The onset of generative AI technologies poses a unique challenge to the teaching of writing. With gen AI embedded in search engines, grammar checkers, and word processing programs, it is impossible to escape the effects these technologies will have on us, our students, and our teaching. In what follows, we share suggestions for teaching writing with (and without) genAI and will also highlight challenges that arise with this new technology. We offer examples and frameworks to consider as you decide whether and how to engage with gen AI in your writing classrooms and assignments.
The WAC program affirms, along with our professional organization, CCC (College Composition and Communication) that “writing is an important mode of learning that facilitates the
analysis and synthesis of information, the retention of knowledge, cognitive development, social connection, and participation in public life” (MLA-CCCC Joint Task Force on Writing and AI Working Paper).
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AI and Teaching Writing: Ethical Issues
“White supremacist and misogynistic, ageist, etc., views are overrepresented in the training data, not only exceeding their prevalence in the general population but also setting up models trained on these datasets to further amplify biases and harms.”
- Emily Bender and Timnit Gebru