Making generative AI work for learners and staff at Nottingham College

How can colleges effectively integrate generative AI into the curriculum and assessment? It’s a question many colleges have been grappling for some time with increasing degrees of success. If you want an idea of how your college is progressing, take a look at the AI maturity toolkit for tertiary education.

Philippa Armstrong gave us some valuable insights from her experiences at Nottingham College on the Beyond the Technology podcast recorded live at Digifest.

The first point to note is that there are over 40,000 students across Nottingham College, and they are using generative AI in different ways. Philippa separated them into three cohorts:

1. Students who are using generative AI in a positive way to advance their own work
2. Students who are using it in an inappropriate way, as an alternative to their own research
3. Students who are not using it because they feel they might get into trouble

Philippa described her role as educating each of these cohorts about the benefits and pitfalls of generative AI - and how they can use it to their best advantage.

Setting up a use scale

To encourage students to start using generative AI and help them understand the boundaries, the college has set up a set of resources and guidance.

Philippa explained:

“Now our students and staff have very clear guidelines on what they can do, in terms of different levels of AI on any given task.”

This includes a usage scale students can refer to, helping them understand how much they can draw on AI tools for a particular task. For instance, the scale includes the use of AI for research or for generating imagery or video for an assignment.

The guidelines apply to whatever type of generative AI tool a student might be using.

Phillipa said:

“In Nottingham, we have a very mixed student body with some who have access to free AI on their phones, while others are happy to pay to get more ‘sophisticated’ AI tools.”

Making generative AI accessible for learners

During the podcast, we asked Philippa how the college was making sure that generative AI tools were fully accessible to all students.

Philippa pointed out that Nottingham College is mainly a further education organisation, so there are age restrictions to consider.

“We’re very limited with what tools are out there that are appropriate. As there is no single tool that everyone is using, our guidelines had to be broad enough to apply to every possible AI platform available to the student body.”

How can generative AI be used in assessment?

Generative AI is already having a huge impact in assessment at Nottingham College, but there are still challenges.

Phillipa explained:

“We’re trying to make outdated assessment practices fit into a world where we have AI. Students are currently being assessed on things like essays which are easily created by AI.”

In Philippa’s opinion, educators can’t solve this problem until assessment itself changes.

Some academics at Nottingham are already embracing the use of AI for feedback, while others are holding back. The college has created a set of guidance for tutors, with suggestions for specific tools to use which are more data secure.

The college also urges teaching staff to be transparent with their students about the fact they are using AI. Some students are less amenable to having their work marked using AI, particularly the higher education cohort.

“That’s why we encourage teachers to review all the feedback before it goes back to the student.”

Enabling generative AI literacy: the role of policy makers and institutions

Philippa stressed the role of educators in keeping the generative AI discussion going.

“We’ve got to keep making sure that students and staff understand the power and the limitations of generative AI, and talk about using it in a positive way."

The goal is not to detect the use of AI and punish students for using it. Instead, the focus should be on educating people on the positive uses of the technology and helping them understand the power and the limitations of it.

What can peers learn from the experience at Nottingham College?

Philippa ended the discussion by saying how proud she was of the stance that her college has taken. They set out their intention to embrace it and were sure from very early on that it was very powerful.

“However, we do need to make sure we back it up with education and resources for our students. “We’re all about transparency, clarity, openness of use and honesty.”

Even educators who don’t want to use generative AI still need to be aware of it.

Phillipa explained:

“That stretches to our staff as well. If you don’t answer your students’ questions about the technology then that can be a barrier, and they may not come to you again.”

To conclude, Philippa summed up Nottingham College’s stance on AI:

“Understanding and experience really do need to span across the whole institution, so that everyone is empowered and knowledgeable. By being aware of generative AI’s strengths and weaknesses, everyone can understand what they can use it for and how they can use it effectively.”