Lesson 14: Responsible AI - Building an AI Use Policy for Your School
Group Members:
Assigned Policy to Research:
Overview: Real-World AI Policies
Schools, universities, and organizations around the world are creating AI use policies. Below are summaries of six notable policies. Your group will research one in depth, but review all summaries to understand the range of approaches.
K-12 District
A. New York City Department of Education
Initial response: In January 2023, NYC DOE became one of the first major school districts to ban ChatGPT on school networks and devices, citing concerns about student safety and academic integrity.
Reversal: By May 2023, the ban was lifted. Chancellor David Banks said, "The knee-jerk reaction to ban this technology was a mistake." The district shifted to encouraging responsible use with guardrails, recognizing that AI is part of students' futures.
Key takeaway: Outright bans are difficult to enforce and may prevent students from learning important skills. NYC's experience shows that policies often evolve from restriction to guided use.
Current approach: Individual schools set their own guidelines within a district framework. Teachers are encouraged to integrate AI literacy into instruction. Focus on digital citizenship and critical thinking rather than prohibition.
University
B. Stanford University - Generative AI Policy
Approach: Stanford's policy emphasizes transparency and course-level flexibility. Rather than a single university-wide rule, each instructor determines their own AI policy for their course and communicates it clearly in the syllabus.
Key provisions:
Students must disclose all AI use in academic work
Instructors must explicitly state their AI policy in every course syllabus
When no guidance is given, the default assumption is that AI use is not permitted
Use of AI without disclosure constitutes a violation of the Honor Code
The policy acknowledges that AI use exists on a spectrum from fully acceptable to completely prohibited
Key takeaway: A flexible, course-by-course approach allows different subjects and assignments to have appropriate AI rules. Transparency and disclosure are the common thread across all courses.
University
C. MIT - AI Academic Integrity Guidance
Approach: MIT frames AI use through the lens of honest representation. The core principle is: you must accurately represent your own contributions and capabilities. If AI contributed to your work, you must say so.
Key provisions:
Students must be transparent about their use of AI tools in all academic work
AI-generated text should be treated like a quotation from another source and cited accordingly
Students remain responsible for the accuracy and quality of all submitted work, including AI-generated portions
Using AI to misrepresent one's abilities or understanding is a violation of academic integrity
AI tools are recognized as potentially valuable learning aids when used transparently
Key takeaway: MIT treats AI output like any other source material - it can be used, but must be cited and attributed. The student is responsible for everything they submit, including verifying AI-generated content for accuracy.
K-12 District
D. Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
Approach: LAUSD, the second-largest school district in the US, developed a student-centered AI framework called "Ed" - a custom AI chatbot designed specifically for educational use with built-in safety guardrails.
Key provisions:
Created a custom, district-approved AI tool with safety filters appropriate for K-12 students
AI tools used in LAUSD must comply with FERPA and COPPA student privacy regulations
Emphasis on equity: the district provides access to AI tools so all students have equal opportunity
Professional development required for teachers before they integrate AI into instruction
Regular review of AI tools for bias, accuracy, and age-appropriateness
Key takeaway: Rather than relying on commercial AI tools, LAUSD built its own solution designed for student safety. This addresses privacy concerns but requires significant technical and financial resources.
International
E. International Baccalaureate (IB) Program
Approach: The IB, which serves over 5,000 schools in 150+ countries, treats AI as a tool that students must learn to use responsibly. The IB explicitly permits AI use but requires proper citation and does not allow AI-generated content to be presented as the student's own work.
Key provisions:
AI-generated content must be credited in the body of the work and in the bibliography
Submitting AI-generated work as one's own is treated as academic misconduct, the same as submitting another person's work
The IB provides a specific citation format for AI-generated content
Teachers are expected to teach students how to use AI tools ethically and effectively
The policy is designed to evolve and is reviewed regularly as AI technology changes
Key takeaway: The IB treats AI like any other tool or source - it's allowed, but honesty about its use is non-negotiable. Their citation requirements set a clear, practical standard for attribution.
International
F. UNESCO Guidance on Generative AI in Education
Approach: UNESCO published comprehensive guidance for governments and educational institutions worldwide. Their framework emphasizes that AI policy must be grounded in human rights, equity, and the protection of children.
Key provisions:
Recommends a minimum age of 13 for direct use of generative AI tools (aligned with most terms of service)
Calls for government regulation of AI in education, not just school-level policies
Emphasizes that AI should not replace human teachers or human interaction in learning
Requires data privacy protections, especially for minors
Stresses that AI policies must address the digital divide and ensure equitable access
Recommends AI literacy training for all teachers and students
Key takeaway: UNESCO takes a human-rights-based approach, emphasizing that AI in education must serve students' best interests, protect their privacy, and not deepen existing inequalities.
Deep-Dive Research Questions
Use these questions to analyze your assigned policy in depth. Record your findings below.
1. What does the policy allow?
List the specific AI uses that are permitted under this policy.
2. What does the policy prohibit?
List the specific AI uses that are banned or restricted.
3. How does the policy handle citation and attribution?
What are the requirements for disclosing AI use?
4. How does the policy address privacy?
What data protections are included? What AI tools are approved?
5. How does the policy address equity?
Does the policy consider students with different levels of access, abilities, or language backgrounds?
6. What are the consequences for violations?
7. Who wrote this policy? Were students involved?
8. How often is the policy reviewed and updated?
Policy Comparison Framework
After researching your assigned policy, use this table to compare key elements across the policies your classmates researched.
Policy Element
Policy 1: ____________
Policy 2: ____________
Policy 3: ____________
Overall approach (ban, restrict, permit with guidelines, encourage)
Citation required?
Teacher flexibility? (Can teachers set own rules?)
Privacy protections
Equity provisions
Student involvement
Biggest strength
Biggest gap or weakness
Evaluate Your Assigned Policy
Strengths
What does this policy do well?
Weaknesses
What is missing or poorly addressed?
Provisions to Adopt
What specific language or ideas from this policy would you include in YOUR policy?
Provisions to Improve
What would you change or add to make this policy better?
Critical Thinking Questions
Does this policy treat AI use as primarily a threat to be managed or an opportunity to be embraced? What evidence supports your answer?
Could this policy have been written by someone who has never actually used AI? What would be different if students wrote it?
Would this policy work at YOUR school? Why or why not?
If this policy were adopted at your school tomorrow, what would change about how you do your schoolwork?
30-Second Summary for Class
Prepare a brief summary of the most interesting or surprising provision from your assigned policy to share with the class.