1 of 16

Students as partners in navigating the generative AI environment�A case of a student-partner project at the University of Cape Town

Cheng-Wen Huang, Asemahle Notshulwana, Tefo Mosienyane (and Andrew Deacon)

Heltasa (un)conference

14 October 2025

2 of 16

A student-staff partnership project

3 of 16

Part 1

Facilitate discussions about AI use between staff and students

Part 2

Students’ perspectives and experiences in navigating the GenAI terrain

4 of 16

Part 1�Facilitating Discussions about AI use between staff and students

5 of 16

Cases of generative AI use

By the time you graduate, what essential knowledge, skills and attributes do you aim to have developed?

What are the gains and losses of using generative AI?

What is acceptable, what is not acceptable?

Introduction to

what is generative AI

6 of 16

Survey Responses

2 undergraduate course
1 honours course

26 Responses

Responses collected a month or so after the workshop

7 of 16

It helped me understand issues involving AI use in my course

It was good to discuss AI use and academic integrity as a class

8 of 16

When we presented the scenario of student using AI to help solve a mathematical question, discussing the advantages and the disadvantages of using AI helped me to develop the responsibility of using effectively.

Most helpful was actually explaining how AI works, it was interesting and thought provoking. It now helps me guide whether or not I feel its use would help me.

Didn’t really understand how AI worked, thought you type up a prompt and it automatically gives an answer. Didn’t know it worked using a probability model, search the web through using the key words in my prompt.

I liked the discussion of grey areas and the importance of discretion with AI use.

Understanding how the technology work contributes to reflections about use

Contextual examples can foster critical judgement

9 of 16

I think that it definitely made me want to learn more on my own instead of using AI.

Yes. I do not have to view AI as a enemy of academic integrity. It can be used responsibly, infact it can help with many difficulties associated with academic work.

Yes, I definitely became more cautious

Not really. My attitude towards my own AI use stayed the same, but I found the stance of the lecturer on AI to be naive / over-simplistic / unhelpful (although this was largely due to the discussion parts of the workshop, the presentation itself was neutral and informative).

Not too much as i didn't agree with what was said about using AI especially with my use of it, although it was a bit off putting. I did have a bit of a greater appreciation of what AI is ans now it works.

No, the workshop did nothing and if anything made me want to use it more to prove the way it can be used. They simply made me believe how little the executive if UCT actually understands about AI especially in the science space.

10 of 16

Trust is a shared responsibility between students and staff

“There can be no integrity without trust,

but there can be no trust without trustworthiness”

(Eaton, 2024)

Eaton, S. 2024. Trust as a foundation for ethics and integrity in educational contexts. Higher Education Close-Up (HECU 11): https://sites.google.com/ru.ac.za/hecu11/sarahs-think-piece?authuser=0

11 of 16

Part 2��Students’ perspectives and experiences in navigating the GenAI terrain

*Preliminary findings from focus group

12 of 16

GENERAL VIEWS

Many students view AI as a learning aid; especially for understanding & simplification

Students are aware of AI’s risks for their learning and independence

Students worry about data privacy and surveillance in AI detection tools

“I use it to help me understand… you can actually ask it to break down things simpler for you.”

“If you’re overly dependent on AI, it might affect the way you think… you won’t be able to think independently.”

“It remembered my new major — even though I never asked anything about it. That’s so weird.”

“I’d get 30 slides and don’t have time to read them all… so I give them to ChatGPT and it summarises them — it’s more simple to understand.”

“Apparently the teacher can see our plagiarism score, but we can’t.”

13 of 16

FRUSTRATIONS

Following lockdown, and recently, students report that UCT is tightening digital controls to curb AI misuse

Students say UCT’s stance on AI varies sharply across faculties. This inconsistency frustrates students.

Co-creation initiatives that seek to increase inclusion and student voice might be symbolic rather than substantive

“They stopped giving us take-home assignments — we do practicals now to stop us from using AI.”

“In Commerce, they’re pushing us to use AI — but in a respectable way. You must show your work and reference it… In Humanities, they don’t welcome AI at all… they want your own objective voice… In Design, they don’t like it because AI can’t know your personal experience.”

“They may come off as progressive and understanding and hearing, but we’re only here for two years. They redo this project without us… they can pretend like this is fresh again, but this is year 14 for them.”

“In computer science labs, Wi-Fi doesn’t work on your phone — to stop people from using AI.”

“They’re using lockdown browsers so we can’t access AI tools.”

14 of 16

SOLUTIONS

Students repeatedly argued that they should have a voice in shaping AI policies.

Students felt that AI should be embraced but regulated, not excluded.

“Our lecturer told us we can use AI, but made the assignment in a way that AI couldn’t help — you must know your work.”

“The world is advancing and I don’t think the school should prevent us from using AI… academia should integrate it somehow instead of kicking it out completely.”

“UCT is so strict with policies, but they make them without including student voices — even though they affect us.”

“If we help decide, we’d also be accountable — because we helped make that policy.”

“We don’t have a voice, but we should have one. Policies made by students for students would be easier to follow.”

15 of 16

References