Our AI resources are designed to empower faculty with the knowledge and tools to excel in a dynamic higher education environment.
Learn more AI tools and resources that affect teaching, research, service and university operations.
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Many models for syllabus language reflect different approaches to using AI in teaching and learning. FACET has developed sample content that can be used in course syllabi.
In addition, your department or college may also have syllabus guidelines that need to be followed.
Download sample language for Syllabi
Plagiarism is a serious offense. Towson University's Student Academic Integrity Policy defines plagiarism as "presenting work, products, ideas, words, or data of another as one’s own," and it often leads to significant penalties.
AI tools have also been shown to hallucinate sources and do not reliably cite source content. When writing papers, college students must create authentic work, credit the sources from which they obtain information and verify the accuracy of that information.
When designing assignments and assessments, whether you currently prohibit the use of AI or allow it within prescribed limits, you may want to make changes considering current developments in generative AI tools.
Please contact FACET, so that we may work with you or your department to help you design discipline-specific assignments and assessments.
View AI tour and sample assignment
If AI is allowed in your course, it may be helpful to establish guidelines for proper citation. Cook Library has created a LibGuide to assist with the appropriate use of AI resources.
Courses can be structured with AI from the beginning through the adoption of AI assistants, tutors and support.
Through careful prompting, faculty can build tutorial assistance into their course. Those can be tailored not only to the particular course but to the needs of the student. However, doing this is not without caveats. Faculty should be conscious of the limitations of generative AI in providing reliable answers and guidance to students.
In the worst case, AI tools may introduce hallucinations that present entirely fictitious theories and concepts. Even in the best case, however, it is unlikely that a chatbot will present course material in an identical way to the faculty. With all that in mind, however, the usage of generative AI for course assistance thoughtfully and reflectively can support student learning and provide examples (even negative examples) that can illustrate course concepts.
Bias in AI responses to prompts can serve as a springboard for critical discussion. We do not recommend utilizing chatbots for grading student work, for reasons of privacy and accuracy.
TU faculty and staff may use text and image-generating AI tools to support their teaching, curricular design and academic advising.
Frequently used free tools include:
By recommendation of the TU Generative AI Task Force, FACET is working with TU faculty to develop three modules of student AI training.
The first module, Generative AI and Ethical Use, is available to the TU Community. The module, complete with a preview and step-by-step instructions for seamless integration into your course, is available in the AI-Generative AI folder within FACET’s One-Stop Shop Blackboard organization (found in One-Stop Shop>AI Generative AI > Student AI Modules.)
AI literacy skills include:
Using Artificial Intelligence comes with security and privacy considerations. The Office of Technology Services (OTS) has created guidance for Towson University faculty and staff that emphasizes the importance of using AI safely and responsibly, adhering to existing policies, and prioritizing data privacy and security.
Read the OTS Guidance for Artificial Intelligence
Faculty should refer to publishing guidelines and conference codes of conduct when considering AI usage to prepare conference proposals and presentations as well as research reports.
Many publishers and grantors have instituted guidelines for AI-generated content, including prohibition, proper usage and citation.
Some publishers and grantors have also published guidelines on the usage of generative AI for peer review. It is the responsibility of a researcher to ensure that they have understood and incorporated guidelines for AI use in their submission to academic journals.
View Cook Library's LibGuide for Proper Citation When Using AI
When using generative AI tools, be cognizant that loading text or data onto a third-party site is not without risk.
Prompts, data, photos and other media loaded onto many AI sites become training data for the AI agent. In some cases, the data may be retrievable through “jailbreaking” (or escape the constraints of) the AI agent.
Data breaches become the material through which new media will be generated. Faculty and staff should avoid loading data (from students, from research or from finances) onto sites where there is a question about misuse of data by those sites.
Some journals require authors to certify that they did not use generative AI in preparing manuscripts. Authors may not be able to use AI generators in the byline. It is the responsibility of the researcher to be aware of publication requirements.
AI offers many resources for the generation of emails, reports, graphics and images. These may prove helpful for faculty and staff in their work for the University by streamlining functions and increasing productivity.
Future developments may result in individualized agents that can help Towson University faculty and staff organize their email and calendars. All of these offer opportunities, but also raise issues.
AI tools can help faculty and staff generate emails in their work, but they cannot be used uncritically.
AI can “hallucinate” content, emphasize the wrong content, or otherwise change the meaning and focus of emails. Faculty and staff need to proofread any emails they generate with AI tools.
Many applications are being updated with AI capabilities. As yet, the AI tools are not integrated into MS Outlook, but this may change with future updates of these applications.
Generative AI can help with reports in terms of writing, graphics and data organization and presentation.
When using these tools, use caution with regards to questions of privacy and confidentiality. Faculty and staff should not upload proprietary information to third-party AI sites. Instead, users can ask an AI agent to generate a graph with “dummy” data and then modify it for their document.
Through monthly drop-ins, workshops and individual consultations, we're here to help.
Additionally, this year's Educators Summit will focus on the opportunities and challenges of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Higher Education.
