From Policy to Pedagogy: The Role of Academic Development in Supporting Educators’ Ethical Decision-Making About Generative AI

Abstract

As generative AI (GenAI) tools increasingly influence higher education, instructors face urgent decisions about how to address these technologies in their teaching, often without institutional policies or clear guidance. This study examines how academic development can support educators in making ethical, pedagogically sound decisions about GenAI integration. Grounded in a practitioner inquiry framework, we analyse data from a workshop, Communicating about Ethical AI Use with Learners. Participants engaged in structured reflection, peer discussion, and syllabus policy drafting activities designed to surface values, clarify learning goals, and build confidence in communicating course-level GenAI expectations. Findings from participant-surveys (pre- and posttests) and workshop artifacts reveal that faculty overwhelmingly emphasize academic integrity in discussions of course AI policies, but also express concerns about equity, access, and student learning. Participants reported increased confidence in their ability to create and communicate GenAI policies after engaging in the workshop. We argue that academic development functions as ethical infrastructure, offering not only policy templates but also reflective space to support human-centred and context-sensitive decision-making. This article contributes a practice-informed model of GenAI ethics that can guide faculty developers and instructors in designing responsive learning environments. It offers insights for those seeking to foster ethical awareness, transparency, and pedagogical intentionality in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.