As AI tools like ChatGPT become more common, students are starting to use them in their writing. These tools can help students feel more confident and communicate more effectively, whether to brainstorm ideas, polish their drafts, or improve clarity. But their use also brings up important questions about authorship, honesty, and transparency. That’s why it’s important to create a classroom culture where students can explore AI in thoughtful, responsible ways.
Teaching Students to Credit AI Tools
While developing TechnoKids’ newest course, TechnoFuture AI, a key goal was to build responsible habits around AI transparency in student work.
Throughout the course, students engage with a range of generative AI tools to write, design images, compose music, and create 3D models and maps. Each time they use an AI tool, they must clearly acknowledge it. For example, if a student generates an image in the style of a specific artist using an AI tool, they must cite the source to indicate it was AI-assisted.
This practice not only encourages personal creativity but also teaches digital responsibility, helping students understand the importance of transparency and recognizing intellectual property in an AI-driven world.
AI Transparency in Student Writing
In TechnoFuture AI, students create an interactive ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ slide show. In it, they envision what daily life might look like in the future. As they imagine how futuristic technologies could shape a teen’s home, school, travel, and work life, students brainstorm original ideas and write detailed descriptions. On its own, this writing could stand as the final product. But with the help of AI, students gain a valuable opportunity to refine their work and reflect more deeply on their writing choices.
To edit, students use tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, or Gemini to rephrase their story. With the prompt, “Can you improve this text?” and then pasting their text into the AI app, they can compare the AI generated text with their original. They then thoughtfully combine the two, editing for clarity while staying true to their intent.
To promote AI transparency, students add a disclosure statement in the slide’s Notes pane:
“This text was revised using an AI tool to improve clarity and grammar. Original ideas and structure are my own.”
In addition, they include both the original and AI-generated versions to show their revision process, reinforcing responsible AI use and authorship.
By guiding students to use AI tools thoughtfully and transparently, we empower them in two important ways. They:
- become stronger, more reflective writers
- develop a deeper sense of digital responsibility