When students and faculty return to South Piedmont this fall, they’ll be introduced to Gator Guide, the College’s new framework for the responsible use of artificial intelligence — designed to uphold academic integrity, strengthen critical thinking, and prepare students for an increasingly AI-powered workplace.
Gator Guide is the result of a yearlong effort at the College to put what Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Travis Teague describes as “guardrails” on a rapidly evolving technology.
“AI is transforming the way we learn and work, and our responsibility is to prepare students for the workplace they are entering, where these technologies will play an increasingly important role,” he said.
“At the same time, we must ensure students graduate with the critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills that employers value and that technology cannot replace. Gator Guide provides a framework for balancing innovation with accountability, encouraging the ethical and responsible use of AI while protecting the integrity of the learning experience.”
The Gator Guide is rooted in the North Carolina Community College System’s AI Guidelines but incorporates data and insights members of South Piedmont’s Generative AI Pilot Program gathered in the last 12 months, as they experimented with integrating AI into their classrooms.
Nursing Faculty Member Nicole Gee co-chairs the Generative AI Program Pilot Program with Assistant Professor of English and Humanities Ryan Brown. Together with approximately 25 faculty and instructional staff members across the College, they critiqued, edited, and recently finalized the Gator Guide and its implementation.
“Gator Guide provides a framework for balancing innovation with accountability, encouraging the responsible use of AI while protecting the integrity of the learning experience,” Gee said.
Added Brown:
“Gator Guide is a tool that can be used to leverage the aspects of student learning that AI enhances without detracting from genuine engagement and academic integrity.”
The Gator Guide details four levels of AI use in the classroom, including:
0: No AI permitted; 100 percent original student work.
1: Limited use of AI for brainstorming and organization.
2: Expanded use of AI for drafting and analysis.
3: Full AI integration as a collaborative tool.
The Gator Guide is being used in select courses this summer, but it will be expanded in the fall and will eventually be used in all courses at the College. While individual instructors will have the discretion to determine which level of AI is appropriate for assignments in their course, Gator Guide provides much-needed consistency for both students and faculty.
“By using a standardized guide, both faculty and students will have a clear understanding of expectations regarding the use of generative AI. Instructors will communicate assignment-specific expectations by aligning their assignments with the Gator Guide, while students will benefit from consistent, campus-wide guidelines that clearly define the college’s standards for responsible AI use,” Gee said.
Faculty will receive Gator Guide training and updates later this year. Students will be introduced to Gator Guide in their courses and should direct questions to their instructors.
For more information, contact Gee at ngee@spcc.edu or Brown at rbrown@spcc.edu.