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Artificial Intelligence
TAFE Queensland is excited by the potential of AI to transform learning and teaching, and is committed to using it responsibly, ethically, and in ways that reflect who we are.
On this page AI refers to both Generative AI and other forms of artificial intelligence.
Generative Artificial Intelligence
Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) is a specialised area of Artificial Intelligence that creates new content in response to user input or prompts. This technology can produce a wide range of material, including written text, images, audio, video, and computer code. Unlike other forms of AI, Gen AI generates new content on demand, making it a powerful tool for learning, creativity, and problem-solving.
Key principles
TAFE Queensland has guidelines on the use of AI to ensure it’s used in a way that upholds our educational standards and community values. The key principles are:
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Use AI responsibly: Always use AI tools in a way that is ethical and aligns with TAFE Queensland’s values.
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Keep your data safe: When using AI, make sure you follow all rules and guidelines about privacy, security, and handling information.
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Humans make the final call: Remember, AI is designed to help you learn, research, and gather information, but it doesn’t replace your judgement or your teacher’s authority.
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Get support and learn: You’ll have access to resources and guidance to help you build your AI skills.
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Respect academic integrity: When you use AI for your studies or assessments, always follow academic rules.
We encourage you to innovate and learn with AI, but always do so with integrity, with caution about data, and under the guidance of teachers and official policies.
AI for Learning
Generative AI can be very helpful in your learning process, but it’s important to understand what’s okay and what’s not when you’re using it for study or assessments.
The golden rule is: Use AI as a helper to improve your understanding and skills – not as a shortcut to do your work for you.
DO use AI to ...
Here are some examples of how you can use AI effectively in your studies at TAFE Queensland:
| HOW TO APPLY | EXAMPLE | |
|---|---|---|
| Do use AI to support learning and build understanding | Ask AI to explain complex concepts in simple language or provide examples to help deepen your understanding. | “Can you explain the process of wound healing in simple terms?” The AI provides an easy-to-understand summary and a practical example. |
| Do use AI to brainstorm ideas and plan your work | Use AI to generate ideas or create an outline for your project, especially if you’re stuck or experiencing writer’s block. | “Give me five creative ideas for promoting a new café.” The AI suggests ideas such as hosting an opening event or offering loyalty rewards. |
| Do use AI to practise, refine, and improve skills | Ask AI to quiz you with practice questions, check your grammar, or provide feedback on a draft you’ve written. | “Can you quiz me on the core skills required for my course?” The AI generates practice questions or reviews your written answers for accuracy. |
| Do use AI to assist with research, not to replace it | Use AI to suggest topics to research or keywords to search for, helping to kickstart your research process. Treat AI responses as a starting point, always fact‑check and verify before you use them; use library databases for confirmation. | “Suggest some keywords or topics I could research on renewable energy.” The AI lists terms like ‘solar power’, ‘wind energy’, and ‘sustainable technologies’. |
DO NOT use AI to ...
The below are important examples to keep in mind about what you should avoid when using AI.
| HOW TO APPLY | EXAMPLE | |
|---|---|---|
| Don't use AI to complete assessments on your behalf | Don’t have AI answer your assessment questions for you. All assessment submissions should be your own work and demonstrate your knowledge and understanding. | Submitting an AI-generated assessmenty as your own without showing your own understanding is not acceptable. |
| Don’t submit AI‑generated content without critical review and your own input | Never submit AI-generated text as your own work without substantial editing and your own input. | Pasting an AI-written paragraph directly into your assignment without review or modification is not allowed. |
| Don’t share personal or sensitive information with AI tools | Don’t enter private or sensitive information into any AI tools. | Don’t share your full name, student number, or medical info with AI tools. |
| Don’t treat AI outputs as automatically correct or reliable | Don’t assume everything AI says is correct. AI systems can produce information known as hallucinations; details that sound convincing but are false or made up. Always fact-check and verify information from AI, as it may be outdated, incorrect, or reflect biases. | Double-check AI-provided facts and sources before including them in your work. |
AI in Assessments
While AI can support your learning, assessment tasks have additional rules to ensure fairness and academic integrity. TAFE Queensland’s Student Rules and Policies apply to all your work, whether you use AI or not. Here’s how to stay within the rules:
- Check the rules first: Follow your unit study guide and your teacher’s instructions. If AI isn’t clearly allowed for that task, don’t use it.
- Stay within what’s allowed: If AI is permitted, use it only for the purposes your teacher allows (for example, research or grammar support, not generating the final answer).
- Disclose AI use: If AI helped with anything you submit, acknowledge it. Not disclosing AI use can be treated as misleading and may be managed as misconduct under student rules.
- Keep it your work: Your submission must reflect your own understanding. Edit and rewrite in your own words and be ready to explain what you submitted without AI.
- Verify and think critically: Treat AI as a starting point, check facts, verify sources, and fix errors or gaps.
- Watch for bias: AI can be one‑sided or culturally insensitive, so apply your judgement and consider other perspectives.
A practical tip – you can add a reference entry for the AI tool. For instance, in APA style, a tool such as Copilot can be referenced with details like the prompt, date, and URL. Check the Library AI Guide for the format.
A practical tip – save the chat logs or text outputs from any AI usage when working on assessments. This way, if there’s ever a question about how you used AI, you have evidence that you used it appropriately and ethically. It can also help you write your acknowledgment and show which parts were AI-influenced.
AI in the Workplace
The skills and habits you develop in using AI at TAFE will also serve you in your career. In many industries today, AI tools are becoming as common as email and spreadsheets, helping professionals draft documents, analyse data, and generate ideas.
Employers value staff who can use AI effectively but also ethically. In the workplace, you might not use formal referencing for AI, but you would still be expected to acknowledge AI assistance in line with company policies, for example, by adding a brief note in a report or telling your team when AI helped create content.
Learning to use AI responsibly now means you’ll be ready to apply it confidently on the job, while maintaining trust and integrity with colleagues and clients.
TAFE Queensland has chosen specific AI tools for you to use because they meet our privacy, security, and education standards. We recommend sticking with these tools for anything AI-related, since they’re built into TAFE’s systems and come with proper support and guidance to help you use them safely and effectively.
TAFE Queensland provides access to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat for students and staff. Copilot is an AI tool integrated within the Office 365 suite (e.g., in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
Microsoft Editor is an AI-powered writing assistant included in Word, Outlook, and other Office tools. It continuously checks your spelling, grammar, and style, offering suggestions as you write, similar to using Grammarly.
TAFE Queensland students have access to the Adobe Creative Cloud suite for courses that involve design, media, or creative content. Adobe has introduced AI features across many of its apps (Photoshop, Illustrator and Premier Pro).
Help and Support
Using AI in education is new for everyone, students and staff alike. If you have questions or need guidance, TAFE Queensland offers plenty of support:
- Talk to Your Teachers: If you’re unsure about using AI for an assignment, how to cite it, or have questions about its responses, ask your teacher or tutor for guidance.They can clarify what’s allowed and offer advice on best practice.
- Student Orientation Module: Helpful advice on using AI responsibly can be found in the student orientation module.
- Student Rules and Policies: For a deeper understanding of the dos and don’ts, you can review the TAFE Queensland Student Rules and Policies.
- Online IT Support and FAQs: On our Microsoft 365 page and Adobe CC page, you’ll find FAQs and how-to's for using Copilot, Editor, and Adobe’s AI features.
- Student Support Services: If you’re feeling anxious about technology or studies in general, remember that student support services are available.
Resources
Use the resources below to find more guidance.
– Library AI Guide for Students
The library AI hub provides guidance on the use of AI in academic contexts at TAFE Queensland.
– Intranet AI Information for Staff
Information for staff about approved AI tools and platforms, including guidance on how to access and use them effectively and safely.