Permissible and Ethical Use of GenAI in Assessment

Assessment and GenAI at ASTRA

Assessment is a central and integrated component of the teaching and learning process that helps support your academic development and allows you to gauge your performance.

At ASTRA, we employ a scaffolded approach to the permissible use of GenAI in assessment that:

i. trains you in GenAI literacy;
ii. trains you in academic literacy and academic integrity, including GenAI and academic integrity; and
iii. advises you when and how the use of GenAI is permitted to complete an assessment task.

In order to facilitate and support your knowledge and skills development in GenAI literacy, academic literacy, and academic integrity, the use of GenAI in assessment is not permitted in your first-year units and may be used as advised in some second-year and third-year units.

How will I know when I can use GenAI in assessment?

The Assessment Information section in the Unit Outline for each of your units will include one of the following two statements:

If you cannot use GenAI

“The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is not permitted in any assessment tasks in this unit. Students alleged to have used GenAI tools in the completion of any assessment tasks in this unit will be investigated under the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure”.

If you can use GenAI

“The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is permitted in the following assessment tasks only: [assessment name] on the condition that any use is properly documented and credited in accordance with appropriate referencing conventions. Students alleged to have used GenAI tools in a manner contravening its permitted use will be investigated under the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure”.

How can I use GenAI in assessment?

In assessments where you can use GenAI, specific guidance on the scope of permitted use of GenAI tools will be provided in the Unit Outline with the details of the assessment task. Some examples of the different ways you may be permitted to use GenAI in assessment include:

brainstorming ideas and structures
paraphrasing
editing and proofing
co-creation

However, you are permitted to use GenAI in assessment; it is vital still that the final submitted work is your own. You will still be expected to have demonstrated what you have learned and what skills you have developed, even if GenAI use is permitted.

Too, whenever you use GenAI in an assessment where permitted, you must always acknowledge and/or reference it as you would any other external source you have used. The guidelines for Acknowledging and Referencing GenAI Output are discussed later in this module.