Developing a practical student guide for responsible and reflective use of GenAI in higher education

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools such as ChatGPT are increasingly used by students in higher education, offering opportunities to support learning, creativity, and efficiency. At the same time, their rapid adoption raises significant concerns related to academic integrity, ethical engagement, data privacy, and uncritical reliance on AI-generated outputs. While institutional policies and educator-focused frameworks are emerging, practical, student-facing guidance remains limited. This article presents development of Using GenAI Tools – Practical Guide for Students, a 16-point practical guide designed to support students in the responsible and reflective use of text-based generative AI tools in academic contexts. The guide was developed through a design-informed, practical-based and iterative process involving literature, policy and practice inputs, classroom use, student feedback, conference-based feedback, academic review, and successive refinement across multiple teaching trimesters. The Technology Acceptance Model and Constructivist Learning Theory informed the guide’s design logic, shaping elements that support perceived usefulness, ease of use, ethical decision-making, critical evaluation, and active engagement with learning. Rather than evaluating learning outcomes or performance gains, the article focuses on the development and rationale of a student-centred guidance artefact that complements institutional academic integrity policies. The resulting guide offers accessible and actionable support for students navigating ethical boundaries of GenAI use, while positioning AI as a supportive tool rather than a substitute for independent thinking or academic responsibility. Finally, it contributes a practice-oriented resource to ongoing discussions on academic integrity, student agency, and responsible GenAI use in AI-enabled higher education.