How Students Can Use AI Ethically

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly growing part of Australia’s current educational landscape. The national dialogue on the use of AI in schools is difficult to navigate, especially for young students who are experimenting and discovering various AI platforms for the first time. Whilst AI can undoubtedly be used as a tool to improve academic performance, especially for students with different and additional learning needs, students must learn quickly how to conscientiously and ethically use AI technology. 

Using AI in a Student Learning Context 

AI should not replace a student’s work but support it and enhance their academic output. Students should use AI to enhance their own insights, creativity and critical analysis. It is a powerful tool for improving efficiency, providing personalised education programs, and finding information quickly as well as giving great suggestions on the best way to use the generative information in an educational piece of work.

Ways AI can be used by a student include: 

• To initially help generate ideas and brainstorm as part of preliminary research processes.

• Find resources and links to relevant information.

• Perform grammar checks and spelling corrections.

• Generate practice questions and prompts.

Precautions and Considerations

With educational institutions managing concerns relating to AI in real time, it is imperative students also adopt a similar approach. Students should use these platforms with care and think critically as well as challenge and question outputs.

This can be achieved by:

• Fact checking and verifying information.

• Learning how to properly site and reference different AI generators to maintain transparency.

• Thinking critically about the biases possibly reproduced and asking questions such as is it consistent with other sources and what kind of language is being used?

• Protecting privacy by only entering data that is yours to willingly share.

• Reading your school policy on the use of AI and check that it is consistent with a specific assignment or task.

• Ensuring that prompts are specific by providing conditions (including school mandated ones) and examples when asking AI to provide generative information.

• Asking yourself whether AI is a necessary first point of contact or whether problem solving or alternative resources should be your first choice.

By adopting these measures, students are better equipped to use AI responsibly amid a climate where the social discourse is not only unclear but rapidly changing. Once students become proficient at engaging with AI ethically, it then becomes a powerful learning tool.

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Written by Sonia Francis | Founder | Managing Director | Avivo Elite Tutoring