Effective, Critical, Ethical: A Practical Framework for GenAI in Higher Education

1. Brief Description of Workshop Topic and Content This 60-minute interactive workshop explores how educators can transform the challenges of Generative AI (GenAI) into engaging learning opportunities. We demonstrate how to move beyond anxieties of AI misuse and instead empower students to use these tools effectively, critically, and ethically. The session is built around a successful case study from a second-year research methods module, which was redesigned to actively incorporate GenAI into its teaching and assessment. The workshop's core is a hands-on activity where participants will use, and then critically evaluate, a GenAI-generated research proposal. Co-presented with a student who completed the module, this session offers a practical, evidence-based approach to fostering essential AI literacy and enhancing employability skills. 2. Detailed Outline and Timeline (60 minutes) Introduction and Case Study (5 mins): Brief overview of the workshop's objectives and its relevance to the ‘Student voice and experience’ theme. Introduction of the case study: Business Research and Analysis, a module that transformed student disengagement by embracing GenAI in its pedagogy and assessment. Activity 1: Hands-on Prompt Writing (15 mins): Participants will be given a highly detailed, 500+ word prompt designed to generate a 1,500-word undergraduate research proposal. Guided by the facilitator, participants will modify the prompt for a topic of their choice and use a GenAI tool (e.g., Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) on their own devices (laptops or phones) to generate an output. Activity 2: Critical Evaluation and ‘Marking’ (20 mins): Participants will be introduced to structured critical evaluation frameworks (e.g., PREP-EDIT). In small groups, they will ‘mark’ their AI-generated proposal against a selection of the official module assessment criteria (e.g., Methodology, Ethics, Clarity). This exercise provides deep insight into GenAI's limitations and its potential as a teaching tool to deepen students' understanding of module materials. Student Perspective (10 mins): Student co-presenter Rosie Mitchell will share her direct experience as a student in the module. She will discuss the journey from initial hesitation to viewing GenAI as a tool for learning, ethical practice, and enhancing employability. Wrap-up, Template Sharing, and Q&A (10 mins): The session will conclude with a group Q&A and reflection on adapting this exercise to different disciplines. Participants will receive a digital file containing the "reusable template" (the full prompt, marking criteria, and guiding questions) to use in their own practice. 3. Objectives and Expected Learning Outcomes By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: Understand how to design engaging activities that teach students to use GenAI effectively, critically, and ethically. Develop practical skills in advanced prompt writing, critical evaluation, and the structured analysis of AI-generated content. Gain a reusable template (including a detailed prompt and marking rubric) for creating similar exercises tailored to their own teaching contexts. 4. Hands-on Demonstrations and Resources This workshop is fundamentally hands-on. Participants will actively engage in: Live Demonstration: Real-time use of various GenAI tools (e.g., Copilot, ChatGPT, etc.) to generate complex academic text from a structured prompt. Hands-on Activity: Participants will personally generate and then critically evaluate an AI-generated text using a provided framework. Takeaway Resource: A comprehensive digital file (the ‘template’) will be shared with all attendees, containing the full, adaptable prompt, the assessment criteria , and guiding questions for immediate use in their own teaching. Attendees: All participants must bring their own internet-enabled devices (laptops or smartphones) to fully participate in the hands-on GenAI generation and evaluation activities.