AI Disclosure Matters: Closing the alignment gap between online instructors and students
In online education, transparency is foundational to high-quality learning experiences (Ecampus Essentials, 2026). Transparency about who the instructor is, how the course set-up, what tools are available, and how learning will be assessed helps students trust the learning process. The emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in higher education raises important questions about transparency in online courses, particularly regarding instructor and student disclosure of AI use. Disclosure of AI use in online teaching and learning can be challenging for a number of reasons. First, it may be difficult to know what constitutes “use.” For example, is a Google search that resulted in an AI generated summary to gather information for course development considered “use”? What about a student using … AI Disclosure Matters: Closing the alignment gap between online instructors and students
