How students can use generative AI
Part 4 of 4 in my series on Teaching and Learning in the AI Age
Guiding Students in Ethical and Responsible AI Use: For Educators
Recap
This article is the culmination of a series exploring AI's impact on education.
Part 1: What Educators Need outlined essential AI literacy skills for teachers, emphasizing the need to move beyond basic ChatGPT exploration to understand the full spectrum of AI tools available in education.
Part 2: What Students Need addressed how students require clear guidance to use AI safely, ethically, and responsibly, with emphasis on developing critical thinking skills alongside AI literacy.
Part 3: How Educators Can Use GenAI presented ten practical use cases for teachers, from creating differentiated resources to designing assessments, demonstrating how AI can reclaim 5-7 hours weekly for meaningful student interactions.
Part 4: How Students Can Use GenAI (this article) provides frameworks for guiding student AI use based on Joscha Falck's dimensions: learning about, with, through, despite, and without AI.
You can find the blog posts here.
➡️ Part 1 Teaching and Learning in the AI Age - What educators need
➡️ Part 2 What Students Need in the AI Age
➡️ Part 3 How Educators can use AI - where to start and how to progress
Part 4 has been baking in my head for a while, but it is not for a lack of desire to publish my thoughts and findings, it has simply become quite challenging to deal with new tools and updates almost weekly. What I mention in this piece will perhaps be obsolete in a year’s time. I aim to focus on practical frameworks for helping students understand HOW to use AI ethically, responsibly, and critically.
Five Dimensions of Student AI Use
I find Joscha Falck's framework of the five dimensions of AI in education (learning about, with, through, despite, and without AI) particularly valuable. It provides an excellent way of framing the challenges educators face and offers a structured approach to integrating AI thoughtfully into educational contexts. This framework serves as the backbone for the guidance offered throughout this article.
1. Learning ABOUT AI - Helping Students Understand
Students need to gain AI literacy, meaning understand how they work and what AI tools are - not personified, mystical entities with human-like intelligence, but sophisticated pattern-matching systems with specific capabilities and limitations.
Teacher inputs:
Demystify AI through simple demonstrations of how large language models work
Help students recognize common AI biases and limitations
Discuss data privacy considerations when using AI tools
Teach students to differentiate between AI-generated and human-created content
Show different types of AI tools and compare them to one another
Classroom activity example (Art): Have students experiment with an AI image generator to create "a teacher in a classroom," then lead a discussion analyzing:
How different prompts produce different results
Evidence of biases in the representations
How the AI was trained and its limitations
Privacy and copyright considerations
As AI image and video generation tools have become both extremely popular and increasingly accessible, students should discuss their use with all teachers. With tools like ChatGPT, Imagen, and numerous free alternatives, creating visualizations and illustrations for learning is now remarkably easy and affordable for students at every level.
🎯 Ask students to create a presentation comparing AI-generated content with human work, identifying key differences, strengths, and limitations.
2. Learning WITH AI - Teaching Effective Tool Use
Guide students on when and how to use AI as a productive learning companion rather than a homework substitute.
Teacher inputs:
Model effective prompt formulation for specific learning needs
Demonstrate how to verify AI-generated information
Show when AI is most useful for brainstorming and feedback
Establish clear attribution and documentation guidelines for AI contributions
Classroom activity example (Science): For a biology research project on coral reef conservation, teach students to:
Formulate effective research questions with AI assistance: "What are 5 specific research questions about coral bleaching that would be suitable for a high school project?"
Request explanations of complex concepts: "Explain the relationship between ocean acidification and coral health in simple terms, then give me a more technical explanation."
Get feedback on methodology: "Here's my planned experiment design. Can you spot any potential problems?"
Document AI use appropriately in their work
Sample attribution guidance to provide students:
In your research process documentation, include:
- Which AI tool you used and when (e.g., "Claude, April 12, 2025")
- Specific ways the AI assisted (e.g., "refining research questions," "explaining ocean acidification concepts")
- Clear indication of your original contributions (e.g., "All experimental design, data analysis, and conclusions are my own work")
- A complete bibliography including traditional sources
Example:
"In my research process, I used Claude (April 12, 2025) to help refine my research questions and understand complex concepts about ocean acidification. All experimental design, data analysis, and conclusions are my own work.
Sources:
1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2024). Coral Reef Conservation Program.
2. Hughes, T.P., et al. (2023). Global warming transforms coral reef assemblages. Nature, 556(7702), 492-496.
3. Interview with Dr. Sarah Chen, Marine Biologist at Pacific Marine Institute, April 5, 2025."
🎯 My advice: have your AI usage guidelines centrally visible and accessible for all students and repeat your rules and expectations in assignments, mentioning which key lessons students will learn.
3. Learning THROUGH AI - Facilitating Adaptive Support
Help students utilize AI for personalized tutoring and feedback on their work.
Teaching approaches:
Recommend appropriate AI tutoring tools for specific learning challenges
Teach students to recognize when AI explanations are helpful versus confusing
Show how to use AI feedback to identify patterns in their mistakes
Emphasize maintaining agency in the learning process
Classroom activity example (Language Learning): For German (or any foreign) language instruction, demonstrate how students can:
Create practice materials: "Generate 10 example sentences using dative case in German, with English translations"
Receive personalized feedback: "Is my German paragraph grammatically correct? 'Gestern bin ich mit meinem Freund ins Kino gegangen. Der Film war sehr interessant, aber ein bisschen zu lang.'"
Identify recurring error patterns: "I keep mixing up when to use 'der' vs 'den' vs 'dem'. Can you explain the pattern and give me practice exercises?"
Sample student documentation format to suggest:
Encourage students to maintain learning logs that include:
Frau Schmidt,
For my homework assignment, I used Claude to help me practice German case declensions. I first tried the exercises myself, then asked the AI to check my work and explain my mistakes. I noticed I was consistently confusing accusative and dative articles, so I asked for additional practice examples focusing on those cases.
Here's a log of my practice session: [attached file]
Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
[Student Name]
🎯 Teach students to verify the outputs of the tools - they should not accept results at face value. Provide traditional reference materials for easy verification.
4. Learning DESPITE AI - Developing Essential Human Skills
Help students understand which skills remain essential even when AI can perform related tasks.
Teaching approaches:
Initiate discussions about the intrinsic value of developing thinking processes
Clarify which foundational skills enable effective AI use
Maintain student motivation for learning "AI-solvable" tasks
Develop metacognitive awareness in students
Classroom activity example (Literature): For a literature essay on "The Great Gatsby," demonstrate how students should:
Use AI appropriately for initial brainstorming: "What are some key themes in The Great Gatsby that I could explore in an essay?"
Seek clarification on concepts: "Can you explain what 'the American Dream' meant in the 1920s context of the novel?"
Get feedback on thesis development: "Is this statement clear and specific enough: 'Fitzgerald uses symbolism to critique the American Dream'?"
Maintain ownership of analysis and writing
Discussion prompt for students: "If AI can write essays, why should you learn to write them yourself?" Have students reflect on the thinking processes that writing develops and how these transfer to other contexts.
Sample attribution guidelines to share:
THINKING PARTNERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGMENT
In developing my analysis of symbolism in The Great Gatsby, I engaged in dialogue with ChatGPT (April 2025) to test and refine my ideas. This AI tool served as a thought partner, helping me clarify my thinking about the novel's key themes.
All textual analysis, interpretations, and writing represent my independent critical thinking and engagement with the text.
Prompts: [...] Chat thread enclosed ... 🎯 Critical Strategy: Have students analyze a well-crafted AI-generated essay alongside a thoughtfully written student essay on the same topic. Guide them to identify differences in authentic voice, nuanced understanding, and personal connection to the material. This concrete comparison helps students value the intellectual growth that comes from developing their own writing skills.
5. Learning WITHOUT AI - Balancing Technology Use
Help students recognize when analog approaches offer advantages and when technology-free learning experiences are valuable.
Teaching approaches:
Designate "AI-free zones" for certain creative or reflective activities
Develop students' focus and deep work capabilities
Foster authentic human connection in learning environments
Build student confidence in their innate capabilities
Classroom activity example (Creative Writing): For a poetry unit, create a sequence that includes:
Nature observation without technology
Handwritten free writing exercises
Peer workshops for human feedback
Reflective discussion comparing disconnected creative process with AI-assisted writing
🎯 Mindful Approach: Institute "Think First, Then Tech" as a classroom mantra. Before turning to any technology, students must spend 10-15 minutes with just paper and pencil developing initial ideas. This practice helps students recognize that their own thinking should lead the process, with technology serving as an enhancement rather than a starting point.
Practical Scenarios for Students
Scenario 1: Using NotebookLM as a Study Database
NotebookLM is an example of a tool that holds great potential for all learners. It makes traditional note-taking interactive and insightful. By grounding its responses in user-provided sources, it offers accurate summaries, generates personalized insights, and uncovers connections across multiple sources. It has audio summaries and multi-document analysis and thus helps to organize and understand information. It’s by Google and is free.
Show students how to:
Demonstrate how to create a personalized study database in NotebookLM:
Upload course materials, lecture notes, and textbook excerpts
Organize content by topics and subtopics
Create and customize a podcast (Audio Overview) based on the uploads
Teach effective questioning strategies:
"Based on these materials, what are the key connections between topics X and Y?"
"Can you create a summary of the main theories discussed in these readings?"
"What concepts from these materials might I be confused about based on my notes?"
Show how to export and cite information:
Document which sources were used in the database
Track AI-generated summaries vs. original materials
Provide Attribution example for students:
TOOL USED: NotebookLM
DATE: April 12-15, 2025
PURPOSE: Research organization and connection identification
CONTRIBUTION STATEMENT: All analysis and conclusions are my own work
PRIMARY SOURCES:
• Hansen, K. (2024). Introduction to Environmental Science
• [Additional sources listed]Scenario 2: Using Google Gemini for Language Pronunciation Practice
Especially in the mobile version, the advanced Voice Mode features of Google Gemini shine. Demonstrate this appropriate approach:
Show how to use Google Gemini for pronunciation feedback:
Upload or record audio of language practice
Request specific feedback: "How is my pronunciation of these French 'r' sounds?"
Ask for examples: "Can you show me the correct mouth position for this sound?"
Teach preparation for oral exams:
Practice conversational responses with the AI
Record simulated interviews and get feedback
Focus on specific challenging speech patterns
Attribution example for students:
AI LEARNING REFLECTION
For my French presentation preparation, I used Google Gemini's voice analysis features to improve my pronunciation. The process helped me identify my specific challenges with nasal vowels.
My learning process included:
1. Recording practice dialogues (April 10-12, 2025)
2. Analyzing pronunciation patterns (April 13, 2025)
3. Targeted practice based on AI feedback (April 14-15, 2025)
All content creation and delivery were completed independently.Scenario 3: Using Image Generators to Visualize Complex Concepts
Demonstrate this appropriate approach:
Show how to use image generation for concept visualization:
Formulate precise prompts: "Create an image showing the process of photosynthesis in a plant cell, labeling chloroplasts, sunlight, and the production of glucose"
Iterate on prompts to improve accuracy: "Revise the previous image to more accurately show the thylakoid membranes within the chloroplast"
Verify the scientific accuracy of generated images
Teach appropriate use cases:
Visualizing microscopic or abstract processes
Creating study aids for visual learners
Generating concept comparisons
Provide Attribution example for students:
[IMAGE: Cellular Respiration Process]
GENERATED BY: DALL-E 3 | DATE: April 2025
VERIFIED FOR ACCURACY BY: Comparison with Campbell Biology textbook diagrams
INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSE: Visualization of complex cellular mechanisms
PROMPT USED: "Create an image showing the process of cellular respiration in a mitochondrion, with labeled components including..."Scenario 4: Writing a Climate Change Speech
Demonstrate this appropriate brainstorming approach:
Research key points: "What are the 3-5 most compelling scientific findings about climate change from the past two years that would resonate with high school students?"
Develop a persuasive structure: "What's an effective structure for a 5-minute speech that needs to inform and motivate action on climate change?"
Find powerful statistics: "What are some verified statistics that show the impact of climate change on [your local region]?"
Get feedback on drafts: "Here's my introduction paragraph. Does it grab attention effectively and set up my main points?"
Provide Attribution example for students:
SPEECH DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENTATION
Initial research → Perplexity.ai (April 14, 2025)
Statistical verification → IPCC Report cross-referencing
Content organization → Self-developed outline based on AI suggestions
Final writing and delivery → 100% original work
By documenting this process, I demonstrate how AI served as a research assistant while maintaining intellectual ownership of my work.Ethical Guidelines to Establish with Your Students
1. Transparency and Attribution
Establish clear expectations for transparency about AI use:
Require students to keep records of significant AI interactions
Develop age-appropriate attribution guidelines
Create classroom norms around disclosure
Model proper attribution in your own materials (‼️)
2. Maintaining Academic Integrity
Define clear boundaries for appropriate AI use:
Establish when AI use is allowed, restricted, or prohibited
Clarify consequences for misuse
Explain the requirements for documentation and attribution
Adapt existing academic integrity policies to include AI considerations
3. Critical Evaluation of AI Outputs
Develop students' critical thinking about AI content:
Teach fact-checking skills for AI-generated information
Create exercises to identify biases in AI responses
Encourage verification with reliable sources
Discuss the limitations of AI knowledge and reasoning
4. Responsible Data Sharing
Teach thoughtful approaches to data privacy:
Establish classroom policies on personal information sharing
Discuss data retention policies of AI tools
Create age-appropriate guidelines for content sharing
Address potential privacy implications of AI interactions
Creating AI-Use Portfolios and Digital Notebooks with Your Students
Consider implementing "AI-Use Portfolios" in your classroom to help students document and reflect on their AI interactions. These portfolios might include:
Digital Prompt Notebook: Encourage students to maintain a digital collection of effective prompts they've developed, organized by subject or purpose. This becomes a valuable personal resource they can refine over time.
Tool Inventory: Have students create a personalized list of AI tools they find most helpful for different learning tasks, with notes on when and how to use each one effectively.
Case Studies: Examples of how AI helped solve specific learning challenges, with before-and-after documentation.
Critical Reflections: Analysis of when AI was and wasn't helpful, including reflection on limitations they've encountered.
Ethical Considerations: Documentation of how students addressed ethical questions in their AI use.
Sample Digital Notebook Structure to Share with Students:
MY AI LEARNING TOOLKIT
FAVORITE PROMPTS:
- For brainstorming: "Generate 10 possible research questions about [topic] suitable for a high school project."
- For understanding concepts: "Explain [concept] in simple terms, then give a more detailed explanation with examples."
- For feedback: "Here's my work: [paste work]. What are 3 specific ways I could improve it?"
- For exam preparation: "Create 5 practice questions about [topic] that require critical thinking."
USEFUL TOOLS:
- Claude: Best for in-depth explanations and nuanced feedback
- NotebookLM: Excellent for organizing research and creating a personalized study database
- Google Gemini: Great for visual learning and pronunciation help
- Leonardo.ai: Helpful for visualizing abstract concepts
RECENT SUCCESSES:
- Used NotebookLM to organize my research notes for history project (April 10)
- Practiced French pronunciation with Google Gemini before oral exam (April 14)
- Created visualization of cell division process using DALL-E (April 17)
LEARNING MOMENTS:
- AI gave me incorrect information about historical dates - learned to always verify facts
- Realized I understand concepts better when I first try to explain them myself, then use AI for feedback
Benefits of this approach:
Encourages transparency about AI use
Helps students develop metacognitive awareness
Creates artifacts for assessment
Builds transferable skills for responsible AI use
Promotes reflective practice and tool literacy
Developing Clear AI Policies for Your Classroom
Be explicit about your expectations for AI use. Consider addressing:
When AI is allowed:
For brainstorming and ideation
As a learning tool for difficult concepts
For feedback on student-created work
For practice and preparation
When AI is prohibited - when the effort is the point:
For assessments testing core skills
When learning foundational concepts
For work requiring purely original thinking
When specified in assignment instructions
Attribution requirements:
What level of AI assistance requires documentation
How that documentation should be formatted
Where attribution should appear in the work
What details should be included
🎯 Provide clear, age-appropriate examples of these policies for your students.
Building a Classroom Culture of Responsible AI Use
Beyond individual guidelines, foster a classroom environment that normalizes thoughtful AI use:
Open Discussion: Create regular opportunities to discuss emerging AI capabilities and their implications
Collaborative Exploration: Encourage students to share effective strategies for AI use with peers
Balanced Perspective: Avoid both uncritical enthusiasm and excessive caution about AI tools
Adaptive Policies: Be willing to adjust guidelines as new tools and capabilities emerge
The Path Forward
As I conclude this series, let's reflect honestly on our current reality:
None of us entered the teaching profession expecting to navigate the integration of generative AI into education.
Few could have anticipated the need to completely rethink assessment, instruction, and student skill development in response to these technologies.
Most of us are adapting to these seismic changes without additional compensation, support, or time—learning new skills during evenings and weekends while maintaining our regular responsibilities.
Yet, here we are.
The educational landscape has fundamentally changed. AI tools have arrived in our classrooms whether we invited them or not. Our students are already using them, experimenting with them, and sometimes relying on them excessively—often without guidance or guardrails.
What distinguishes excellent educators has always been adaptability in the face of change. While the tools and challenges may be new, our core mission remains: to develop critical thinkers, ethical decision-makers, and lifelong learners who can navigate an uncertain future.
Our greatest superpower has always been our ability to motivate learners—to find the unique keys that unlock each student's potential and curiosity. We know how to try different approaches when the first one doesn't work, adapting our strategies until we find what resonates. This same creative persistence that helps us reach reluctant readers or struggling mathematicians will serve us well as we guide students toward responsible AI use.
Will we successfully dissuade every student from taking the easy path of substituting AI for authentic learning? Certainly not. But by establishing clear norms, modeling thoughtful AI use, and articulating the unique value of human thinking, we create a foundation that many students will embrace.
The educators who thrive in this new era will be those who help students understand when to use AI, when to set it aside, and how to maintain their intellectual sovereignty while leveraging these tools.
The frameworks and strategies shared throughout this series are being implemented by educators worldwide who are facing the same challenges you are. The future of education lies in thoughtfully integrating both human and artificial intelligence.
As Alvin Toffler noted, "The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn."
In navigating the AI revolution, we are all embracing this cycle—learning new approaches, unlearning outdated practices, and relearning what matters most in education.
Thanks for reading!
Title image: canva.com