How do we teach writing effectively when students have instant access to Generative AI? In this session, the Director of a Center for Writing Excellence discusses how to create "AI-conscious" assignments that discourage shortcuts and motivate authentic engagement.
The presentation outlines a framework for designing assignments for learning rather than policing. Key strategies include:
Clarifying Learning Goals: Focusing on skills and habits of mind rather than just the final product.
Personalizing and Localizing: Creating tasks that require personal experience, primary data collection, or local observation—contexts where AI struggles.
Scaffolding: Breaking projects into multiple steps (proposals, drafts, bibliographies) to emphasize the process over the product.
Building in Revision: Forcing students to re-engage with ideas and deepen their thinking through iteration.
Integrating Reflection: Using metacognitive exercises, such as cover letters, to make the student's thought process visible.
Emphasizing Human Skills: Designing for judgment, ethical reasoning, and nuance.
Intentional AI Integration: If allowed, using AI as a bounded learning tool with transparent expectations.
Watch this video to learn how sound writing pedagogy remains the best defense against academic dishonesty in the AI era.