In most journalism classrooms, conversations about AI ethics happen in lectures and workshops, far from the moment when students actually use these tools to produce journalism. This study asks what happens when that moment becomes the site of ethical reflection. By redesigning the student newsroom content management system (CMS) to include a public AI-disclosure field, the intervention turns a hidden part of students’ workflow into something visible, accountable, and open to discussion, prompting students to identify any AI tools used in their reporting or production. These notes appeared with their published work, anchoring transparency within the publication routine. The project uses a design science + action research hybrid methodology. The design science component guided the creation and implementation of the CMS-embedded artifact, while the action research cycle supported iterative reflection during a semester-long deployment. Data sources included pre- and post-course surveys, ethnographic field notes, and qualitative analysis of anonymized student disclosures. Findings show that although students primarily used AI for transcription, source ideation, and copy-editing, the visibility of the disclosure field encouraged deeper engagement with questions of authorship, verification, and journalistic integrity. Students shifted from simple compliance to reflective decision-making, articulating why they chose particular tools and how these choices shaped their work. The public nature of the disclosures also fostered peer accountability and conversations about responsible AI use that rarely surface in lectures. The study demonstrates that a deliberately designed technological artifact can make invisible AI practices visible, discussable, and pedagogically productive.

Authors:
Angela Misri, Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada

About the Presenter(s)
Misri is an Assistant Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she runs the newsroom for the student masthead in the School of Journalism at TMU — teaching the next generation how to report on their communities.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamisri/

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