ENG101 asks that students write for particular rhetorical contexts, adapt sources to support a writer's own ideas, and work with peers to develop and revise writing. This module requires students to work in a small group to develop an AI policy on behalf of the Writing Center.
New college students are unsure how they should be approaching their work with AI. While many have used generative AI, they may not be using it ethically. These students will be entering a workforce that will expect them to effectively use AI, so they need to have some space to practice using it appropriately.
As far as the writing competencies, this assignment gives students a particular rhetorical context to work in. They must adopt the perspective of a college writing center (this cannot be only their opinions). They also need to consider their audience (confused college students) and the most effective and professional way of drafting an official statement.
Additionally, this is a unique way to introduce students to our Writing Success Center.
The outline for the assignment is linked below.
Over the course of two weeks, students will work in small groups to draft this AI policy. First, they will read about the Habits of Mind (persistence, curiosity, creativity) and ways in which AI can affect writing (positively and negatively). They will then spend time discussing their ideas with their groups -- this may be done in-person or through a discussion board depending on course modality.
During the second week, students will work together to draft their AI policy. They may use outside sources as appropriate, but the real challenge here is to draft a cohesive statement while maintaining the perspectives of multiple writers.
Anecdotally, students reported a positive experience with this module. Many expressed that reading about the ways in which AI affects writing gave them a better understanding of the tool itself. None of the groups wrote a statement that outright banned AI or allowed carte blanche use. Statements were nuanced, flexible, and focused on producing strong student writing.
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| writing-ai-policy.pdf | 195.41 KB |