Microsoft Copilot
- Generates human-like text based on user input.
- Answers questions on a wide range of topics.
- Engages in conversational interactions to help solve problems.
- May generate biased content due to the biases present in data.
- May not be able to handle complex domain-specific tasks.
- Difference with ChatGPT is that all personal information and input is privacy protected when using your VU account in Copilot.
How to use Microsoft Copilot?
We made a step by step guide for you how to get started with Microsoft Copilot and how to use the tool.
Step by step guide Links to an external site.How to deal with generative AI in teaching and assessment?
VU Amsterdam teacher Esther Schagen of FSS delved into ChatGPT and created a quick guide based on what she learned. She tackles how to prepare, how to teach and how to deal with assessment. These tips are also very useful for all other tools using generative AI, like Microsoft Copilot.
Download quick guideLevels of allowed use of generative AI in your course
Policy at VU Amsterdam is that Generative AI, like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, is not allowed to be used by students unless their teacher says otherwise. To what extent can you allow the use of generative AI? SBE has created template texts for course syllabi teachers can use to communicate the different levels of generative AI in courses with students, in both English and Dutch. They would like to share this template with the rest of the VU. Choose the level that fits best within the learning goals of your course.
Go to documentHow to deal with suspicions of plagiarism and generative AI?
Please find the answer under the FAQ tab.
If you cannot find your question here, try to find in the FAQ.
Generative AI and VU Amsterdam teachers
This is a living document and will be updated regularly. The current policy at the VU is: "Students are not allowed to use Generative AI, unless..." This means that as the teacher, you have the freedom to prohibit the use completely. However, there is no way to detect or proof that students used genrative AI, so we don't recommend prohibiting it completely. Instead, students need to learn how to use generative appropriately. Therefore, in collaboration with VU Amsterdam programme directors, teachers, experts, privacy officers, legal officers, and others, VU Amsterdam crafted a document providing recommendations for managing and adapting to the emergence of generative AI in education. This is a must-read for all VU teachers.
Go to teacher info Links to an external site.What is communicated with students
As a teacher, it's important to know what VU Amsterdam communicates with its students when it comes to the use of ChatGPT and other Generative AI in education. This is the information you can fall back on and reference to. There are policies in place at the faculty and program level as well, but here you can read what's communicated at VU Amsterdam wide level.
Go to student info5 learning activities to teach students to work with AI
Do you want your students to learn digital skills like how to use generative AI? These 5 active learning you can use during your classes.
Go to tipPodcast Onderwijs & AI
In this Dutch postcast series, Metis engages with experts to explore the impact of chatGPT and other AI applications on education in the Netherlands. They talk about what it is and discuss the opportunities and dangers for education. We recommend episode 3 in particular for a lively example of how a teacher deploys ChatGPT in his course. The podcast is in Dutch.
Go to podcast Links to an external site.How do students use ChatGPT?
The VU Education Lab has interviewed VU Amsterdam students to gain insight if they are using ChatGPT for educational purposes and if yes, how they use it. The results are published in this article (in Dutch).
Go to article Links to an external site.Ask the teacher and student
In this video, VU teacher Esther Schagen and VU student Lars Woudstra interview each other on their experiences with ChatGPT in their education. Both can be considered experts in this field.
Assuring the validity of assessment
VU Amsterdam teacher Luc Glasbeek has redesigned his course because of ChatGPT. The validity of the assessment used couldn't be relied upon anymore since the emergence of ChatGPT. See in the table below what he changed to assure the quality of his assessment and education.
Let student check the ChatGPT/Copilot output
An example is described by dr. Mohammad H. Rezazade Mehrizi, Associate Professor, School of Business & Economics. He describes how he lets student study articles by first letting ChatGPT make the summary of the text (instead of students making the summary themselves) and then have students check the summary. Read his article herePlease help us collect inspiring examples. If you have an interesting example to share, or if you come across an example worth sharing, please tell us by filling out this Contact Form Links to an external site.. Your help is much appreciated.
Go to the official Copilot FAQ Links to an external site.
VU-specific FAQ
+ Is Microsoft Copilot safe to use?
+ Can I make my students use Microsoft Copilot for their studies?
+ What do I do when I suspect my students of fraud with the use of AI tools?
The definition of fraud does not change with the advent of tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot. So, if students hand in work generated by these tools and present it as their own, it constitutes fraud. Or, if you are unable to assess whether a piece of text handed in by students is their own, it constitutes fraud. However, there are many nuances. As you can read in other parts in this Canvas page, you have many options to design your courses and Microsoft Copilot can have many different use-cases in which it can be used productively for engaging forms of education and development of critical thinking skills. However, if you do want students to hand in written work and you do not have them write in controlled conditions (exam conditions), follow the steps below.
- First, check that you engaged in clear communication with your student regarding the use of Generative AI in your course. This may vary depending on different tasks, assignments, or assessment formats.
- Second, engage in a discussion with the student to express your perspective on the situation. For instance, discuss your inability to judge the authenticity of their work or your opinion on whether your student adhered to the rules. If the student convinces you that he/she submitted original and independent work with adequate effort and followed the rules, accept it as such.
- However, if you remain in doubt, consider reissuing the assignment. You could request a new version or product using other data or cases. You could consider adding a personal interview after this re-make to fully confirm to what extent the student achieved the learning outcomes. You can also consider deducting points from the grade.
- If the student denies non-compliance but you remain uncertain or convinced that the student violated the rules, escalate the case to the exam board. They will follow regular procedures when suspicion of fraud arise. However, keep in mind that establishing with sufficient certainty that a student did not violate the rules, in particular if they used Generative AI such as ChatGPT, is exceedingly challenging.
Data protection and Microsoft Copilot
VU Amsterdam has a processor agreement with Microsoft, so when you use Microsoft Copilot while logged in with your VU account, all your personal information and data that you put in and pull out of Microsoft Copilot remains within the organization's own container. In other words, within the VU and therefore within Microsoft's own secure tenant, which is located within Europe. This means you immediately comply with the GDPR and the privacy legislation that applies within Europe. Your data will therefore not be analyzed by Microsoft and will not be used to improve and train their AI tool and LLM.
Do you have a question?
Your faculty has support to help you with everything regarding educational tools. You can find your faculty contact information here.
Ask my faculty supportGenerative AI knowledge sessions for VU teachers and employees
Whatever the exact implications of AI-generated content will be, as a university we cannot ignore it. Therefore, the VU CTL would like to invite all lecturers, educational developers, educational advisers, programme directors and researchers to attend a ChatGPT and/or Copilot knowledge session, which can also be provided as a lunch session. During such a session, you will receive an overview of current, relevant information on generative AI, but also discuss the potential, dilemmas and possible applications for education. Would you like to join a knowledge session with your team? Please contact the VU Centre for Teaching and Learning.
Set up an appointment