Ethical AI for Teaching and Learning

Generative AI can support faculty in creating and reviewing more accessible learning materials. The following prompts can be copied into your generative AI tool and adapted to your course materials.

AI-generated accessibility recommendations should always be reviewed by the instructor. AI can support accessibility work, but it does not replace accessibility standards, institutional guidance, or human review.

Alternative Text and Long Descriptions

Upload or attach the image you would like to review, then use the following prompt:

Prompt

Act as a digital accessibility specialist. Examine the attached image and create equivalent text alternatives that provide the same essential information and learning value as the original visual.

Provide:

1. Concise alt text that communicates the image's essential purpose and content. Keep it brief and appropriate for a screen reader.
2. Long description for complex visual content that requires additional explanation.
3. Accessible text version that presents all meaningful information, structure, relationships, labels, and text in a logical reading order.
4. Accessibility recommendations if the image should be redesigned, simplified, or supplemented with additional accessible content.

Apply WCAG-informed accessibility and plain language practices. Do not describe decorative details unless they contribute meaning.

Clearly identify any elements you are uncertain about rather than making assumptions about information that cannot be determined from the image.

Accessibility Review

Prompt

Review the following course content for potential accessibility barriers.

Consider:

• Heading structure and hierarchy.
• Link text.
• Reliance on colour to communicate meaning.
• Images and text alternatives.
• Tables and their structure.
• Reading and navigation order.
• Document organization.
• Language and readability.
• Instructions that may rely only on visual or sensory characteristics.

For each issue you identify, explain why it may create an accessibility barrier and provide a specific recommendation for improvement.

Do not assume the content is accessible simply because no obvious barrier is identified. Clearly indicate anything that requires additional human or technical accessibility testing.

Course content:
[Paste or attach your content here.]

Plain Language Revision

Prompt

Review and rewrite the following course content using plain language principles.

Maintain the original meaning and academic accuracy while:

• Improving readability.
• Reducing unnecessary jargon.
• Shortening overly complex sentences.
• Using clear and direct language.
• Explaining specialized terminology where necessary.
• Preserving terminology students need to learn within the discipline.

After revising the content, briefly identify the major changes you made and explain how they improve clarity for learners.

Course content:
[Paste your content here.]

Accessible Assessment Check

Prompt

Review the following assessment for potential accessibility barriers.

Consider:

• Clarity of instructions.
• Language complexity.
• Cognitive load.
• Document structure and formatting.
• Technology requirements.
• Time requirements.
• Required modes of participation or response.
• Potential barriers for learners using assistive technologies.
• Opportunities for equivalent ways of demonstrating learning where appropriate.

For each potential barrier, explain the concern and suggest an improvement while maintaining the intended learning outcomes and academic standards of the assessment.

Do not recommend changing an essential learning outcome solely to make the assessment easier.

Assessment:
[Paste or attach the assessment here.]

Glossary Creation

Prompt

Review the following course content and identify terminology that may be unfamiliar to students who are new to the subject.

Consider:

• Technical vocabulary.
• Discipline-specific terminology.
• Acronyms and abbreviations.
• Industry terminology.
• Specialized concepts.

Create an accessible glossary that:

• Defines each term using clear, plain language.
• Provides the full term for acronyms and abbreviations.
• Includes a short example or context where helpful.
• Avoids circular definitions and unnecessary jargon.
• Preserves important disciplinary terminology students are expected to learn.
• Does not invent definitions when the meaning cannot be determined reliably from the provided course content.

Present the glossary in a table using:

Term | Definition | Example/Context

Course content:
[Paste your course content here.]

Thoughtful assessment design is especially important in an AI-enabled learning environment. Rather than focusing solely on whether students use AI, educators can design assessments that emphasize authentic learning, critical thinking, reflection, and meaningful demonstration of learning.

Generative AI can support assessment design by helping instructors generate ideas, review alignment, develop rubrics, and explore alternative approaches while maintaining appropriate academic standards.

Create Authentic Assessments

Prompt

Generate five authentic assessment ideas for the following course or topic:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Topic: [insert topic]
Course level: [insert level]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]

Design assessments that allow students to apply their learning in realistic academic, professional, workplace, community, or disciplinary contexts.

For each assessment idea, provide:

• A short description of the task.
• The learning outcome(s) being assessed.
• What students would create, perform, demonstrate, or submit.
• How the assessment reflects an authentic application of learning.
• Opportunities for students to demonstrate critical thinking and decision-making.
• Potential accessibility and inclusion considerations.
• The possible role of generative AI, including where AI might support learning and where its use might interfere with the intended learning outcomes.

Do not assume that generative AI should be incorporated into every assessment.

Improve an Existing Assessment

Prompt

Review the attached assessment and the learning outcomes provided below.

Learning outcomes:
[insert learning outcomes]

Evaluate the assessment in relation to:

• Alignment with the learning outcomes.
• Clarity of instructions and expectations.
• Authenticity and meaningful demonstration of learning.
• Opportunities for critical thinking and application.
• Accessibility and inclusion.
• Student engagement.
• Potential opportunities or challenges created by generative AI.
• Whether students can clearly demonstrate their own knowledge, skills, judgment, or decision-making.

Identify the strengths of the existing assessment before recommending changes.

For each recommendation:

1. Identify the issue or opportunity.
2. Explain why it matters.
3. Suggest a specific revision.
4. Explain how the revision supports the learning outcomes.

Preserve the intended academic level and disciplinary expectations of the assessment.

Assessment:
[Attach the assessment or paste it here.]

Rubric Development

Prompt

Create an analytic rubric for the following assignment.

Assignment:
[paste or attach assignment]

Learning outcomes:
[insert relevant learning outcomes]

Create criteria that directly reflect the knowledge, skills, and abilities students are expected to demonstrate.

Use four clearly differentiated levels of achievement.

For each criterion:

• Describe observable evidence of student learning.
• Use clear and measurable language.
• Distinguish meaningfully between achievement levels.
• Avoid vague terms such as "excellent," "good," or "poor" unless they are supported by specific descriptors.
• Ensure that criteria assess the intended learning rather than unrelated characteristics.

Present the rubric in a table.

After the rubric, briefly explain how each criterion aligns with the identified learning outcomes.

Flag any learning outcome that cannot be meaningfully assessed through the assignment as currently designed.

Alternative Assessments

Prompt

Suggest three alternative ways students could demonstrate achievement of the following learning outcomes:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Learning outcomes: [insert learning outcomes]
Current assessment, if applicable: [describe or attach]

Each alternative should assess comparable knowledge, skills, and academic standards while allowing students to demonstrate learning in a different way.

For each alternative, provide:

• A description of the assessment.
• The learning outcomes being assessed.
• What students would produce or demonstrate.
• Why the alternative provides comparable evidence of learning.
• Accessibility and inclusion considerations.
• Potential advantages and limitations.
• The possible role of generative AI and any guidance students may need regarding its use.

Do not recommend alternatives that change or reduce essential learning outcomes simply to make the assessment easier.

Inclusive teaching involves designing learning experiences that recognize and support the diverse backgrounds, experiences, identities, perspectives, and abilities of learners.

Generative AI can support faculty in reviewing instructional materials for potential barriers, gaps in representation, and opportunities for greater inclusion. AI-generated recommendations should be critically reviewed and adapted to the specific course, discipline, learners, and teaching context.

Culturally Responsive Content Review

Prompt

Review the following lesson or learning material and identify opportunities to broaden representation and incorporate relevant perspectives, examples, authors, case studies, or knowledge systems.

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Content: [paste or attach content]

Consider:

• Whose perspectives and experiences are currently represented.
• Perspectives or voices that may be missing or underrepresented.
• Whether examples or case studies rely primarily on one cultural or geographic context.
• Opportunities to connect learning to diverse communities, experiences, or knowledge systems.
• Whether suggested additions are relevant to the learning outcomes and discipline.

For each recommendation:

1. Identify the opportunity.
2. Explain why it may strengthen the learning experience.
3. Suggest a specific revision, example, or area for further research.
4. Identify anything that requires instructor verification or additional expertise.

Do not invent authors, sources, cultural practices, Indigenous knowledge, or community perspectives. Clearly identify areas that require consultation with appropriate sources, communities, or subject-matter experts.

Inclusive Language Audit

Prompt

Review the following content for opportunities to make the language more inclusive, respectful, and accessible while maintaining academic accuracy and disciplinary terminology.

Audience: [describe learners]
Content: [paste content]

Consider:

• Unnecessarily gendered language.
• Stereotypes or generalizations.
• Deficit-based language.
• Assumptions about identity, culture, family, ability, socioeconomic status, or lived experience.
• Terminology that may be outdated or exclusionary.
• Jargon or language that may create unnecessary barriers for learners.

For each suggested change:

1. Quote or identify the original wording.
2. Explain the potential concern.
3. Suggest revised wording.
4. Preserve specialized terminology when it is necessary for the discipline or learning outcome.

Do not assume that one term is preferred by every individual or community. Flag terminology that may require contextual, disciplinary, or community-specific consideration.

Identify Hidden Assumptions

Prompt

Review the following assignment or learning activity and identify assumptions that may unintentionally create barriers for some students.

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Learning outcomes: [insert learning outcomes]
Assignment/activity: [paste or attach]

Consider assumptions related to:

• Prior knowledge or educational experience.
• Technology and internet access.
• Financial resources.
• Time and scheduling.
• Transportation or physical location.
• Language and communication.
• Cultural or social experiences.
• Familiarity with academic conventions.
• Access to particular software, devices, materials, or learning environments.

For each potential assumption:

1. Identify where it appears.
2. Explain how it could create a barrier.
3. Suggest a practical alternative or support.
4. Explain whether the proposed change would affect the intended learning outcome or academic standard.

Do not recommend removing essential course or professional requirements. Instead, distinguish between requirements that are essential to learning and barriers that may be unnecessary.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Prompt

Review the following lesson using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Learning outcomes: [insert learning outcomes]
Lesson: [paste or attach lesson]

Identify opportunities to provide multiple means of:

• Engagement: different ways for learners to participate, build relevance, sustain effort, and engage with the learning.
• Representation: different ways for learners to access and understand information.
• Action and expression: different ways for learners to practise and demonstrate learning where these alternatives remain aligned with the learning outcomes.

For each recommendation:

1. Identify the current design.
2. Suggest a specific enhancement.
3. Explain which UDL principle it supports.
4. Explain how it maintains alignment with the learning outcome.

Prioritize realistic changes that can be incorporated into the existing lesson rather than redesigning the entire lesson unnecessarily.

Do not remove or alter essential learning outcomes. Clearly identify recommendations that would require further accessibility, disciplinary, or instructional review.

Generative AI can support lesson planning by helping faculty organize ideas, develop learning activities, create formative assessments, and align instruction with course learning outcomes.

AI-generated suggestions should always be reviewed and adapted to ensure they reflect the specific course context, discipline, learning outcomes, and needs of your learners.

Lesson Plan Design

Prompt

Create a lesson plan for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Class length: [insert duration]
Learning outcomes: [insert existing learning outcomes]
Class format: [in-person / online / hybrid]

Design the lesson using student-centred, inclusive, and active learning principles.

Include:

• Activities that actively engage students in applying, analyzing, discussing, creating, practising, or reflecting on course concepts.
• Multiple opportunities for student participation.
• Strategies that support diverse learners, backgrounds, experiences, and abilities.
• Universal Design for Learning (UDL) considerations, including multiple ways for students to access and engage with learning where appropriate.
• Opportunities for learners to connect course concepts to relevant personal, professional, cultural, community, or disciplinary contexts.
• Formative assessment activities that provide information about student learning during the lesson.
• Structured reflection or metacognitive opportunities where appropriate.

Present the lesson plan with:

1. Learning outcomes addressed.
2. Required materials and resources.
3. Lesson sequence with timing.
4. Student and instructor roles.
5. Active learning activities.
6. Inclusive teaching and UDL considerations.
7. Formative assessment opportunities.
8. Reflection and follow-up activities.

Ensure that the activities and assessments align with the provided learning outcomes.

Do not change the existing learning outcomes unless you identify an alignment concern. If you recommend a change, explain why rather than automatically rewriting the outcome.

Active Learning

Prompt

Review the following lesson plan and identify opportunities to incorporate meaningful active learning.

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Learning outcomes: [insert learning outcomes]
Lesson length: [insert duration]
Lesson plan: [paste or attach lesson plan]

Identify appropriate points where students could actively engage with the learning through activities such as:

• Discussion.
• Problem-solving.
• Application.
• Analysis.
• Practice.
• Collaboration.
• Prediction.
• Creation.
• Reflection.

For each recommended activity:

1. Identify where it could occur in the lesson.
2. Explain its purpose.
3. Provide clear student instructions.
4. Estimate the time required.
5. Explain how it supports the relevant learning outcome.

Aim to create regular opportunities for active engagement throughout the lesson, approximately every 10–15 minutes where appropriate.

Do not add activities simply to increase participation. Each activity should have a clear learning purpose and maintain alignment with the course learning outcomes.

Course Alignment Check

Prompt

Review the following course information and evaluate the alignment between the course learning outcomes, assessments, and learning activities.

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Course learning outcomes: [insert outcomes]
Assessments: [insert or attach]
Learning activities: [insert or attach]

For each course learning outcome:

1. Identify which learning activities provide students with opportunities to develop or practise the intended knowledge or skill.
2. Identify which assessment(s) provide evidence that students have achieved the outcome.
3. Identify any outcomes that appear under-supported or under-assessed.
4. Identify activities or assessments that do not appear clearly connected to a learning outcome.
5. Suggest specific improvements where alignment could be strengthened.

Present the findings in a table using:

Learning Outcome | Learning Activities | Assessment Evidence | Alignment Observations | Recommendations

Preserve the intended academic level and disciplinary expectations of the course.

Do not recommend adding new assessments or activities unless there is a clear alignment gap. Explain the rationale for each recommended change.

Generative AI can be a valuable brainstorming partner for developing engaging learning experiences, generating examples, and exploring different ways to explain complex concepts.

Rather than replacing instructor creativity, AI can help expand possibilities, offer alternative approaches, and support active learning and student curiosity. AI-generated ideas should be reviewed and adapted to ensure they are appropriate for the discipline, learning outcomes, and needs of your learners.

Generate Engaging Activities

Prompt

Generate five creative learning activities for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Class format: [in-person / online / hybrid]
Available time: [insert time]

Design activities that encourage students to actively explore the topic through curiosity, critical thinking, application, creativity, or collaboration.

For each activity, provide:

1. A short activity title and description.
2. The learning outcome(s) it supports.
3. Clear instructions for students.
4. Estimated time.
5. Required materials or technologies.
6. How students will actively engage with the concept.
7. An optional reflection or debrief question.
8. Accessibility and inclusion considerations.

Prioritize activities that require students to think, make decisions, create, discuss, practise, or apply learning rather than passively receive information.

Do not recommend technology or generative AI unless it meaningfully supports the learning purpose of the activity.

Alternative Explanations

Prompt

Explain the following concept in three different ways to help students approach it from different perspectives:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Concept: [insert concept]
Learning context: [briefly describe what students are currently learning]

Provide:

1. Real-World Analogy: Explain the concept by connecting it to a familiar real-world situation or experience.
2. Case Study or Scenario: Demonstrate the concept through a realistic example relevant to the discipline.
3. Visual Metaphor: Describe a visual representation or metaphor that could help students understand the concept.

For each explanation:

• Identify which aspect of the concept it helps clarify.
• Use clear, student-friendly language while preserving academic accuracy.
• Identify any limitations of the analogy, scenario, or metaphor that could lead to misunderstanding.
• Suggest one question the instructor could ask students to check their understanding.

Do not oversimplify essential disciplinary concepts or present an analogy or metaphor as an exact representation of the concept.

Collaborative learning develops communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. AI can assist faculty in designing group activities, organizing collaborative projects, and developing peer feedback opportunities while ensuring that meaningful collaboration remains central to the learning experience. 

AI should support the design of collaborative learning rather than replace the meaningful interaction, negotiation, shared decision-making, and responsibility that students develop through working with others.

Group Project Planning

Prompt

Design a collaborative group project for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Project duration: [insert duration]
Suggested group size: [insert group size, if known]

Design the project so that students need to collaborate meaningfully rather than simply divide the project into separate individual tasks.

Include:

1. Project purpose and expected deliverables.
2. Learning outcomes addressed.
3. Suggested group structure.
4. Individual and shared responsibilities.
5. Key milestones.
6. Opportunities for collaboration and shared decision-making.
7. Strategies for documenting individual contributions.
8. Opportunities for peer feedback.
9. A short reflection on the collaborative process.
10. Suggestions for assessing both the final product and the collaborative process.

Identify potential accessibility, inclusion, or participation barriers and suggest practical ways to address them.

If generative AI could have a role in the project, identify where it might support learning and where its use could interfere with the intended learning outcomes or collaborative process.

Team Formation Strategies

Prompt

Suggest three approaches for organizing students into teams for the following collaborative learning activity:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Activity/project: [describe activity]
Class size: [insert class size]
Preferred group size: [insert group size, if known]

For each team formation approach, consider:

• The purpose of the group activity.
• Student strengths, knowledge, and experience.
• Opportunities for diverse perspectives.
• Accessibility and inclusion.
• Equitable participation.
• Potential advantages.
• Potential challenges.
• Instructor workload and practicality.

Explain when each approach may be most appropriate.

Avoid making assumptions about students' identities, abilities, personalities, or backgrounds based on limited information.

Peer Review Activity

Prompt

Design a structured peer-review activity for the following assignment:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Assignment: [paste or attach assignment]

Create a peer-review process that helps students provide specific, constructive, and respectful feedback.

Include:

1. The purpose of the peer review.
2. Three to five review criteria aligned with the learning outcomes.
3. Questions students can use when reviewing a peer's work.
4. Guidelines for giving constructive feedback.
5. Guidelines for receiving and evaluating peer feedback.
6. A short reflection asking students how they will use the feedback they received.
7. Accessibility and inclusion considerations.

Design the activity so that peer feedback supports learning rather than functioning primarily as grading.

Do not ask students to make judgments about personal characteristics, effort, or ability that cannot be determined from the work being reviewed.

Collaborative Learning Activity

Prompt

Create a collaborative learning activity for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Available time: [insert time]

Design an activity that requires students to discuss, analyze, solve, create, evaluate, or make decisions together.

Include:

1. Learning purpose.
2. Recommended group size.
3. Clear student instructions.
4. Student roles or responsibilities, if useful.
5. Estimated time.
6. Questions or tasks that encourage meaningful discussion.
7. Expected group output.
8. Instructor role during the activity.
9. A short debrief or reflection.
10. Accessibility and inclusion considerations.

Ensure that collaboration is necessary to accomplish the learning task rather than simply having students complete individual work while sitting in groups.

Discussion Facilitation

Prompt

Develop a facilitated group discussion for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Available time: [insert time]

Create five open-ended discussion questions that progress from initial understanding toward analysis, evaluation, application, or reflection.

For each question:

• Explain its purpose.
• Provide one follow-up question that could deepen the discussion.
• Identify a possible misconception or assumption that may emerge.
• Suggest a facilitation strategy that encourages multiple perspectives without directing students toward a predetermined response.

Also provide:

• A short opening activity.
• Strategies for encouraging participation through more than one mode where appropriate.
• Suggestions for responding to silence or limited participation.
• A brief closing or reflection activity connecting the discussion to the learning outcomes.

Avoid assuming that verbal participation is the only meaningful form of engagement.

Student engagement is strengthened when learning is active, relevant, meaningful, and connected to clear learning goals. Generative AI can support instructors in developing activities that encourage participation, reflection, discussion, curiosity, and application while providing different ways for students to engage with learning.

AI-generated activities should be reviewed and adapted to the course context, learning outcomes, and needs of learners. Engagement should focus on meaningful learning rather than participation for its own sake.

Icebreaker Activities

Prompt

Create three short icebreaker activities for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic or course theme: [insert topic]
Class format: [in-person / online / hybrid]
Available time: [insert time]

Design activities that help students connect with the course topic, activate prior knowledge, or begin interacting with one another in a low-risk way.

For each activity, provide:

1. Purpose.
2. Clear student instructions.
3. Estimated time.
4. Connection to the course topic or learning.
5. Instructor facilitation guidance.
6. An alternative way to participate for students who may not wish to speak publicly.

Avoid activities that require students to disclose personal, sensitive, cultural, financial, health-related, or other private information.

Classroom Discussions

Prompt

Design a classroom discussion activity for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Available time: [insert time]

Include:

1. A short opening question or prompt.
2. Three to five open-ended discussion questions.
3. Follow-up questions that encourage deeper thinking.
4. Opportunities for students to compare different perspectives.
5. Strategies for encouraging participation through more than one mode where appropriate.
6. A short closing question connecting the discussion to the learning outcome.

Design questions that encourage analysis, interpretation, application, or reflection rather than simple recall.

Avoid assuming that verbal participation is the only evidence of student engagement.

Reflection Prompts

Prompt

Create five reflection questions for students after completing the following learning experience:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Activity/assignment/topic: [describe activity]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]

Design questions that encourage students to reflect on:

• What they learned.
• What challenged or changed their thinking.
• Decisions they made during the learning process.
• Strategies that helped or did not help.
• Connections between the activity and previous learning.
• How they might apply what they learned in another academic, professional, workplace, or community context.

Use open-ended questions that encourage meaningful reflection rather than yes/no responses.

Do not require students to disclose personal information that is not necessary for the learning purpose.

Case Studies

Prompt

Create a realistic case study for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]

The case study should allow students to apply course concepts to a realistic academic, professional, workplace, or community situation.

Include:

1. Context and background.
2. Relevant stakeholders.
3. A realistic problem, challenge, or dilemma.
4. Information students need to consider.
5. Three to five analysis or discussion questions.
6. A decision, recommendation, or response students must develop and justify.
7. A short debrief connecting the case to the learning outcomes.

Avoid unnecessary stereotypes or assumptions about individuals or communities.

Clearly identify any factual, legal, professional, cultural, or disciplinary details that should be verified by the instructor before the case is used with students.

Scenario-Based Learning

Prompt

Create three short learning scenarios for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic or skill: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]

Each scenario should require students to apply their learning, make a decision, solve a problem, or exercise judgment.

For each scenario, provide:

1. Situation.
2. Challenge or problem.
3. Information students need to consider.
4. Decision or action students must take.
5. Two reflection or discussion questions.
6. Connection to the relevant learning outcome.

Where appropriate, include ambiguity or competing considerations so that students must explain their reasoning rather than simply identify an obvious correct answer.

Interactive Learning Activities

Prompt

Design an interactive learning activity for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Class format: [in-person / online / hybrid]
Available time: [insert time]

Create an activity that gives students opportunities to actively engage with the topic through a sequence such as:

Predict → Explore → Discuss or Apply → Receive Feedback → Reflect

Include:

1. Learning purpose.
2. Student instructions.
3. Estimated timing.
4. Materials or technologies required.
5. Individual and/or collaborative participation options.
6. Instructor role.
7. Formative feedback opportunity.
8. Closing reflection or debrief.
9. Accessibility and inclusion considerations.

Ensure that each interactive element has a clear learning purpose.

Do not recommend technology simply to make the activity appear interactive. If a low-technology or no-technology approach would achieve the learning outcome equally well, include that as an option.

Generative AI makes critical thinking more important, not less. Faculty can use AI to help students evaluate information, compare perspectives, identify bias, verify sources, and reflect on their own reasoning.

The goal is not simply to produce answers, but to help students develop informed judgment, evidence-based decision-making, and the ability to question information critically.

Evaluating AI-Generated Responses

Prompt

Create a critical evaluation activity using an AI-generated response related to the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]

AI-generated response:
[paste the AI-generated response]

Ask students to evaluate the response for:

• Factual accuracy.
• Quality and relevance of evidence.
• Unsupported claims.
• Missing information or context.
• Assumptions.
• Potential bias.
• Missing perspectives.
• Reliability of any cited sources.
• Overall usefulness for the intended purpose.

Create five questions that require students to explain their reasoning and identify what information should be independently verified.

Do not provide the evaluation or corrected response until students have had an opportunity to complete their own analysis.

Comparing Multiple Perspectives

Prompt

Develop a critical thinking activity that helps students examine multiple perspectives on the following issue:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Issue/topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]

Present three distinct perspectives that students could investigate.

For each perspective:

1. Summarize the central position.
2. Identify key assumptions.
3. Identify the type of evidence that could support the position.
4. Identify potential limitations or missing perspectives.
5. Suggest questions students should investigate before accepting or rejecting the position.

Then create a comparison activity requiring students to evaluate the perspectives using credible evidence and develop their own evidence-based conclusion.

Do not create false balance by presenting unsupported or misleading claims as equally credible simply to provide multiple perspectives.

Clearly identify claims or perspectives that require verification.

Source Verification

Prompt

Review the following AI-generated content and identify claims, citations, references, statistics, quotations, or factual statements that should be independently verified.

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Content: [paste AI-generated content]

For each item requiring verification:

1. Identify the claim.
2. Explain why it should be verified.
3. Suggest the type of credible source students could consult.
4. Suggest search terms or strategies students could use to investigate the claim.

Then create a short verification checklist students can use.

Do not invent, repair, or replace missing citations.

Do not assume that a citation is authentic simply because it appears complete or professionally formatted.

If you cannot verify a source from the information provided, clearly state that it requires independent verification.

Identifying Bias and Missing Perspectives

Prompt

Analyze the following content for potential bias, assumptions, stereotypes, omissions, and missing perspectives.

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Topic/context: [insert context]
Content: [paste content]

Consider:

• Whose perspectives are represented.
• Whose perspectives may be missing.
• Assumptions embedded in the language or framing.
• Potential stereotypes or generalizations.
• Cultural, social, disciplinary, or historical context that may be absent.
• Whether the response presents uncertain or contested information as settled fact.

For each observation:

1. Identify the relevant part of the content.
2. Explain the potential concern.
3. Suggest a question students could investigate.
4. Identify what additional evidence or perspectives might be needed.

Do not assume that the absence of obvious biased language means the content is neutral.

Do not invent perspectives or speak on behalf of communities. Identify areas where additional research or consultation may be appropriate.

Fact-Checking Activity

Prompt

Create a fact-checking activity using the following content:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Content: [paste content]

Identify five claims that students could investigate independently.

For each claim, ask students to:

1. Identify exactly what is being claimed.
2. Locate one or more credible sources relevant to the claim.
3. Evaluate the authority, relevance, currency, and evidence provided by the source.
4. Compare the evidence with the original claim.
5. Determine whether the claim is supported, contradicted, misleading, incomplete, or requires additional context.
6. Explain their conclusion using evidence.

Do not provide the final fact-checking conclusions until students have completed their own investigation.

Do not invent sources or citations.

Reflection Activities

Prompt

Create five reflection questions that help students examine their critical thinking and decision-making during the following learning experience:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Activity/assignment: [describe activity]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]

Encourage students to reflect on:

• How they decided what information to trust.
• What evidence influenced their conclusions.
• Assumptions they initially made.
• How they evaluated conflicting information.
• Whether their perspective changed and why.
• What remained uncertain.
• What they would verify or investigate further.
• How they would approach a similar task in the future.

Use open-ended questions that focus on the student's reasoning process rather than asking only whether they reached the correct answer.

Do not require students to disclose personal information or beliefs that are not necessary for the learning purpose.

Responsible AI use extends beyond learning how to write prompts. AI literacy involves understanding how AI systems work, recognizing their limitations, evaluating outputs critically, and making informed decisions about when, why, and how AI should be used.

These prompts support faculty in applying AI literacy and responsible AI practices within their teaching. They can be used to develop classroom activities, explore ethical questions, support transparency, and help students reflect on their responsibilities when using generative AI.

For more structured learning about these topics, refer to the AI Faculty Learning Guide and A Practical Guide for Students within AI Literacy for All.

AI Literacy

Prompt

Create a short AI literacy activity for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Topic or activity: [insert context]

Design the activity to help students explore:

• What generative AI can and cannot do.
• Why AI-generated content requires critical evaluation.
• How AI may support learning.
• How AI may interfere with learning.
• Why human judgment remains important.

Include:

1. A short scenario or example relevant to the discipline.
2. Three discussion or analysis questions.
3. One opportunity for students to evaluate an AI-generated output.
4. One reflection question connecting AI literacy to their learning or future professional practice.

Do not focus primarily on teaching students how to use a specific AI tool.

Responsible AI Use

Prompt

Create five realistic scenarios that help students make decisions about responsible AI use in the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]

Include situations where AI:

• Could support learning.
• Could interfere with the intended learning process.
• Creates uncertainty about appropriate use.
• Raises privacy, accuracy, bias, or transparency concerns.
• Requires academic or professional judgment.

For each scenario, ask students to decide:

1. Whether and how AI should be used.
2. What benefits or risks should be considered.
3. What responsibilities remain with the student.
4. What course, institutional, disciplinary, or professional guidance should be consulted.

Do not assume there is always one correct answer. Where appropriate, allow students to explain and justify different responsible decisions.

Transparency and Disclosure

Prompt

Develop three examples of AI transparency statements for the following assignment:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Assignment: [paste or attach assignment]
Permitted AI use: [describe course or assignment expectations]

Create examples representing:

1. Limited AI use.
2. Moderate AI-supported work.
3. More extensive AI-supported work, where permitted.

Each statement should clearly identify:

• The AI tool used.
• How the tool was used.
• What contribution AI made to the process.
• What work, decisions, analysis, or revisions remained the student's responsibility.

Use clear, concise, student-friendly language.

Do not invent disclosure requirements. Ensure that the examples can be adapted to the instructor's course guidance and institutional expectations.

Attribution and Citation

Prompt

Review the following example of generative AI use:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Assignment type: [insert assignment]
How AI was used: [describe AI use]
Required citation style, if applicable: [insert style]

Help me identify what forms of transparency may need to be considered, such as:

• Citation.
• Attribution.
• Disclosure.
• Acknowledgement.
• Reflection on AI use.

Explain the purpose of each approach that may be relevant and identify what information I should verify using current institutional guidance, assignment expectations, or the required citation style.

Do not invent citation formats, institutional requirements, or academic integrity rules. Clearly identify anything that requires verification from an authoritative source.

Human Responsibility

Prompt

Create a short case study illustrating human responsibility when generative AI is used in academic or professional work.

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Professional context, if applicable: [insert context]

Include:

1. A realistic task.
2. How generative AI was used to support the task.
3. An error, limitation, bias, or uncertainty in the AI-generated output.
4. A decision the human user must make.
5. Potential consequences of accepting the AI output without appropriate review.
6. Three discussion questions about responsibility, verification, ethics, and professional judgment.

The case should reinforce that AI can support human work, but responsibility for the final decision or submitted work remains with the human user.

Teaching in the Postplagiarism Era

Prompt

Create a classroom discussion activity exploring how generative AI may influence ideas about authorship, academic integrity, transparency, learning, and human responsibility.

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Learning context: [insert context]

Move the discussion beyond the question:

"Did you use AI?"

Develop questions that encourage students to consider:

• How AI contributed to the work.
• What learning took place.
• What decisions remained with the student.
• How AI use should be made transparent.
• What responsibilities remain with the learner.
• How these responsibilities may extend into professional practice.

Include four discussion questions and one closing reflection.

Do not frame the activity primarily around detecting or policing AI use.

Evaluating AI Outputs

Prompt

Create an activity in which students critically evaluate an AI-generated output related to the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]

AI-generated output:
[paste output]

Ask students to evaluate:

• Accuracy.
• Reliability.
• Evidence and sources.
• Relevance.
• Bias and assumptions.
• Missing information or perspectives.
• Appropriate use within the learning context.

Require students to identify which claims need independent verification and use credible sources to investigate those claims.

Include a final reflection asking students whether the AI output supported their learning and how they reached that conclusion.

Do not provide the final evaluation before students complete their own analysis.

Classroom AI Guidance

Prompt

Help me develop clear, student-facing AI guidance for the following learning activity:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Assignment/activity: [paste or describe]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Existing institutional or program guidance: [insert if applicable]

Begin by considering:

• What students are expected to learn.
• Which knowledge or skills students need to practise themselves.
• Where AI might support the learning process.
• Where AI use might interfere with the intended learning.
• Appropriate expectations for transparency or disclosure.
• Privacy and confidentiality considerations.
• Student responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of submitted work.

Then draft clear, supportive guidance explaining:

1. Where AI may be used.
2. Where AI use may be limited or inappropriate.
3. Why these expectations support the learning outcomes.
4. What students should disclose about permitted AI use.
5. What students remain responsible for.

Avoid framing students primarily as potential rule-breakers. Emphasize clarity, learning, transparency, and responsible decision-making.

Do not invent institutional policy. Clearly identify any issue that should be checked against current George Brown Polytechnic guidance or academic integrity requirements.

Generative AI can help instructors develop timely, constructive, and supportive feedback while reducing some of the administrative work involved in preparing learning supports. AI-generated feedback should always be reviewed and adapted to ensure it reflects the instructor's expertise, course expectations, learning outcomes, and the individual needs of learners.

Generative AI can also support student learning by helping faculty create reflection prompts, study materials, practice activities, and learning strategies. When using AI with student work or information, faculty should follow institutional privacy and data-protection guidance and avoid entering personal, confidential, or sensitive information into tools that are not approved for that purpose.

Drafting Formative Feedback

Prompt

Help me draft formative feedback for the following student work.

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Assignment: [insert assignment instructions]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Assessment criteria or rubric: [insert criteria]
Student work: [insert only if appropriate under institutional privacy and data guidance]

Organize the feedback into:

1. Strengths: Identify specific aspects of the work that demonstrate progress toward the learning outcomes.
2. Areas for Development: Identify specific areas where the work could be strengthened.
3. Next Steps: Suggest practical actions the student could take to improve.
4. Reflection: Provide one question that encourages the student to think about their own learning or revision process.

Use constructive, specific, and student-centred language.

Base the feedback only on the provided assignment, learning outcomes, assessment criteria, and student work. Do not infer personal characteristics, ability, effort, motivation, or circumstances that are not demonstrated in the work.

Do not assign or recommend a grade unless explicitly requested.

Clearly identify anything that requires instructor judgment or verification before the feedback is shared with the student.

Student Communication

Prompt

Draft a clear and supportive message to students about the following topic:

Course: [insert course]
Topic/purpose: [describe the message]
Important information students need: [insert details]
Action required, if any: [insert action]
Deadline, if applicable: [insert deadline]

The message should:

• Clearly explain the purpose.
• Identify any action students need to take.
• Use plain, inclusive, and student-friendly language.
• Avoid unnecessary jargon.
• Maintain a supportive and professional tone.
• Clearly distinguish required actions from optional recommendations.

Do not add policies, deadlines, requirements, or consequences that I have not provided.

Reflection Prompts

Prompt

Create five reflection questions for the following learning experience:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Activity/assignment: [describe activity]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]

Design questions that encourage students to reflect on:

• What they learned.
• Decisions they made.
• Challenges they encountered.
• Strategies they used.
• Feedback they received.
• How their thinking or understanding developed.
• What they might do differently in the future.
• How the learning could transfer to another academic, professional, or real-world context.

Use open-ended questions that focus on the learning process rather than simple completion or compliance.

Do not require students to disclose personal or sensitive information that is not necessary for the learning purpose.

Study Supports

Prompt

Create a study guide for the following course topic using the course materials I provide.

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]
Course materials: [paste or attach materials]

Organize the study guide into:

1. Key concepts.
2. Important terminology.
3. Connections between concepts.
4. Common areas of confusion based on the provided materials.
5. Practice questions.
6. Questions students could use for self-checking.
7. Topics students may need to review further.

Base the study guide primarily on the provided course materials.

Do not invent facts, readings, references, or course requirements. Clearly identify any additional information that does not come from the materials provided.

Remind students that the study guide supplements rather than replaces the assigned course materials.

Learning Strategies

Prompt

Suggest five learning strategies students could use to develop their understanding of the following topic or skill:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic/skill: [insert topic or skill]
Learning outcomes: [insert relevant learning outcomes]

For each strategy:

1. Explain what the student should do.
2. Explain what type of learning or skill development the strategy supports.
3. Provide a short example relevant to the course.
4. Suggest how the student could check whether the strategy is helping them learn.
5. Where appropriate, identify how generative AI could support the strategy without replacing the student's own thinking, practice, or decision-making.

Prioritize strategies that require students to actively retrieve, apply, explain, practise, compare, create, or reflect on their learning rather than simply rereading or receiving information.

Practice Activities

Prompt

Create a formative practice activity for the following teaching context:

Course/discipline: [insert course or discipline]
Course level: [insert level]
Topic: [insert topic]
Learning outcome: [insert relevant learning outcome]
Course materials or examples: [insert or attach where applicable]

Create five practice questions or tasks that allow students to develop and check their understanding.

Where appropriate:

• Progress from foundational understanding toward application or more complex thinking.
• Include different types of practice.
• Align each item with the identified learning outcome.
• Provide feedback or an explanation that students can review after attempting each item.
• Identify common misconceptions or errors where relevant.
• Include a final reflection asking students what they understand well and what they should review next.

Do not introduce content that is outside the provided course materials or learning outcomes without clearly identifying it.

The activity should be formative and support learning rather than function as a substitute for instructor-designed graded assessment.