Using AI in Change Makers Modules 

When might I use AI on Change Makers modules?

We might use AI to assist us in various ways on our Change Makers modules. This may be through a generative large language model like ChatGPT, or through other tools that assist with writing, images or video. 

Depending on the individual module, we might use AI to help with tasks such as:

  • brainstorming ideas
  • exploring the context of an issue
  • checking our spelling, punctuation and grammar
  • improving our writing – make it more compelling
  • developing ideas for an argument
  • generating content
  • improving drafted writing
  • creating an image, audio or video

Your module leader will discuss the ways in which you might use it in your module, and the benefits and drawbacks of doing so. In the first place, if you are unsure, you should ask your module leader – or look on your virtual classroom on Basecamp for more specific guidance.

Do keep your own voice and be wary of hallucinations and bias

Be sure not to overuse AI because it is important to develop your own voice, your style, and give yourself the opportunity to learn by generating your own ideas.  Your teacher would much rather you presented your own work than something that has been ‘perfected’.  Also, be aware that, like any source, AI platforms generate content with a particular slant and bias, often even getting facts wrong, or ‘hallucinating’.  And, to be safe, do be wary of sharing personal information with the platform. Again, ask your individual module leader if you are unsure.

Acknowledging your use of AI

Hashtags

When using AI, you should acknowledge this on the page(s) where your work has used ideas or images generated from AI. To do this, write a note stating which platform you used and how you used it. You can do this by tagging the idea, image or page with a hashtag, stating: # [platform and what you used it for]

Here are some examples: –

  • We might use AI to help with generating ideas surrounding fishing designs. If that’s the case, and you used ChatGPT for this, we would then tag these ideas where they appeared in your submission: #ChatGPT used for ideas on fishing designs.
  • If you used Microsoft Copilot to assist you to improve an initial draft, you should add a tag to the start of the submission stating: #Microsoft Copilot used to assist in refining initial draft.
  • If you used ChatGPT to brainstorm or review the context of a subject or event, you should tag your submission #ChatGPT assisted with contextual research.
  • If you used ChatGPT to create an initial plan, you should add a tag to the start of the submission with #ChatGPT used to create an initial plan.
How should I reference using AI? 

If you use an AI assisted tool to generate content or source material, you should treat this like you are using any other source and provide a reference for it.  You can provide an indication with a hashtag showing exactly where you have used the AI, or an in-text citation if it is on a piece of written text. Finally, you should provide more details in a reference list and an appendix.

In-text citations

If your work is in written text format you can provide an in-text citation – similar to how you do in any written essay.  You can write the in-text citation in brackets including the name of the AI company, the year and a hashtag indicating how you used the AI. 

For example, a sentence informed by consulting OpenAI’s ChatGPT on the impact of private housing could be cited in the text like this: 

There are a wide variety of both positive and negative socio-economic impacts of private housing (OpenAI, 2024, #socio_economic_risks_of_private_housing).

Reference lists 

After including a hashtag, or an in-text citation, you can then cite this source in your reference list. In the reference list, you can include the following information about your use of AI:

  • Company.
  • Year.
  • # [what you used the AI for]. 
  • Name of AI [Version number and type of AI if known].
  • [Date accessed].
  • Available from: URL of specific output if available.  

Therefore, a reference to an AI source could look like this:

OpenAI (2024) #socio_economic_risks_of_private_housing ChatGPT 4o, (Generative AI) accessed 27 September 2024. https://chat.openai.com/share/f45a1e23-2217-4443-a244-d56ab26ae940

Appendices

Finally, when referencing your use of AI, you should also create an appendix for your submission that provides more details, noting:

  1. The AI platform used
  2. The date you generated the content
  3. Your name as the person who generated the content (it might not be you – it might be someone else in the class or someone else entirely).
  4. The prompt that you used
  5. The text or other content generated by the AI

Your appendix may therefore be quite large. For example, an appendix with one entry could look like this:

Appendix

1.	Content generated using ChatGPT 4o on Friday 27 September 2024, by Mark Pope. Prompt used: ‘please provide some ideas on designs to improve artisanal fishing’

Text generated:

“Improving artisanal fishing involves enhancing the efficiency, sustainability, and safety of fishing activities while preserving traditional practices. Here are several design ideas that could enhance artisanal fishing:
 
### 1. **Low-Cost Fishing Gear Improvements**
   - **Selective Nets and Traps**: Design nets with larger mesh sizes or selective release mechanisms to reduce bycatch, allowing juvenile and non-target species to escape. This would help sustain fish populations.
   - **Eco-Friendly Hooks**: Create biodegradable hooks to reduce long-term impact when gear is lost. These hooks could be designed to break down after a certain period, reducing ghost fishing.
   - **Improved Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs)**: Design FADs that are biodegradable, and equipped with GPS to track and retrieve them, reducing marine pollution and aiding in locating fish.
 
### 2. **Boat Enhancements**
   - **Stabilizing Boat Design**: Introduce outrigger-like attachments to improve the stability of traditional boats, making them safer in rough waters.
   - **Solar-Powered Motors**: Integrate small, solar-powered motors for artisanal boats to reduce dependency on costly and polluting fuel.
   - **Floatation Aids from Recycled Materials**: Design flotation aids or pontoons made from recycled plastics to improve the safety and buoyancy of boats.
 
### 3. **Catch Preservation and Storage Solutions**
   - **Insulated Storage Compartments**: Incorporate low-cost, insulated storage boxes on boats using locally available materials like bamboo or coconut fiber, helping preserve catch quality for longer periods.
   - **Solar-Powered Cold Boxes**: Develop solar-powered, portable cold boxes for fishers to store their catch, reducing spoilage during long fishing trips or transportation to markets.
 
### 4. **Digital Tools and Communication Systems**
   - **Mobile App for Fishers**: Design an easy-to-use mobile app for fishers to log their catch, receive weather updates, and get market price information. This could be especially valuable for planning trips and negotiating fair prices.
   - **GPS Navigation Systems**: Provide simple GPS devices or design a handheld navigation tool to improve safety by helping fishers return to shore more accurately, and even locate ideal fishing spots.
 
### 5. **Community Fish Processing and Storage Facilities**
   - **Community Smokehouses/Drying Racks**: Establish shared solar-powered smokehouses or drying racks to add value to excess catch and reduce spoilage, promoting food security and increased income.
   - **Cool Room Using Natural Materials**: Design a communal cool room made from natural materials such as clay for thermal regulation, using evaporative cooling for fish storage in regions without electricity.
 
### 6. **Improving Safety Equipment**
   - **Affordable Flotation Vests**: Develop low-cost flotation vests using recycled materials for better safety, designed to be comfortable and lightweight for all-day wear.
   - **Emergency Signaling Device**: Create a manual, crank-powered signaling device (light or horn) that can be used in emergencies to improve visibility in case of distress.
 
### 7. **Environmentally Friendly Practices**
   - **Artificial Reefs for Fish Habitat**: Design artificial reef structures using eco-friendly materials like coconut shells or recycled ceramic tiles to enhance local fish habitats and improve fishing yields.
   - **Marine Life Monitoring Kits**: Provide simple kits that artisanal fishers can use to collect data on fish stocks and water quality. These can involve low-cost water testing tools, contributing to community-driven conservation.
 
### 8. **Fishing Techniques and Education**
   - **Training Programs on Sustainable Practices**: Develop education programs and workshops, perhaps involving illustrated manuals, to teach fishers about sustainable fishing methods, such as rotating fishing zones to allow ecosystems to regenerate.
   - **Traditional Knowledge Integration**: Encourage the integration of traditional ecological knowledge with modern fishing practices, creating guidebooks that incorporate local wisdom in tandem with scientific understanding for ecosystem management.
 
### 9. **Economic Empowerment and Market Access**
   - **Fair-Trade Labeling System**: Create a labeling system for fish caught by artisanal fishers practicing sustainability. This could add value to their catch and offer better market prices, improving economic resilience.
   - **Fish Trading Co-Ops**: Design a cooperative model for purchasing and sharing expensive tools or gear. This would help individual fishers gain access to equipment they cannot afford alone, such as better nets or cold storage.
 
### 10. **Gear Recovery and Recycling Programs**
   - **Ghost Gear Recovery System**: Design a program or floating recovery tool for lost fishing gear to prevent ghost fishing. Fishers can receive incentives for retrieving and recycling nets.
   - **Repurposing Worn Gear**: Create workshops or kits for fishers to repurpose old gear (e.g., turning old nets into woven storage baskets), providing additional income opportunities.
 
These design improvements focus on enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and safety while respecting the constraints and traditions of artisanal fishers, thus empowering them economically and ecologically.”

Last Updated: 07/10/2024