Embedding Generative AI in Curriculum: The SAGE Framework and Evidence-Based Implementation Guide

The Structured AI-Guided Education (SAGE) framework provides a research-informed, discipline-agnostic method for integrating generative AI responsibly into higher education curricula whilst preserving academic standards, integrity, and critical thinking. This comprehensive implementation guide is grounded in empirical evidence from six research studies involving 500+ students (with formative research foundation of 1,000+ students) across multiple Australian university campuses.

SAGE operationalises the sector-wide conversation about assessment redesign by providing ready-to-adopt assessment patterns, and cross-disciplinary adaptation guides. The framework moves students from passive AI consumption to critical AI orchestration through a two-stage pedagogical progression: (1) tutorial-based scaffolded learning with formative assessment, and (2) assessment-driven independent application with summative evaluation.

Key Features

• Evidence-based assessment redesign strategies validated across cybersecurity, systems analysis, and data analytics disciplines
• Four operationalised pedagogy patterns: structured prompt scaffolding, experiential discovery of AI limitations, mandatory cross-verification protocols, and AI as critical reviewer
• Student orchestration competency framework with four measurable levels (Passive Acceptor → Selective Adapter → Balanced Integrator → Critical Synthesiser)
• Examples and standardised prompts adaptable to any discipline
• Companion student-facing GenAI literacy module (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18295619)

Target Audience

Unit coordinators, course designers, learning designers, academic integrity leads, and educational developers implementing AI-enhanced pedagogy in higher education.

Reuse and Adaptation:
This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). If you adapt assessment templates or rubrics from this guide, please include the following attribution:
"This [assessment/rubric/template] is adapted from the SAGE Framework by Elkhodr & Gide (Central Queensland University, 2026). Original available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18383952."