Alpena Community College develops AI policies to balance innovation and academic integrity
Alpena Community College is creating policies for responsible AI use in education, balancing its benefits with concerns about academic integrity. Faculty encourage AI for brainstorming but stress original work.
ACC Adopts Thoughtful Approach to AI in Education
Alpena Community College (ACC) is currently exploring effective ways to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into classrooms and administrative departments. The college is working on establishing a clear policy to guide the responsible use of AI technology.
As AI tools become increasingly sophisticated, higher education institutions face growing pressure to set guidelines for their use. At ACC, Vice President of Instruction Paige Gordier explained that an overall AI policy is being developed, but for now, instructors have the freedom to decide how much AI to incorporate into their teaching.
Balancing Opportunity and Integrity
“AI is a tool that’s here to stay,” said ACC President Don MacMaster. “Denying that is denying reality. Our goal is to incorporate AI into assignments so students learn how to use it effectively.”
At the same time, MacMaster emphasized the risks, noting that AI can make it easier for students to misrepresent their work or outsource assignments entirely. The college does not support such misuse.
Tools and Techniques in Practice
The college has added Grammarly to instructors’ resources. This tool helps detect AI-generated content and monitors how long students take to write essays. Grammarly was chosen over other AI checkers because it maintains student privacy, avoiding the public exposure of student work.
Faculty members encourage students to use AI for brainstorming and outlining but stress the importance of original thought. Some instructors have students create their own outlines and then compare them with AI-generated versions to highlight AI’s strengths and limits. Others are experimenting with AI to draft lectures or presentations.
AI Supporting Administrative Efficiency
Beyond classrooms, AI assists ACC’s administration by quickly analyzing and comparing policy documents—a task that traditionally requires hours of manual work. This helps streamline policy development and review.
Addressing a Common Challenge in Education
MacMaster pointed out that schools everywhere face the challenge of encouraging authentic student work while recognizing that AI offers shortcuts that can undermine critical thinking. The key lies in guiding students to use AI as a helpful tool, not a replacement for their own effort.
Further Resources
- Explore practical AI training courses for educators and administrators at Complete AI Training.
- Learn more about ethical AI use in education from U.S. Department of Education.
