements that offer instructors flexible language for communicating GenAI policies.

Professor Yeung’s Language and Society (ANT253) example demonstrates how instructors can extend the OVPIUE’s framework, so that it is specifically pertinent to their disciplinary and course context. Her intervention represents a thoughtful pedagogical approach that transforms potential academic integrity challenges into meaningful learning opportunities.

The Policy Statement

The instructor acknowledges that AI capabilities are expanding, ever-changing and, in some cases, can help to support your learning. The table below articulates the course’s policy towards use of generative AI. Here, “AI” refers to a variety of programs, including LLM-based chatbots and search engines (ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Consensus, Perplexity…).

✔️ In this course, AI can be used to …	❌ In this course, AI cannot be used to …
Help you create an outline Help with organizing points on your outline (broad organization of themes) An acceptable branstorming might look like: "In the following essay, I'd like to argue that _____ using the following points: _____. Help me organize my points into a clear or persuasive sequence."	Compose any part of the text you submit for the class response papers, outline, or final essay, including in-text citations (assignments and exams must be original work produced by the individual student) Produce forum posts or slide content Substitute for completing class readings, conducting library research, and engaging thoughtfully with your sources

Considerations

Please read all assignment instructions on Quercus carefully: each assignment will ask you to disclose whether or not you made use of generative AI, and will ask you to include a) prompts you used b) AI content and c) a reflection on how AI contributed to your final assignment.
Representing an AI-generated idea or AI-generated text as your own is considered an academic offense in this course.
AI search engines are known for their inaccuracies. They can generate irrelevant, misleading and biased information, and are known to produce “concocted” or fabricated sources (use of which is an academic offense in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences). Please use a lot of discretion when employing AI search tools, and double check that a source you find is from a peer-reviewed journal or reliable source.
As a student, you are accountable for the work you submit. You may be asked to discuss submitted essays or assignments with the instructor. Injudicious AI-use may impact your grade or may require academic integrity investigation.
If you are unsure about how to document AI use, please reach out to the instructor. The above policy is designed to support your intellectual growth, development of writing skills, and AI literacy (including the ability to identify what constitutes credible knowledge online). The instructor’s goal is to support you in this learning. Please reach out if you have questions.

Core Elements

This syllabus statement takes a learner-centred, transparent approach by:

Explicitly acknowledging AI’s expanding capabilities: Rather than ignoring or dismissing these tools, Yeung normalizes AI presence while establishing clear boundaries for appropriate use.
Using a clear visual format: The table format contrasts acceptable and unacceptable uses, making policy boundaries immediately visible to students and providing quick reference points throughout the semester.
Providing concrete examples: Appropriate prompts guide student behaviour, effectively teaching students how to use AI as a learning tool rather than a replacement for critical thinking.
Requiring disclosure and reflection: Students document and learn through their AI use by providing:
- Specific prompts use
- AI-generated content
- Personal reflection on AI’s contribution to their learning

Pedagogical Rationale

By acknowledging GenAI’s presence while clearly delineating its appropriate use, Professor Yeung’s syllabus statement models how instructors can engage constructively with generative AI while maintaining academic standards. The emphasis on transparency, support, and pedagogical rationale helps students understand not just the “what” but the “why” of AI policies, fostering more thoughtful engagement with these powerful tools.

This approach recognizes that:

AI as a brainstorming tool can help students overcome writer’s block and organize their thoughts without replacing critical thinking
Original composition remains essential for developing writing skills and demonstrating understanding
Transparency about GenAI use helps students develop ethical attribution practices
Clear boundaries may reduce anxiety and prevent unintentional policy violations

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