Study regulations and documents

Academic Ethics Committee

Ethical People in an Ethnical University

In 2023 study materials titled Ethical People in an Ethnical University were created. A course Fair Play is aimed at learners to introduce the principles of academic honesty (3 hours). Enrol on Moodle. 

For teaching staff

General principles for the use of artificial intelligence tools in teaching and learning

For students

Text generators (colloquially chatbots, text robots) are a new generation of artificial intelligence services that can also produce original Estonian text on a very wide range of topics.

New AI tools, including ChatGPT or chatbot, are here to stay. Technological innovations enrich the learning process and we should embrace their use, just as we have embraced calculators, spell-checkers, the internet and search engines. From a learning perspective, AI offers many opportunities, but also challenges. Artificial intelligence tools can help to streamline and simplify work and processes. On the other hand, student assessment becomes a challenge when the use of AI is not allowed, as it is difficult to identify the use of AI.

General principles for the use of artificial intelligence tools in teaching and learning

• Faculty members inform students if the use of ChatGPT or other artificial intelligence-based software is not permitted in the assessment, learning and/or homework.
• Learners should refer to the use of AI in their work as a method. Artificial intelligence is not a suitable source, so the learner still needs to refer to actual sources to prove their work.

Example using APA style:

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (14 March version), a major language model, https://chat.openai.com/.

• The purpose of defending students’ work, including the graduation thesis, is to assess the competences acquired by the student. The student is responsible for the content and quality of the graduation thesis, regardless of the sources used, including eg artificial intelligence.
• If the task requires the use of artificial intelligence, this option must be available to everyone. This is something to keep in mind when AI chatbot tools are no longer free of charge.

Diagram for self-checking when using AI in LEARNING

Different ways to use a chatbot to support learning

• ChatGPT as an intelligent tutor — The student performs tasks step by step and receives individual guidance or feedback by asking questions from the artificial intelligence regarding further steps.
• Dialogue-based tutoring systems — The student performs tasks step by step in the course of a natural conversation. Advanced systems are able to automatically adapt to the level of engagement to motivate the student and keep him or her on the task.
• Applications for learning languages — Artificial intelligence-based learning applications are used in both formal and non-formal education. They support learning by providing access to language courses and dictionaries and give real-time automated feedback on pronunciation, understanding and fluency.
• Exploratory learning environment — Students are offered several presentations to help them identify their path to achieving their learning goals.
• Formative assessment of written assignments — The student is regularly given automatic feedback on their written assignments.
• Supporting the writing of written assignments — The student uses artificial intelligence as support in writing, asking artificial intelligence to provide them with a structure for addressing the desired topic and when collecting ideas to prepare the draft. The student will be the one to write the written assignment.

Additional materials

• COFFEE MORNING: USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN LEARNING AND RESEARCH — CHEATING OR THE NEW NORMAL? Coffee Morning: Using artificial intelligence in learning and research — cheating or the new normal? — TalTech intranet
• UNESCO guidelines on the use of AI in education https://www.iesalc.unesco.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ChatGPT-and-Artificial-Intelligence-in-higher-education-Quick-Start-guide_EN_FINAL.pdf
• University of Helsinki guidelines Using AI to support learning | Instructions for students (helsinki.fi)
• APA Guide https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt

At TalTech, students can give feedback twice a year using ÕIS.

Your feedback is very important:

• for you in order to analyse and reflect on your semester's work; 
• for the lecturer in order to develop and improve his or her course and teaching skills;
• for the programme director in order to improve the courses and ensure high quality of teaching;
• for the Human Resources Office and Office of Academic Affairs in order to provide more efficient support for the professional development of the lecturers;
• for the management of the university in order to take the students' opinion into consideration when taking decisions.

The feedback survey is totally anonymous. The results will be presented only in aggregate form.

The feedback process at TalTech is governed by the "Procedure for requesting and taking into account feedback on teaching and courses".

TalTech students have formulated and written good practice to follow when giving feedback.

Good feedback is:

• based on self-analysis - it is very important to consider one's own contribution when evaluating teaching. A lecturer may make every effort to help students, but ultimately each student must take responsibility for his/her learning.
• polite - lack of respect, rudeness, etc. do not help a lecturer or programme director to improve a course or study programme. 
• justified – ... , because ...". The points in the questionnaire provide a good indication, but explanations are important in order to improve the quality. 
• objective – emotions should be left out of feedback, sometimes it is useful to wait a bit before giving feedback and analyse one's own action in parallel with the lecturer's activities in order to get to the core of the matter.
• constructive – lecturers and programme directors use student feedback to improve their work. This can be done if the feedback provides an opportunity for that, i.e. it is based on observations and facts and is accurate (the comments concern the activities of the selected lecturer, etc.). 
• for expressing praise  – recognition of a lecturer's good work motivates and encourages the lecturer to step up his/her efforts.

Contact: Kersti Matiisen, 56665731, kersti.matiisen@taltech.ee

Good Practice for Learning and Teaching is an agreement between members of Tallinn University of Technology aimed at promoting and supporting learning and teaching.

• Participants are aware of the possibilities of the online environment to ensure that the learning takes place with high-quality audio and video. The microphone is switched on only when speaking, in order to avoid possible noise in the audio channel. Using a headset significantly improves the audio quality. The video quality is ensured by a stable internet connection.
• The student and the lecturer both participate in online learning. if the teacher asks the student to keep the camera on during the lecture, it is polite to do so. This makes it easier to initiate discussions and direct students to co-operation, which ensures two-way feedback and better mutual understanding.
• Those who wish to speak indicate this by raising the hand icon.
• If a lecturer wishes to record a lecture given on the web, he/she informs the audience in advance before the lecture starts.
• All the lectures and seminar materials are the intellectual property of the University and may not be recorded without permission.
• If a lecturer does not want students to record the lecture, he/she informs the audience in advance before the lecture starts.
• A student who wishes to record an online lecture may do so with the permission of the lecturer.
• The University has the right to delete web lectures recorded by the student, if recording has not been previously approved by the lecturer.
• The recording of lecture may be shared with third parties with the permission of the lecturer.
• The Parties shall respect each other's wishes to maintain privacy and shall treat intellectual property in accordance with the agreements reached between the Parties.
• In case of unauthorized distribution of a lecture recording, a lecturer as the author of lecture materials or the University as the holder of copyright-related proprietary rights may demand compensation for proprietary and non-proprietary damage, termination of illegal use and prevention of further infringement, extradition and destruction of unauthorized copies.

Assesment and exams

• If the assessment, including the exam, is conducted in a web-based environment using monitoring software, it is necessary to ask students for written consent. If the student does not agree, it must be possible to take the examination in another way, for example in the auditorium under special conditions or orally via a web call. See more - Monitoring Exams.
• Exam organizational information (including whether there is a monitored exam) with exam times must be available to students at least four weeks before the first exam, if possible at the beginning of the semester. 

For any questions regarding the passing of assessments / exams, please contact the Vice-Dean of Studies of your faculty.

The Study Information System (ÕIS) is used for declaring subjects, submitting various applications, managing and storing study information, etc.

ÕIS user guides

ÕIS video guide for declaring subjects

• Degree students - video 
• Exchange students - video

Instructions for logging to the Study Information System (ÕIS):

• First, you have to be enrolled to TalTech.

• Matriculation is completed on a rolling basis starting the middle of August and your uni-ID registration information is forwarded to your e-mail then. 

An individual study plan and declaring subjects

•  An individual study plan means a list of the courses declared by the student for the upcoming semester, which he or she undertakes to study.

• Declaration of a course means selection of the course for the individual study plan.

• A first or second level student is required to compile an individual study plan for each semester of attendance, except for cases involving study abroad.

• A student shall submit an individual study plan by the deadline specified in the academic calendar.

Important to remember!
 

• Timetables are available already before the semester starts on the timetable page. 

• You have to participate in the lectures from the first day of the semester (according to the timetable). You can submit your study plan until the deadline indicated in the Academic Calendar. The first lecture is the most important, because in that lecture professor explains the rules of passing the subject, introduces the study materials etc.

• To receive all notifications you need to check the Student Portal regularly.

• If you have any questions or you need help for composing the study plan, contact to your school's Dean’s Office.

You can find TalTech Moodle at - taltech.moodle.ee 

User manual is available on Moodle as a course. 

If you have any questions regarding your Moodle account and login, please send an e-mail to moodle@taltech.ee.

TalTech e-mail address

All notifications related to studies will be sent to TalTech e-mail address and the information will be deemed to have been delivered. You must read your TalTech e-mails regularly on Student Portal. 

User guides

Uni-ID

The goal of Uni-ID service is to simplify access to the central ICT resources by using one and secure system.

User guides