Emma Rose

Classroom Policies

A note about learning to write

Given that I've been a teacher of writing for a long time, I wanted to share some thoughts given we are in a new space with technologies that aid in writing. I believe that writing IS thinking. Figuring out how to put your ideas into words is a skill that takes a lifetime. We are all always learning how to write and communicate what we think. The promise of new IA tools is that they might be seen as a shortcut to writing, to make things faster. But here is the deal. There is no shortcut to developing this skill. I encourage you to use the time in this class to improve your ability to write. I will give you kind and generous feedback. It is through the process of writing that you can improve. 

That said....

We will be looking at AI and its role in writing as part of the class. This will include experimenting with AI tools in the second half of class. Please do not use AI tools until we have an opportunity to discuss this in class. 

Assignment/Activity

The following 5 assignments are for a module on AI & Writing from TWRT 391: Advanced Technical Communication.

4a. Explore an AI Tool

Purpose

We will explore different AI tools to get a better understanding on how they work.

The learning objectives of this assignment are to:

• Research and explore the scope of AI tools available

• Delve into one AI tool in depth to explore its strengths and limitations

• Reflect on the origins and values embedded in AI tools 

• Use your own writing and ideas to reflect on AI tools

Details

1. Choose an AI Writing Tool from the list in this week's module.

   • First, state the name of the tool and why you choose it. 

2. Then choose 3 questions from the list below and respond to them. 

• Who created the AI writing tool?

• Who worked on training the AI writing tool?

• What dataset was used to train the AI writing tool? How does the diversity (or lack thereof) of the dataset influence the output of the AI writing tool? 

• Why was this tool created? 

• What are the objectives, aims, and values of the tool designer?

• What does the tool designer gain from your use of this tool? 

• What do the privacy policies say? What are the terms of service/use and how much agency does the user have in their own participation and privacy? Are the privacy policy and terms of service easy to understand and read? Why do you think this is?

• What are the limitations of this tool? (e.g., ChatGPT is not connected to the Internet, and therefore, cannot draw connections to present-day events; ChatGPT has a limit for how much text you can upload)

Grading

To be marked complete, you need to answer at least three questions in a way that shows you have meaningfully engaged with the tool and thought about the answer. The text in the response to the question must be generated by you, not AI.  

4b You vs. AI

Purpose

In this assignment, you are going to return to the first major assignment this quarter and do it again with AI. It will give you a sense of the strengths and the limitations of using AI to generate content. 

The learning objectives of this assignment are to:

• Use generative AI to generate a comparable assignment that you completed earlier in the quarter 

• Delve into a generative AI tool in depth to explore its strengths and limitations and compare them to your own writing

• Reflect on the differences between AI generated writing and your own writing

• Use your own writing and ideas to reflect on the differences between AI generated writing and your own writing

Details

1. Return to your Explain it Like I'm 5 Topic. Enter the question and the instructions into an AI writing tool (see list).

2. Generate 3 responses to your question. 

3. Choose what you think is the strongest of the three. 

4. In a new document (word/gdoc), paste both versions (your original assignment) and the AI-generated one

5. Annotate, using comments in Word/Docs to point out the strengths or weaknesses of your version and the AI generated one.

6. Respond to the following questions in a reflection: (DO NOT USE AI IN WRITING THESE QUESTIONS)

   • What is the main strength of your draft?

   • What is the main strength of the AI version?

   • If you were to revise your original draft, what might you include in it based on the AI version?

Grading

To be marked complete you need to fulfill the assignment as described above. 

4c. Peer review: You vs. AI

Purpose

An important part of writing and designing is getting feedback on our work. In this assignment, you will peer review someone else's assignment and provide feedback. 

The learning objectives of this assignment are to:

• Read and respond to your peer’s assignment

• Explore the strengths and limitations of generative AI for writing 

• Use your own writing and ideas to reflect on your peers’ assignment 

How do I find my assigned peer reviews?

When you submit the assignment and after the due date has passed, you will be automatically assigned two people to peer review. There are multiple ways to find who you have been assigned to. Find out where your assigned peer reviews appear. 

If you turned in your assignment late, you will need to reach out to me to get assigned peer reviews. 

Details

(DO NOT USE AI IN THIS ASSIGNMENT)

1. Read your peer's assignment: Review the two versions of the Explain it Like I'm 5 response and their reflection.

2. Respond to the following:

   1. What do you notice about their two versions?

   2. Do you agree with their assessment of the strengths of their draft vs. the AI version? What are other strengths/differences you notice?

   3. What did reading their assignment tell you about AI or the genre of  Explain it Like I'm 5?

Grading

To be marked complete you need to fulfill the assignment as described above. Your assignment will be complete if you turn in two, well-crafted, peer reviews by the due date.  You need to turn them into me here on this assignment, but also submit them to your assigned student under the draft assignment.

4d. Analyzing AI classroom policies

Purpose

We have read about AI and Writing in the classroom. Now it's time to think about what it might look like to develop a policy for helping teachers and students think about AI in the classroom. 

The learning objectives of this assignment are to:

• Critically explore classroom policies on the use of generative AI 

• Choose three policies and explain why you believe they should be incorporated into a class

• Use your own writing and ideas to reflect on generative AI policies

Details

(DO NOT USE AI IN THIS ASSIGNMENT)

1. Review the list of course policies from other institutions.

2. Find 3 policies that you would be happy to see in a class that you were going to take.

3. Create a document and cut and paste the 3 policies you think are done well and annotate (using comments in word), what you like about them. 

4. Respond to the following reflection questions:

   • What did the assignment teach you about policies about AI in classrooms? What was surprising to you?

   • Considering the three examples you choose, summarize what they have in common and speak to what you think should go in a course policy about AI?

   • Think about if different policies about AI need to be developed in different types of classes? 

Grading

To be marked complete you need to fulfill the assignment as described above. We will use these assignments in class for an exercise next week. 

4e. Generate ideas for AI policy

Purpose

We have read about AI and Writing in the classroom and reviewed other policies. We will start to generate our own ideas for a policy for AI. 

The learning objectives of this assignment are to:

• Critically explore classroom policies on the use of generative AI 

• Draft three policies and explain why you believe they should be incorporated into a class

• Use your own writing and ideas to reflect on generative AI policies

Details

(DO NOT USE AI IN THIS ASSIGNMENT)

1. You can review the list of course policies from other institutions from last week

2. Develop three key points that you think should go in an instructors AI policy. Give each a name and define the point. For example if we were going to create a policy for having food in the classroom, it might go something like this:

   • Eating and drinking in the classroom - Students are not permitted to eat or drink in the classroom only for medical reasons. Please email the professor to ask for permission to eat or drink in the classroom.
     ---OR---

   • Eating and drinking in the classroom - Students are permitted to eat or drink in the classroom as they would like. Please make sure to clean up after yourself. 

3. Develop a list of three things that you think students should be able to use AI for. 

4. Respond to the following reflection question:

   • What was easy or difficult about this task? 

   • What are of classroom policies might be unclear or hard to develop at this point in time?

   • What are the consequences of the policies you have suggested?

Grading

To be marked complete you need to fulfill the assignment as described above. We will use these assignments in class for an exercise next week.