Student Conduct Officers: Are You Prepared to Deal with ChatGPT?

I have yet to read many articles on how higher education student conduct officers should respond to ChatGPT-related academic and behavioral misconduct incidents. So, to get some general ideas on the topic, I prompted ChatGPT with ideas on what a 1-hour training to introduce ChatGPT, the relevance to their jobs, and potential approaches they may have when such incidents arise.

This blog post aims to:

1. Share a 1-hour training session plan that can be used as a baseline for others to adapt.
2. Illustrate the utility of ChatGPT as a learning tool.
3. Use ChatGPT to develop training activities.

One important note:?The value of a knowledgeable instructor/practical facilitator who can lead inclusive, diverse, and productive discussions cannot be understated. For this interactive training, the approach of "guide by the side," whereby the teacher acts as a facilitator or guide for the learning process, is more effective than "sage on the stage," whereby the teacher lectures,?and the students listen and take notes.

Learning Outcomes/Objectives:

• Define what ChatGPT is and how it works
• Understand the potential impact of ChatGPT on academic and behavioral misconducts
• Analyze case studies involving ChatGPT and academic or behavioral misconducts, and recommend appropriate responses
• Develop a plan of action to respond to academic and behavioral misconducts involving ChatGPT

By the end of this training, student conduct officers should be able to:

• Define what ChatGPT is and explain how it works, and recognize its potential applications in various fields
• Understand the potential impact of ChatGPT on academic and behavioral misconducts, and recognize its relevance to student conduct officers’ work
• Analyze case studies involving ChatGPT and academic or behavioral misconducts, and recommend appropriate responses, taking into account ethical considerations and best practices
• Develop a plan of action to respond to academic and behavioral misconducts involving ChatGPT, using guidelines and best practices, and involving AI experts and stakeholders as necessary

Time Allocation:

I. Introduction (5 mins)

• Welcome and introductions
• Brief explanation of the purpose of the training session
• Overview of what ChatGPT is and how it works

II. Importance and Relevance (10 mins)

• Discuss why it is important for student conduct officers to be aware of ChatGPT
• Explain how ChatGPT can be relevant to academic and behavioral misconducts
• Provide examples of how ChatGPT can impact academic and behavioral misconducts

III. Case Study Activities (30 mins)

• Divide the group into small groups
• Provide each group with a case study activity involving ChatGPT and academic or behavioral misconduct
• Allow each group time to analyze the case study and discuss potential responses to the situation
• Reconvene the group and allow each group to present their analysis and recommended response

IV. Responding to Misconduct (10 mins)

• Discuss potential approaches to responding to academic and behavioral misconducts involving ChatGPT
• Provide guidelines for investigating and addressing potential misconduct involving ChatGPT
• Discuss the importance of involving AI experts and developing policies to prevent future misconduct

V. Conclusion and Learning Outcomes (5 mins)

• Recap the main points covered in the training
• Reiterate the importance of being aware of ChatGPT and its potential impact on academic and behavioral misconducts
• Provide learning outcomes for the training

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It is imperative that student service practitioners, including student conduct officers, engage in learning about ChatGPT to gain competencies to better serve and prevent harm to students and other campus constituents. Ill-informed policies and practices implemented do have social justice implications.

While a significant portion of the conversations related to ChatGPT center around academic integrity and teaching/learning, higher education institutions consist of many areas/capabilities in the learning and teaching, research, and enabling capabilities that warrant explorations on the implications and utilities of this technology.?

Email me at [email protected] for a facilitator’s guide for this training which includes scenarios for the case study section and details for each section.