What Is Generative AI

• Tools that create new content — text, images, code, audio, video — from your prompts
• Examples: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, image generators like DALL-E and Midjourney
• It doesn't "know" facts — it predicts likely responses based on patterns in its training data

Why Academic Integrity Matters Here

• Your schoolwork should show your understanding, not what a chatbot produced
• Submitting generative AI output as your own work is plagiarism
• The goal of school is learning — outsourcing your thinking means outsourcing your education

Learning Aid vs. Learning Substitute

• ✅ Aid: "Explain photosynthesis in simpler terms" — you still do the thinking
• ❌ Substitute: "Write my essay on photosynthesis" — the AI does the thinking for you
• The key question: Am I using this to understand, or to avoid the work?

Acceptable Uses (Always Check Your School's Policy First)

• Getting a difficult concept explained a different way
• Brainstorming topic ideas before starting your own work
• Generating practice questions to test yourself
• Getting feedback on a draft you wrote (where permitted)

Unacceptable Uses

• Copying and submitting AI-generated essays, answers, or code as your own
• Lightly rewording AI output to make it look like your writing
• Using AI during tests or assessments where it's banned
• Generating fake quotes, sources, data, or images to support your work

Generative AI Makes Things Up

• "Hallucinations": AI confidently invents facts, statistics, quotes, and citations that don't exist
• It can be biased, outdated, or simply wrong — and it won't warn you
• You are responsible for every error in the work you submit

Be Transparent — Acknowledge Your Use

• If your teacher allows AI, say how you used it (e.g., "I used ChatGPT to brainstorm ideas")
• Check if your school has a citation format for AI tools
• Hiding AI use is dishonest — asking first is always safe

Other Risks to Know

• Privacy: Never enter personal details about yourself or others — your prompts may be stored and used
• Detection: Teachers can often recognise AI writing, and dishonesty has real consequences
• Skills: Over-reliance weakens the writing, reasoning, and problem-solving skills you'll need later

The Bottom Line

• Generative AI is powerful — use it to support learning, never to replace it
• Be honest, be transparent, verify everything, and follow your school's rules
• Ask yourself: "Could I explain and defend this work without the AI?"

Academic Integrity

1. Suspicious Acts and Plagiarism
    Inappropriate academic behaviors include, but are not limited to:

• Plagiarism.
• Submitting a classmate's file as your own work.
• Completing homework or classwork on behalf of another student.

Academic Integrity

Penalties for General Tasks (Homework/Classwork)
If a student commits any of the suspicious acts mentioned above on standard tasks, the following penalties apply:

       - Academic Penalty: Zero marks for that specific task.

Disciplinary Action (Tracked per academic year):

       - 1st Offense: Written Warning.

       - 2nd Offense: Demerit.

2.

Academic Integrity

3. Penalties for Projects
    Because formal projects carry significant weight and require sustained independent effort, plagiarism on a project is strictly prohibited and results in a heavier, immediate penalty:

• Academic Penalty: Zero marks for the entire project.
• Disciplinary Action: One Demerit immediately.