With 92% of university students now using AI tools for assignments, and with the government investing millions into testing and implementing AI tools across the education sector, it’s clear that AI is no longer a novelty experience in learning. Rather than a threat to be policed, both educators and students have recognised its potential to deepen engagement, accelerate feedback, and tailor the learning process when used responsibly.
As teachers work to build classrooms where AI is integrated seamlessly into lesson plans and student workflows, a new challenge emerges: how do we equip students to get the most out of these tools while ensuring they remain active thinkers? The goal is to prevent AI from replacing the learning journey, and use it as a companion to enhance curiosity, critical thinking, and skill development.
This shift requires helping students understand how to communicate effectively and responsibly with AI platforms. At the centre of that communication lies one of the most important but overlooked digital skills: the art of the prompt.
Why prompt writing matters more than ever
Just as effective research hinges on asking the right questions, effective AI use begins with crafting the right prompts. A thoughtful prompt not only shapes the accuracy and depth of the output but also teaches students to articulate their goals, reflect on their thought processes, and engage critically with information.
Turnitin’s latest research shows that only a third (36%) of prompts are considered effective, meaning they offer the level of detail, context, clear goals or parameters, and reflective steps needed to support meaningful learning. Rather than using AI as a partner in the writing process, many students were allowing it to replace their original thinking entirely. To prevent an overreliance on technology, educators need to focus on teaching students how to use it as a skill-building tool, rather than a shortcut.
The art of the AI prompting
At its core, effective AI prompting relies on clarity, specificity, and context to gain the desired results. Teachers should aim to run regular sessions with students that demystify how to shape prompts and explain why certain approaches work better than others. By modelling this process and discussing the reasoning behind their choices, teachers can help students view AI as a tool that supports and strengthens their writing, rather than something that replaces it.
Prompts can take different forms depending on what a student is looking to achieve. Examples include:
- Open-ended prompts: These encourage exploration and creativity.
- Example: “Explain the causes of climate change.”
- Task-based prompts: These assign a specific objective.
- Example: “Summarise this article in 100 words.”
- Sequential prompts: These build on previous responses to refine results.
- Example Part 1: “Write a thesis statement on how social media impacts teen mental health.”
- Example Part 2: “Now add one piece of evidence [a statistic or example] to support the thesis.”
To maximise the usefulness of AI-generated output, the prompts should be strategic and include three essential elements:
- Clear and precise instructions: Specify the desired writing needs, so results are precise.
- Context: Provide information about the intended audience, required format, or preferred tone to guide the output.
- Examples: Share sample text to clarify expectations. For example, “Write a paragraph styled like this one…”
As the conversation develops, students can then experiment and refine their prompts based on the results.
Using AI ethically
Ethical writing emphasises the responsible use of sources, proper acknowledgement of others’ work and active engagement in the learning process. For this reason, teaching students how to prompt effectively must go hand in hand with teaching them when AI use is appropriate, and how to critically examine the content it produces.
When using tools like ChatGPT or Copilot to support writing, there are several considerations students should keep in mind to ensure they are using the technology ethically:
Clarity and purpose
Students should focus on one or two areas where they need the most help. This could be ideation, structure, or revision. By being specific in their goal from the start, students can avoid irrelevant or overly generic outputs that could dilute the quality of their work and undermine the development of their critical thinking skills.
Ethical framing
Encouraging students to use AI as a learning tool, versus a shortcut, is essential. Prompts that focus on improving their understanding, such as, “Help me create an outline of an argument,” will give a much more helpful response and still leave room for the student to build in their own understanding. Requests that aim to avoid work or encourage dishonesty, such as “write my essay” bypass the learning process.
Critical engagement
It is well documented that AI output is not 100% accurate, with hallucinations still a common occurrence. It is important that students critically assess and verify the output and its accuracy. By asking thoughtful follow-up questions, students can refine the ideas or clarify confusing points, while also cross-checking results with their own research. This ensures that AI supports learning, rather than replacing it.
Transparency
Students follow their institution’s policies around AI use and disclose any use of these tools in accordance with the guidance. By having an open dialogue about AI use such as composition spaces where student work is produced, students and teachers can ensure they are working together to maintain academic honesty.
The path forward
As AI tools become firmly embedded in education, the focus must shift from restricting its use to teaching students how to engage with it responsibly. When students learn to craft strategic prompts, question outputs, and apply AI ethically, the technology shifts from a shortcut to a tool that strengthens their writing, deepens their critical thinking, and supports genuine learning.
Educators play a key role in embedding AI literacy into everyday learning. From teaching prompt crafting to transparency and fact-checking, they can empower students to use these tools to enhance their ideas rather than replace them. Ultimately, the future of AI in education will be defined not by its presence in the classroom, but by how confidently and critically students learn to use it.
Gailene Nelson
Gailene Nelson is Senior Director of Product Management at Turnitin. A passionate product leader, with expertise in end-to-end SaaS product ownership, Gailene has have extensive experience cultivating ideas, designing product strategies, building and leading high-performing teams and taking multiple products to market.
