Do I Need AI for This? Examining Student Decision-Making Around the Use of Gen AI in Coursework

As generative AI tools become embedded across educational contexts, educators and administrators continue to debate their impact on student engagement, academic integrity, and learning outcomes. While much of this discourse focuses on institutional policy or instructional risk, less attention has been paid to how students themselves understand, use, or intentionally avoid generative AI in their coursework. This presentation addresses that gap by sharing findings from an exploratory case study conducted during Summer Sessions 2025 in SPAN 206: Histories, Cultures, and Movements of Resistance, an online undergraduate course at the University of Washington. Generative AI was intentionally integrated into the course with explicit ethical guidelines and required student reflections. Students documented whether, when, and how they used AI tools while completing two major course projects and reflected on the learning implications of those choices. Analysis draws on reflections from 33 students across both projects, combining multiple-choice responses with open-ended qualitative data.