MOUNTAIN HOME -- As educational institutions everywhere reckon with the rise of artificial intelligence, Arkansas State University-Mountain Home has published a guidebook to help students and others navigate the emergent technology.
"AI is a fact of life. It's here to stay, and like any tool, it can be used for good or evil," said Jessica Clanton, a member of the two-year school's science faculty who has led the guidebook's development. "As educators, part of our responsibility is to teach students how to use AI, but do so ethically."
Nearly 60% of U.S. college students said they use AI tools such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google Gemini or Microsoft Copilot for their classwork at least once a week, with roughly a fifth using it daily, according to a poll conducted last fall by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation.
ASU-Mountain Home published its first AI guidebook in May 2024, then updated it in 2025 and again earlier this year, Clanton said. She co-authored the latest version with Michael Thomas, a member of the college's English faculty, with support from the college's Workgroup on Artificial Intelligence.
The revisions incorporated the results of a student survey in which more than 80% of respondents said they wanted more guidance on proper use of AI, she said.
"I think, by and large, students want to follow the rules," Clanton said.
The revisions also drew on input from Miranda Edwards, a nursing student at ASU-Mountain Home.
Edwards, who is also a tutor at the college, said students shouldn't be "guessing" how much AI use is permitted. "A lot of students worry about plagiarism with AI," so the guide "eliminates a lot of frustration," she said.
AI should be used as a tool, not replace critical or original thinking, she said.
"You can tell when someone is using AI -- if used incorrectly, it hurts them, and society, really, in the long run," Edwards said.
A study published in June 2025 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab analyzed the cognitive function of 54 people who were asked to write an essay and divided into three groups. One group worked with the help of ChatGPT, one group used online search engines and one group used no outside tools at all. The study found those who relied on ChatGPT to write their essays had lower levels of brain activity and produced less original writing.
Clanton said she first looked into ChatGPT several years ago because of "all the buzz."
"I knew we needed to address it, because it would have implications throughout education," she said. A working group was formed on campus, but they soon found there wasn't much information on the topic in the world of higher education.
That lack of information is one reason ASU-Mountain Home's guidebook is open to other educational institutions, she said. A school can "use (its) existing policies" to address AI concerns, not necessarily make "sweeping changes," Clanton said. "We have lots of ready-made resources in the guidebook you can adjust to fit your needs."
Chancellor Bentley Wallace said the guidebook is an "open-sourced document" shared with other colleges and universities.
"We are setting the standard," he said.
AI use in education "is something we need to figure out together," Clanton said, and ASU-Mountain Home is "at the forefront of developing open education resources."
Importantly, the guidebook doesn't prescribe one-size-fits-all solutions, Clanton said. Teachers can allow liberal use of AI in courses or essentially none -- they just need to clearly define those parameters in advance.
Clanton, for example, prohibits AI for exams in her classes but does allow some use for activities and assignments, she said. In each case, she defines what is permitted and what is not.
Edwards became involved with the guidebook revision process because she wanted clearer communication between faculty and students on AI, she said.
"Clear expectations make it easier on everyone," Edwards said.
AI tools can be "extremely beneficial," she said. "I had limited access to education growing up, but AI has helped me learn to program and in tutoring, as well as finding research and sources."
In the guidebook's most recent revision, "We added guidance on AI meeting tools like AI-powered note-takers and transcription apps," Clanton said. As those tools become more prevalent in academic and professional settings, "We wanted to address questions around transparency, data privacy, and FERPA considerations that faculty and staff should be aware of."
Additionally, "We added a section on 'cognitive offloading,' with guidance on how to use AI in ways that support learning rather than replace the thinking students need to do themselves," said Clanton.
The advice in the guide is "applicable across industries, (with) principles students can carry forward in their futures," Clanton said.
Edwards agreed. The guidebook "will also help students with AI use in the workplace," she said. "It's definitely helped me in my work life."
Ryan Anderson
Ryan Anderson covers higher education across the state. He joined the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in August 2022 after covering education — and other topics — for a decade at four newspapers in three states. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ryan attended DePaul University in Chicago and now resides in Fayetteville.
