GenAI for Teaching Assistants

As an instructor of record or teaching assistant, you are responsible for upholding the highest standards of intellectual honesty and academic integrity. This means using GenAI tools ethically and transparently. Adhering to the following best practices is essential for maintaining student trust and educational integrity.

Summary of Best Practices for TA GenAI Use

• Be Transparent: Disclose any GenAI-generated material used in your instruction.
• Be Ethical: Never use AI to deceive, mislead, or replace your pedagogical judgment.
• Be Secure: Use GenAI tools approved by Ohio University. Do not upload confidential information—such as student work, grades, or identifiable data—into public or unprotected platforms.
• Be Equitable: Consider access, bias, and inclusion when assigning or recommending AI-supported work.
• Be Supportive: Model effective use and teach students to think critically about the limits, risks, and potential of GenAI tools.
• Be Reflective: Regularly reflect on how GenAI is shaping your teaching and your students’ learning experiences—and seek out CTLA resources for guidance and growth.

Transparent and Ethical AI Use in Teaching Work

You are encouraged to use GenAI tools ethically and transparently to support your teaching duties. This includes preparing learning materials, developing quizzes, scaffolding feedback, or enhancing clarity in instructional communication. You must always:

• Use GenAI only with student work that is anonymized and not identifiable.
• Clearly label AI-generated content when used in instructional materials.
• Refrain from using GenAI to assign grades or make evaluative decisions.

Any use of GenAI tools must meet the same standards of transparency and instructional integrity expected of faculty.

TA Tip: Effective Prompt Engineering: 

When using GenAI for instructional design or support, be specific with your prompts. Include desired learning outcomes, target audience (e.g., 'first-year undergraduates'), length, tone, and any constraints (e.g., 'avoid jargon'). Clear prompts lead to more useful outputs.

GenAI Detection Tools and Academic Honesty

The CTLA encourages instructors to think carefully before utilizing AI-detection tools in the classroom. These tools may remove human judgment from essential conversations about academic integrity.

Known Issues with AI-Detection Tools

• Inaccuracy. AI detection tools:
  • Frequently generate false positives and false negatives.
  • May misidentify human writing as AI-generated, especially for Non-native English speakers, neurodivergent writers, and writers with unconventional styles or learning differences.
• Opacity. AI detection tools:
  • Operate as “black boxes” with little or no transparency on how conclusions are reached.
  • Offer limited ability to verify or interpret results.
• Potential Harm. AI detection tools:
  • Raise ethical concerns related to Student privacy and ownership of intellectual work
  • May process student texts through third-party platforms without proper consent, even when names are removed.

TAs must not input student work into any detection software that is not approved by Ohio University. Doing so may violate FERPA, institutional privacy regulations, and Ohio University’s data handling policies.

Instead, if you have concerns about potential misconduct, engage the student in a respectful, evidence-based conversation and follow the university’s formal process for handling academic dishonesty. CTLA and CSSR are available to support you in navigating such discussions.

How can TAs integrate AI int their teaching?

1. Instructional Design

Drafting Assignment Instructions, Discussion Prompts, and Rubrics Generative AI can assist TAs in formulating clear, inclusive, and cognitively engaging assignments. By inputting sample learning outcomes, course themes, or Bloom’s taxonomy levels into tools such as Microsoft Copilot, TAs can generate drafts of assignment descriptions or rubric criteria that are adaptable to different disciplines.

Best Practice: AI-generated drafts should be critically reviewed and modified for context-specific relevance and clarity. Co-developing these materials with faculty mentors can foster alignment with course objectives, academic standards, and student needs.

Scenario-Based Learning and Case Development

In disciplines that rely on applied learning—such as business, health sciences, or engineering—AI can help generate customized scenarios or case studies based on real-world issues. These cases can then be used in simulations, flipped classrooms, or problem-based learning contexts.

Pedagogical Tip: Encourage students to modify or critique AI-generated case studies as part of the learning process, which simultaneously builds domain knowledge and critical GenAI literacy.

2. Content Development Considerations

TAs at Ohio University may use GenAI to assist in creating or updating content for instructional purposes. This includes drafting case studies, generating quiz questions, producing examples, or developing discussion prompts. When doing so:

• Be Transparent: If significant portions of instructional content were generated using GenAI, include a note in your materials (e.g., “This case study was developed with assistance from ChatGPT”).
• Protect Intellectual Property: Do not upload copyrighted materials (such as lecture slides or assignments from other instructors) into GenAI tools unless using a university-approved platform.
• Model Responsible Use: Use GenAI ethically and demonstrate to students how it can support learning while requiring human input and review.

Note on Intellectual Property & Copyright: Any content generated by public AI tools may not be protected by copyright and may be reused or repurposed by the tool. TAs should be aware that content generated by AI, even with their own inputs, might not afford them or the university the same intellectual property protections as entirely original human-created work. Therefore, the primary focus for university use must remain on not inputting others' copyrighted or confidential materials into unapproved public platforms. For complex cases involving potential intellectual property, GTAs should consult with their faculty mentor or relevant university offices.

3. Feedback and Grading Considerations

Remember that grading manually helps you develop critical instructional skills in assessment, pattern recognition, and student communication—skills vital to your future as an educator and academic leader.

TAs must not use GenAI to assign grades, analyze student submissions, or determine plagiarism. However, you may use GenAI to help draft formative feedback if permitted by the course design, provided you:

• Do not upload full student assignments into public GenAI tools.
• Use GenAI only to generate generic feedback or comment banks based on common student challenges.
• Manually review and personalize any AI-generated suggestions before sharing with students.

Example Prompt & Refinement:

Prompt: "Generate 3 ways to phrase feedback for a student who is struggling with thesis clarity in an introductory essay, aiming for a supportive and actionable tone." 

TA Refinement: "The AI gave me good starts, but I had to add specific examples from the student's paper and adjust the tone to be more encouraging. For instance, I might change 'Your thesis could be clearer' to 'Your thesis statement shows promise, but consider making its core argument more explicit. For example, [cite specific part of thesis] could be strengthened by clarifying [suggest specific improvement].'"

Ohio University provides licensed platforms such as SpeedGrader in Canvas for secure grading. These platforms are FERPA-compliant and may integrate approved AI capabilities.

4. Equity and Access

Supporting Multilingual Learners and Differently-Abled Students

GenAI can be a valuable tool in increasing accessibility and inclusivity. TAs can teach students how to use AI to simplify complex texts, generate alternative explanations, or translate content for multilingual learners. Additionally, AI tools may help tailor resources for students with specific learning accommodations (e.g., dyslexia-friendly formats, text-to speech conversion).

Institutional Caveat: Any AI-generated support materials should be vetted for cultural sensitivity, bias, and alignment with Ohio University’s accessibility policies. TAs are encouraged to consult with the Office of Student Accessibility Services (SAS) for further support.

5. Classroom Engagement

Simulated Dialogue and Creative Exploration

AI-powered simulations (e.g., “chatting” with historical figures or theorists) can provide active learning opportunities. TAs can structure activities where students engage with AI-generated personas to practice critical thinking, dialogue analysis, or interpretive reasoning.

Example Activity: In a political science tutorial, students might interview an AI-generated version of a political philosopher and then critique the answers based on textual evidence.

AI-Assisted Peer Review or Revision Exercises

Students can be tasked with editing or improving AI-generated writing samples. This promotes metacognition, strengthens writing skills, and emphasizes human judgment as central to intellectual work.

6. Ethical Literacy

Facilitating Critical Discussions Around GenAI

TAs can lead seminars or breakout discussions on the ethical, epistemological, and sociopolitical implications of GenAI tools. These may include exploring algorithmic bias, digital colonialism, intellectual property, misinformation, and the ethical use of synthetic media.

Suggested Framework: Use case studies, current news articles, or AI-generated texts as starting points for ethical inquiry. Position the discussion within the context of disciplinary norms and professional standards

Co-Creating GenAI Policies with Students

Encouraging students to articulate how they believe GenAI should be used in a course can foster shared responsibility and deepen ethical reflection. TAs can guide students in collaboratively drafting “acceptable use” statements for assignments or group work.

Classroom Tool: Use collaborative platforms like Google Docs or Microsoft Teams to co-author use agreements early in the term

As the instructor of record or primary instructional support, GTAs are expected to establish and clearly communicate a course-specific policy on how GenAI tools may or may not be used by students. Unless explicitly stated otherwise in your syllabus or assignment instructions, students should assume that GenAI tools are not permitted for completing assessments, exams, or assignments.

However, learning uses of GenAI—such as summarizing material, exploring concepts, reviewing definitions, or creating flashcards—may be considered appropriate in many cases. You are encouraged to distinguish between permitted learning aid use and prohibited academic dishonesty during the first weeks of your course.

How Can I Help Students Use GenAI as a Learning Aid?

Students may use GenAI tools to support their learning—just as they would use a tutor or study groups. However, TAs should be proactive in helping students understand when GenAI use crosses into unauthorized assistance. Consider discussing:

• Acceptable and unacceptable uses (e.g., summarizing vs. writing full paragraphs).
• The importance of citation or disclosure when prompted.
• How to critically assess GenAI outputs for accuracy and bias.
• The need to think independently and uphold academic integrity.

Addressing Copyright, Privacy, and Group Work

Students must be reminded that most third-party AI platforms store uploaded documents, which may violate copyright laws or the intellectual property rights of instructors and the university. Let students know:

• They should not upload course materials into GenAI tools unless using a secure, university-approved tool.
• Sharing or uploading course content without permission may breach copyright laws and university policies.

In group assignments, all members must agree on the use of GenAI tools, and any AI assistance should be disclosed in the final submission by the group. This ensures equitable contribution and transparency within collaborative projects.

Ohio University’s commitment to academic honesty requires that all submitted work represent the student’s understanding, efforts, and integrity. Allegations of unauthorized GenAI use will be treated under the same policies as other forms of academic dishonesty and referred to Community Standards and Student Responsibility (CSSR) at Ohio University.

TAs should:

• Teach students how to credit AI assistance appropriately.
• Monitor for plagiarism or over-reliance on AI tools in coursework.
• Refrain from using AI detectors to enforce honesty policies; instead, focus on educational dialogue.
• Report suspected violations following university academic honesty procedures.

Real-World Examples:

Plagiarism with AI: A student asks Gemini to write a summary of a psychology article and submits it word-for-word without revision or citation. → This is plagiarism.

Acceptable practice: A student uses Microsoft Copilot to identify key points in an article, then writes their own summary and includes a brief note in their paper stating Copilot helped outline the content. → This may be allowed.

TAs are expected to establish and clearly communicate a course-specific policy on GenAI tools in their syllabi. The CTLA provides a variety of templates to help you with this. These can be customized based on your course's specific learning objectives and pedagogical goals.

For sample policy statements and disclosure requirements that TAs may include in their syllabi, please see the CTLA’s official resources and sample statements.

As a TA, you can refer students to Ohio University’s academic support services for additional help with learning strategies and academic writing. Encourage students to explore:

• The Academic Achievement Center (AAC) for tutoring and writing assistance.
• University Libraries for help with research tools and citation practices.
• The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (CTLA) for AI literacy workshops and learning strategies.
• Accessibility Services for accommodations related to assistive technologies and inclusive learning tools.

Q: May I use GenAI to develop course materials or assignments?

A: Yes, with caution. You may use AI tools to assist in content creation but must review and adapt materials to ensure academic quality and alignment with course objectives.

Q: Can I use AI to assist with grading?

A: AI may assist in drafting formative feedback but should never replace human judgment. AI must not be used to assign grades or analyze student submissions without department-approved tools.

Q: How should I address suspected AI misuse in student work?

A: Do not use AI detection tools. Instead, engage in conversations with students to clarify expectations. Address concerns following Ohio University’s academic honesty procedures.

Q: How can I guide students in ethical AI use?

A: Encourage open discussions, provide examples of responsible AI use, and include AI literacy components in your instruction. Foster a culture of transparency and critical thinking.