Cite Your Sources: Citing Generative Artificial Intelligence

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, innovative technologies are reshaping how educators engage and inspire their students. One such innovation, generative artificial intelligence (AI), holds remarkable potential to transform idea generation, personalization, and ethical considerations in the International Baccalaureate (IB) classroom. As educators and educational leaders seek to nurture creativity and cater to individual learning paths, generative AI emerges as a powerful tool to enhance the educational experience.

Enhancing Idea Generation with Generative AI

At the heart of the IB philosophy lies the encouragement of critical thinking and creativity. Generative AI aligns seamlessly with this ethos, providing a platform for dynamic brainstorming that transcends traditional limitations. For instance, generative AI can generate diverse story endings in an IB literature class, prompting students to explore imaginative alternatives beyond the original narrative. This process fosters divergent thinking, an essential skill for IB learners navigating complex global challenges.

Personalized Learning Pathways for the IB Student

The IB program recognizes the uniqueness of each student’s educational journey. Generative AI takes personalization to new heights by tailoring learning modules to individual strengths and preferences. In mathematics, an IB student’s progress can be precisely assessed by AI algorithms, enabling the customization of problem complexity. By balancing challenging and engaging lessons, students can receive the necessary support.

Ethical Considerations in the Age of Generative AI

As generative AI makes inroads into education, educators and leaders must navigate the ethical landscape conscientiously. The IB program emphasizes ethical understanding and cultural sensitivity, and generative AI can catalyze these discussions. Students can explore and dissect the intricate interplay of values, norms, and traditions across societies by generating ethical dilemmas that reflect diverse cultural perspectives, such as those encountered in an IB Global Politics class.

Empowering the IB Educator

Generative AI is not just a tool for students; it empowers educators to optimize their teaching methodologies. IB teachers can leverage AI-generated prompts to spark student curiosity and engagement. These prompts, specifically designed to align with the interdisciplinary nature of the IB curriculum, encourage students to draw connections between subjects. An AI-generated prompt might challenge IB Theory of Knowledge (TOK) students to explore how mathematical concepts intersect with ethical considerations, fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of knowledge.

Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Opportunities

While the potential of generative AI in the IB classroom is vast, there are practical considerations to address. Data privacy is paramount, especially when dealing with sensitive student information. Collaborative efforts between educational institutions and AI developers can establish stringent protocols for data anonymization and content security. Additionally, ensuring that AI-generated content is accessible to all students, including those with disabilities, reinforces the IB commitment to inclusivity.

As educators and educational leaders embrace the ever-evolving landscape of education, integrating generative AI into the IB classroom offers a gateway to enhanced creativity, personalized learning, and ethical exploration. The IB program can genuinely prepare students for a globalized world where innovation and cultural understanding are paramount by utilizing AI to stimulate idea generation, adapt learning pathways, and navigate ethical complexities. With generative AI as a trusted ally, the boundaries of imagination and learning are continuously expanded in the IB classroom, creating well-rounded individuals poised to make meaningful contributions to our interconnected society.

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The MLA’s method for citing sources uses a template of core elements—standardized criteria that writers can use to evaluate sources and create works-cited-list entries based on that evaluation. That new technologies like ChatGPT emerge is a key reason why the MLA has adopted this approach to citation—to give writers flexibility to apply the style when they encounter new types of sources. In what follows, we offer recommendations for citing generative AI, defined as a tool that “can analyze or summarize content from a huge set of information, including web pages, books and other writing available on the internet, and use that data to create original new content.”

You should

*cite a generative AI tool whenever you paraphrase, quote, or incorporate into your own work any content (whether text, image, data, or other) that was created by it
*acknowledge all functional uses of the tool (like editing your prose or translating words) in a note, your text, or another suitable location
*take care to vet the secondary sources it cites (see examples for more details)

Copy and paste this link https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/ for specific examples from the Modern Language Association and keep in mind: the MLA template of core elements is meant to provide flexibility in citation. So if you find a rationale to modify these recommendations in your own citations, we encourage you to do so.