Project Overview

Background & Context

One of AI’s most exciting potential uses is in the realm of writing. Today’s Large Language Models (LLMs) have an uncanny ability to produce texts that accurately respond to a wide variety of writing opportunities. From emails to essays to scientific lab reports, AI can produce texts that are seemingly equal to, or even better than, anything human writers could produce on their own. This creates a situation in which students are tempted to use AI to do their work for them, and faculty members are tempted to use AI to police their students in a never-ending cycle of mistrust and wasted opportunity.

The goal of this project, a collaborative effort between the San José State University Writing Across the Curriculum program and the University Writing Center, is to help faculty members end this unproductive cycle and replace it with one in which their students learn how to ethically and productively use generative AI in their own writing processes. To accomplish this goal, we developed a professional development workshop series on the potential uses of AI in writing and writing-intensive classrooms. The workshop is offered each semester to faculty who teach these courses in departments all across campus, particularly our junior-level GE writing in the disciplines course--100W--which is a requirement for all students in all majors. 

Workshop Series Description

In the first part of the workshop, participants play the role of students in an AI-infused writing classroom. They learn how to use a variety of AI tools--particularly ChatGPT Edu, which is available to all CSU students and faculty, and Google's Gemini, which is available to all San José State students and faculty--and then use them to complete a short writing assignment.

In the second half of the workshop, participants critically reflect on their experience and brainstorm ways to incorporate AI tools into their own classrooms. They revise course syllabi and develop new and innovative writing assignments that teach students how to ethically and productively integrate AI into their own writing processes. Writing Center tutors (who are students themselves) will be included in the workshop. They will work alongside faculty members to complete the short writing assignment, then provide critical feedback from a student perspective on ideas for integrating AI into writing courses.

Note that this Google Site showcases the work created by faculty during our workshops. More information about the project--including how to participate--can be found on the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) website (linked below).