Artificial intelligence: a companion to learning - CRAFT model

Have you heard about the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence and wonder how you can use it in your studies?

This guide will cover:

• What is Artificial Intelligence?

• Responsible use AI tools in your studies

Generative Artificial Intelligence Overview

Artificial Intelligence study tools should be seen as a companion to learning but be careful how you use them

• Generative AI creates online content, including text, images, code, and music.
• Examples include ChatGPT, Google Bard, Microsoft CoPilot, and Adobe Firefly.
• Technology rapidly evolves, with new options emerging frequently.

Tasks AI Performs:

• AI performs tasks requiring human intelligence, such as writing, generating images, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation.
• AI creates machines that "think" and "learn" like humans using algorithms.
• Algorithms process data, drawing conclusions.

Artificial Intelligence tools are constantly evolving and so is advice about how and when to use them. Please keep checking this page or with your module tutor for the most up-to-date guidance.

Using Generative AI Responsibly in Your Studies

Introduction

Generative AI (GenAI) tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, or Gemini can be useful for study and research. They can help you brainstorm ideas, summarise material, or explain complex topics.
But they should support your learning — not replace your own thinking.

1. Comprehend 

To use GenAI responsibly:

• Treat it as a tool, not a substitute for your own understanding.

• Always check facts and accuracy using trusted academic sources (books, journals, library databases).

• Be aware AI can make mistakes, misunderstand instructions, or generate false information (“hallucinations”).

• AI can reflect biases found in its training data. Think carefully about what it produces.

• Never share personal, confidential, or copyrighted material with public AI tools.

Example:
AI might give a confident but incorrect definition or misquote a source. Always verify by checking your course materials or library resources.

2. Relevance

• Ask focused questions and define what you need before using AI.

• Use it to clarify difficult ideas or start research, but don’t stop there — move on to reliable academic sources.

• If your assignment guidelines forbid AI, don’t use it.

• If AI use is allowed, explain how you used it in your work.

3. Analysis

AI can’t reason or judge accuracy like a human.
You should:

• Cross-check all information against trusted sources.

• Never cite AI as an author — cite original materials.

• Acknowledge your use of AI (for example, “I used Microsoft Copilot to help check grammar in my essay”).

The School of Health and Life Sciences provide help on filling in the Declaration of the Use of AI form for modules on p5-6 of their student guidance

• Cite directly included AI content using Teesside University’s referencing guide.

Example – Harvard Style: Cite Them Right - Generative AI 

4. Forward Thinking

AI can support your learning by helping you:

• Summarise or outline topics

• Generate ideas or keywords

• Reformat notes or check grammar

• Plan further reading or writing tasks

But remember:

• Use it as a starting point, not the final word.

• Avoid letting AI think for you (“cognitive offloading”).

• Keep researching, writing, and reflecting on your own.

• Follow the University’s Academic Misconduct to stay within academic integrity rules.

5. Think Critically and Reflect

• Be transparent about how you used AI.

• Don’t over-rely — this weakens your creativity and reasoning.

• Be mindful of privacy — don’t share personal details or others’ data.

• Respect copyright — don’t upload university materials like lecture slides or readings.

• Be aware of environmental impact. Each AI query uses energy. Combine your questions into one well-thought-out prompt to reduce your digital footprint.

What are the limitations of Artificial Intelligence Study Tools?

Teesside University outlines the following as limitations of Artificial intelligence Study Tools:

Challenges in Student Learning

• Learning loss risk:

  • Main challenge is "learning loss" 

  • Learners should build knowledge from their own activities.

  • Learners should have a deep learning approach, using previous knowledge to solve new problems.

• Concerns with AI Use

  • Using AI wrongly can lead to "learning loss" by skipping key learning steps.

• Artificial Intelligence study tools bias 

  • GenAI may produce biased content based on biased internet data, including political and geographical bias

  • Students need education to critically evaluate algorithms and mitigate biases.

  • Students should understand the need to promote diversity and inclusion

Prompt engineering

Printable guide about creating prompts.

Upcoming sessions:

You do not have to book onto the workshop as attendance is on a first come first served basis.

• TBC for Semester 2

If you need further information or any adjustments to fully access our sessions, please contact libraryhelp@tees.ac.uk in advance. 

Previously recorded session:

13/10/25

In order to avoid academic misconduct, you should be evidencing the search that you have undertaken to find the resources to support your assignment and bibliography.

It is advisable to speak to your tutor to check how they would like this information presenting in your work. 

You can take a screenshot of your search strategy from the ‘Recent activity’ screen in the database(s) using:

• In built tools in Windows or Mac devices
• Browser extensions such as Go Full Page:
  • Chrome
  • Edge

You should also keep all the updated drafts of your work to evidence changes that you have made.

Referencing Use of AI Tools

Harvard Guidance on Cite them right

• Cite Them Right provides Harvard guidance on referencing Generative AI.

Click the icon below to view an online reading list of additional resources and further reading.

Blackboard module: The AI Resilient Learner

A Blackboard module on AI is available to Teesside University students. Login to Blackboard, go to Organisations and then The AI Resilient Learner

We are very interested to hear your views about the workshop you attended and would welcome your feedback. Please complete the form below:

This work is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Deed.