CCE 114 - Geomatics: AI Use Policy¶
Important
If you read nothing else, read this: - Use AI to learn. We encourage full, active, healthy use of AI in this course — for studying, troubleshooting QGIS, and improving your work. - Always disclose it. Every time AI helps with something you turn in, say so — briefly and specifically. - Own your work. You personally do the hands-on QGIS work and field data collection, and AI is not permitted during the Concepts Exams or the Final Exam.
We absolutely encourage full and active, healthy use of Artificial Intelligence tools to boost your learning. Use of AI should always be disclosed. AI tools will be unavailable during the Final Exam and Concepts (Mid-term) exams.
How to disclose: one line at the end of your submission is enough. For example: "AI disclosure: used ChatGPT to debug a CRS error and tighten my conclusion paragraph." Specific beats long. If you didn't use AI, you don't need to say anything.
The one test that covers everything: if you can't explain and defend an answer as your own understanding, it isn't your answer yet. Use AI until you pass that test — never to skip it.
Tools: the free tiers of ChatGPT and Gemini are plenty for this course, and similar tools are fine too. One caution: don't paste classmates' names or personal information into AI tools — this matters especially for group labs and event reflections.
Here are the general recommendations for the different assignment categories:
1. Attendance¶
AI use is not applicable to this category.
2. Quizzes¶
These are open-book, untimed, and designed to reinforce reading and lecture concepts — use AI freely to help clarify confusing concepts, quiz yourself, or explain textbook passages in different terms. Just make sure you understand the material yourself, since the same concepts reappear on the Concepts Exams, where AI is not allowed.
3. Labs¶
AI is a great assistant for troubleshooting QGIS errors, explaining geoprocessing steps, or helping you write up your lab report more clearly. However, you must personally perform all data manipulation, analysis, and map-making — AI should support your understanding of the software and writing, not replace your hands-on work in QGIS. Disclose how you used it in your report.
Some assignments are designed around AI: Lab 3 requires an AI-generated error report, and the Web Mapping with AI Experience is AI-assisted from the start. Each lab also ends with a short "Using AI on This Lab" section with specific suggestions for that lab — read it (each lab is linked from the week it is due).
One bright line applies to every lab: never present AI-generated results, screenshots, or measurements as something you produced in QGIS or in the field. Fabricated data is an integrity problem, not an AI style choice.
4. Final Project¶
AI use is strongly encouraged throughout your workflow design, data processing troubleshooting, and report writing. Since this project emphasizes documenting your own data-processing steps and decisions, be sure your final map and analysis reflect your own work and reasoning — disclose any AI assistance used along the way.
5. In-Class Activities¶
These are meant to be done live, in real time, with your own observations, measurements, and reasoning (e.g., GPS readings, hand-drawn coordinates). AI stays in your pocket during the activity itself — the observations must be yours. Afterward, feel free to use AI to help you understand or reflect on the concepts involved.
6. BYU Belonging Map¶
AI use is welcome for helping you build your map in QGIS or troubleshoot symbology — but the experience itself (attending the event with peers) must be genuine and personally completed.
7. Community and Professional Map Experience¶
Feel free to use AI to help you organize your notes, refine your written reflection, or better understand the maps/data discussed at the event you attend — but the event attendance and your firsthand observations must be your own.
8. Web Mapping with AI Experience¶
This assignment is explicitly designed around AI-assisted development — use AI tools as fully and creatively as you'd like to help you build your web map.
9. Concepts Exams (Testing Center)¶
AI tools are not permitted during these exams. Prepare using AI beforehand as much as you like (practice questions, concept review), but the exam itself must be completed without AI assistance.
10. Final Exam¶
AI tools are not permitted during the exam. Use AI freely in your studying and preparation beforehand.
11. Course Evaluation¶
AI use is not applicable to this category.