“Know your enemy, know his sword.”
-Miyamoto Musashi, A Book of Five Rings
I am signing up for just about every training, microcredential, and workshop on artificial intelligence implementation in higher education. This week, I completed a three-day faculty development workshop that walked us through gauging AI’s “disruption” in our classrooms and assignments. Overall, I enjoyed the experience, but being stuck with pro-capitalist AI accelerationists was not fun.
The best thing I took away from the workshop was the policy assignment I completed and that I can now use across classes. I wanted to share it with anyone who might be interested.
Usage Statement for GenAI
Technology platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT pose new challenges to global (Afro)Indigenous sovereignty and land stewardship that are often ignored by mainstream omnimedia channels. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies rely on data centers built on stolen Indigenous lands or in displaced communities which consume significant amounts of energy and natural resources, including potable water. Course instruction will therefore examine “Big Tech” as a neocolonial institution and explore the socioenvironmental implications of using associated technologies. You will not be required to use generative AI tools in this course, and I do not use them for instructional purposes beyond the examples provided in the AI Literacy lesson.
The core ethos of this course is rhetorical sovereignty. While we will explore this concept in greater depth throughout the semester, it broadly refers to an approach to teaching that centers culturally-responsive and accessible instruction while prioritizing student autonomy and individual goals within the structures of higher education. This approach includes providing students with the knowledge, tools, and resources necessary to critically contextualize and navigate systems of racial capitalism and settler colonialism. Although I do not personally use generative AI platforms, you will not be penalized or belittled for using them in ways that align with university policy and relevant disciplinary standards (e.g., MLA or ASA), as outlined in the previous syllabus section.
Can I Use AI in Your Course?
As a tool, yes. All content generated using Large Language Models (LLMs), Machine Learning (ML), and generative AI platforms or tools must be disclosed and, when required by the assignment or disciplinary style, properly documented.
This course adopts the Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines for using generative AI or machine learning tools in academic research and student work. When citation is required, MLA guidelines generally include:
- A description or shortened version of your prompt (in quotes)
- Name of the AI tool (e.g., ChatGPT)
- Version or model (if known)
- Name of the organization/creator (e.g., OpenAI)
- Date you accessed the response
- URL to the session or tool (if available)
I encourage you to practice using the formatting style relevant to your discipline. You are also welcome to consult the hyperlinked resource for additional information and examples of disclosure statements, in-text citations, and Works Cited entries.
If you are unsure which citation style to use or have questions about disclosure or documentation, please ask.