In this lightning-round session from the Academy for Teaching and Learning, an Associate Professor of English and Women’s & Gender Studies shares a practical approach to integrating Artificial Intelligence into a core literature survey course.
Rather than banning AI, the presenter demonstrates how to introduce it halfway through the semester as a "conversation partner" and investigative tool to deepen students' understanding of historical texts. The discussion focuses on a specific lesson plan involving 18th-century British literature, where students compare authentic historical reviews with AI-generated content.
Key Highlights:
Contextual Inquiry: Students use AI tools to ask questions about historical and cultural biases (e.g., attitudes toward female writers in the 1700s) to better understand primary source material.
Generative Comparison: The class tasks AI with writing a review in an "18th-century style," allowing students to critique the AI's limitations—specifically its tendency to use archaic, Shakespearean language rather than accurate period prose.
Critical Analysis: By comparing AI-generated text with actual historical documents, students learn to identify the specific argumentative strengths of human writing versus the neutral, balanced nature of AI outputs.
Student Outcomes: The activity helps students develop better questioning skills (prompt engineering), refine their comparative reading abilities, and build confidence in analyzing challenging texts.