Exploring Ethical AI Use in Academia

Assignment created by David Hicks (School of Education), using prompts with Claude AI

Students will explore how academics and fellow students across various disciplines are using AI ethically to support their research, teaching, and outreach activities. The final product can be a written report, video presentation, podcast, or other creative formats, but must include all required elements. The goal is to develop a broad, transdisciplinary understanding of AI applications and ethical considerations, addressing issues of power, privilege, and environmental impact.

Assignment Components

Part 1: Research and Preparation

  • Identify Subjects:
    • Choose 1–2 academics or students using AI in their work.
    • Ensure diversity in disciplines to highlight transdisciplinary applications.
  • Background Research:
    • Read 2–4 articles from suggested resources on AI ethics.
    • Use these articles to inform your understanding and provide context for your interviews.

Part 2: Conducting Interviews

  • Prepare Questions:
    • Use the provided model question frame to develop a list of questions for your interviews.
    • Tailor questions to the specific context of each interviewee.
  • Conduct Interviews:
    • Record responses and take detailed notes.
    • Focus on understanding the practical applications and ethical considerations of their AI use.

Part 3: Writing the Report

  • Introduction:
    • Introduce your subjects and provide context for their work.
  • Case Study:
    • Describe how each subject uses AI, focusing on goals, methods, and outcomes.
    • Include detailed examples and quotes from the interviews.
  • Ethical Analysis:
    • Discuss the ethical challenges, power dynamics, and environmental impacts highlighted in the interviews.
    • Integrate insights from your background research.
  • References:
    • Include at least 2–4 references from the popular press and academic journals.
    • Ensure all sources are properly cited.
  • Conclusion:
    • Summarize key findings.
    • Reflect on the broader implications of ethical AI use in academia.

Part 4: Presentation

  • Format Choice:
    • Choose a format for your final product (written report, video presentation, podcast, etc.).
    • Ensure the format allows you to effectively communicate your findings.
  • Narrative Arc:
    • Ensure your presentation has a clear structure and engaging narrative.
    • Highlight key points and ethical considerations throughout.
  • Ethical Discussion:
    • Emphasize ethical issues in your presentation.
    • Discuss how power, privilege, and environmental impacts are addressed in AI applications.

Use the following example structure for a video presentation to help plan your project:

  • Introduction: Brief overview of the project and subjects.
  • Interview Clips: Short clips of interviews with Dr. Smith and John Doe, highlighting their use of AI.
  • Ethical Analysis: Visual aids and narration discussing ethical considerations.
  • Conclusion: Summarizing key findings and reflecting on broader implications.
  • References: Displaying a list of references used in the research.

Detailed Interview Question Frame

Introduction

Self-Introduction

Thank you for agreeing to this interview. My name is [Your Name], and I am a [Year] student at [University], currently working on a project exploring the ethical use of AI in academia.

Project Overview

The purpose of this project is to understand how academics and students are using AI in their work and to discuss the ethical considerations associated with these applications. Your insights will be valuable for this research.

Background Information

Professional Background

  • Can you tell me about your academic and professional background?
  • What led you to become interested in using AI in your field?

Research Focus

  • What are your main areas of research or teaching?
  • How long have you been incorporating AI into your work?

AI Application

Description of AI Use

  • Can you describe the specific ways you are currently using AI in your research/teaching/outreach activities?
  • What AI tools or technologies are you utilizing, and how do they integrate into your workflow?

Goals and Objectives

  • What are the main questions or problems you are trying to address with AI?
  • How does AI help you achieve your academic goals?

Examples of AI in Action

  • Can you provide a specific example of a project or study where AI played a crucial role?
  • What were the outcomes of this project?

Ethical Considerations

Identifying Ethical Challenges

  • What ethical challenges have you encountered in using AI in your work?
  • Can you provide examples of these challenges and how you addressed them?

Power and Privilege

  • How do you address issues related to power and privilege in your AI applications?
  • Have you noticed any biases in the AI tools you use? If so, how do you mitigate them?

Environmental Impact

  • Are you aware of the environmental impacts of the AI technologies you use, such as the energy consumption of servers?
  • What steps, if any, are you taking to reduce these impacts?

Inclusivity and Accessibility

  • How do you ensure that your use of AI is inclusive and accessible to diverse populations?
  • Have you encountered any barriers to equitable AI use? How did you overcome them?

Outcomes and Reflections

Successes and Positive Impacts

  • Can you share any successes or significant findings from your AI-related work?
  • What positive impacts has AI had on your research or teaching?

Lessons Learned

  • What lessons have you learned about the ethical use of AI in your field?
  • Is there anything you would do differently in future projects involving AI?

Future Directions

  • How do you envision the future of AI in your discipline?
  • What ethical considerations should future researchers keep in mind as AI technology evolves?

Advice for Students

  • What advice would you give to students who are interested in using AI ethically in their academic work?
  • Are there any resources or readings you would recommend for those starting out in AI research?

Closing

Additional Thoughts

  • Is there anything else you would like to add about your experiences with AI or its ethical implications?

Gratitude and Follow-Up

  • Thank you so much for your time and insights. They are incredibly valuable for our project.
  • Can we follow up with you if we have any further questions or need clarification on any points discussed?

Model Example

Title

Ethical AI Use in Academia: A Case Study on History and Computer Science

Introduction

This report explores the ethical use of AI by Dr. Jane Smith from the History Department and John Doe, a graduate student in Computer Science. Both individuals utilize AI to advance their research and teaching while addressing ethical considerations such as power, privilege, and environmental impact.

Case Study 1: Dr. Jane Smith

Dr. Smith integrates AI in her historical research to analyze large datasets of historical texts. Using natural language processing (NLP) tools, she uncovers patterns and trends that were previously inaccessible. Her primary goal is to enhance the understanding of historical narratives and make data-driven interpretations more accessible to students.

Ethical Considerations

Dr. Smith is aware of the ethical challenges, including the potential bias in historical data and the environmental impact of using large AI models. She mitigates these issues by employing fair data practices and optimizing her computational processes to reduce energy consumption.

Case Study 2: John Doe

John Doe uses AI in his computer science projects to develop more efficient algorithms for data processing. His research focuses on creating inclusive AI models that consider diverse user needs. John’s goal is to improve AI accessibility and ensure that his models do not perpetuate existing biases.

Ethical Considerations

John addresses ethical concerns by collaborating with diverse communities during the model development process. He also emphasizes transparency in his work, making his algorithms and datasets publicly available for scrutiny and improvement.

References

Conclusion

The use of AI in academia presents both opportunities and challenges. Dr. Smith and John Doe exemplify how ethical considerations can be integrated into AI applications, highlighting the importance of addressing power, privilege, and environmental impacts. Their work contributes to a more equitable and sustainable future for AI in academia.

Assessment Rubric

Table 1. Rubric for Assignment
Criteria Excellent (4) Good (3) Satisfactory (2) Needs Improvement (1)
Research Quality Comprehensive, diverse, and credible sources used. Good use of sources, mostly credible and diverse. Basic use of sources, some may lack credibility. Limited sources, many lack credibility.
Clarity and Organization Exceptionally clear, well-organized, and logically structured. Generally clear and well-organized, minor lapses. Some clarity and organizational issues. Unclear and poorly organized.
Detailed Responses Thorough, insightful, and detailed interview responses. Generally thorough and insightful responses. Basic responses, some lack detail. Superficial responses, lack detail and insight.
Ethical Analysis In-depth discussion of ethical issues, power, privilege, and environmental impacts. Good discussion of ethical issues, some depth. Basic discussion, lacking depth in some areas. Limited discussion of ethical issues.
Creativity and Engagement Highly innovative and engaging presentation. Generally engaging and creative presentation. Basic presentation, some engagement. Unengaging and lacking creativity.
Collaboration and Communication Highly effective collaboration and communication. Effective collaboration and communication. Basic collaboration and communication, some issues. Poor collaboration and communication.

 

Last Updated on July 22, 2025