This document provides guidance for the responsible and ethical use of generative AI technologies in academic settings at the University of Maine Fort Kent. Our goal is to promote innovation while ensuring integrity in teaching, learning, and research.
The university aims to ensure that all technologies used for teaching and learning are accessible and serve the needs of people of all abilities. It is the responsibility of the adopter to ensure that technologies meet all accessibility standards as outlined by the University of Maine System Accessibility Policy & Standards. Additionally, consideration should be given to ensure instructional technologies, including generative AI, provide for inclusivity and equitable access. A list of technologies that have been reviewed for accessibility compliance by the UMS can be verified by contacting help@maine.edu. Those who would like consideration for a new technology can use the Request for Information Technology Review.
When using generative AI tools for teaching and learning, it is important to maintain privacy and data security. Users should be aware that AI tools may store and share information. Ensuring that personal data is protected not only safeguards the institution but also helps to protect sensitive information that could be vulnerable, as outlined within the UMS FERPA Policy. Additionally, consideration should be given to current UMS data privacy and security policies. Good stewardship when using generative AI resources provides confidentiality and prohibits uploading personally identifiable information or proprietary data. Reviewing guidance on Safeguarding FERPA Information when Using Cloud-based Resources in a Course Environment will help the UMFK community stay better informed on ways in which AI tools collect and manage data.
While generative AI technologies can be wonderful tools to integrate into the teaching and learning process it should never replace our ability to be critical thinkers. Generative AI may be used to complement and enhance ideas, however, mindful practitioners should critically assess content generated by AI to ensure that it is valid, can be linked back to credible sources, and is free of bias.
Students are expected to use generative AI technology in an ethical and responsible manner. They should adhere to the guidance provided by individual instructors. Students need to clearly cite when they have used AI and ensure they are abiding by the UMS Academic Integrity Policy.
Transparency promotes honesty, accountability, and ethical standards, which are fundamental to maintaining academic integrity. Generative AI can be transformative in the classroom when used to augment teaching strategies and personalize learning. It is essential to be transparent when using generative AI technologies by informing stakeholders on how, why, and when technologies are being used. This helps to build trust and ensure accountability while also acknowledging potential limitations and risks associated with use.
Instructors should clearly communicate when use of generative AI is permissible within courses. Specific guidance should be provided within the course syllabi and other relevant areas such as within the LMS. Instructors should also communicate ways in which they may use generative AI within their instructional strategies.
Further guidance and definitions regarding generative AI as provided by UMS can be reviewed here Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Guidance on Use. Additional generative AI resources for teaching and learning can be found on the Tools for Teaching & Learning tab in this guide.
Banner image created and edited by library staff using NightCafe generative AI program; Preset style, Neo Impressionis; Model, Flux; Using prompt, "circuitry in a landscape with papers falling from the sky"; NightCafe reviesed prompt, " A futuristic cityscape with exposed circuitry and wires, set amidst a dreamlike landscape of rolling hills and jagged mountains, as a flurry of papers, notes, and scrolls cascade from the sky, like autumn leaves on a gusty day. In the style of Edvard Munch's emotive brushstrokes and Egon Schiele's expressive color palette, blended with the textured, almost three-dimensional quality of Vincent van Gogh's post-impressionist impasto technique, using thick, heavy layers of oil paint, with visible brush marks and ridges, applied in bold, expressive strokes, as if the painting itself is alive and dynamic"; Aspect ratio, 16:9.