6.4 Teaching Writing with AI
Educators face unique challenges in teaching courses about writing and written communication. The selective use of AI tools like Copilot for appropriate classroom learning activities can modernize teaching methods while maintaining the integrity of course outcomes.
AI as a Learning Tool vs. an Answer Tool for Writing
Understanding the distinction between using AI as a “learning tool” and an “answer tool” can be useful for selecting strategies for teaching writing with AI.
AI as learning tool aids in developing foundational skills, while AI as answer tool helps students practice analysis, critical thinking, and other higher-order thinking skills. To build AI literacy and support student learning, consider whether you wish to use AI in the classroom as a learning tool or answer tool.
| Generative AI as Learning Tool (AI as “Tutor” or “Example Generator,” Human as Learner) | Generative AI as Answer Tool (AI as “Idea Generator; Human as Author or Editor) |
|
|
Talking About AI and Writing
The following ideas for talking to students about AI and writing are adapted from Lunsford and Bertsch (2024). Adapt and customize these scripts as useful.
What Can AI Do for Writers
AI is not a search engine or a database. It uses math and algorithms to build answers. It can support, but not replace, writing.
It can serve several purposes as a writer to help get the best ideas out of students the writers (rather than the other way around)
- Sounding board or conversation partner
- Explainer of concepts and processes related to writing
- Challenger or perspective taker (it asks you questions)
- Feedback provider (a general or specific)
- Tell AI what NOT to do (“Your goal is to help me to come up with my own ideas.”)
- Help keep track of how AI was used
Instead of asking for precise answers or writing outputs, we can try out various ideas, processes, and creative activities.
What is Important to Remember about AI Writing
The conversations that you may have with AI rely on the quality of AI prompt engineering. By using informed, prompt engineering strategies, you can help Copilot understand your request, your goal, and the format you request. Be as specific as possible, giving the chatbot as much context and detail as possible (e.g., purpose, audience, steps, tone, style, etc.).
While AI generates output, it does not think. It is effective at process and responsive to rhetoric. It can imitate better and more accurately than it can create. So, focus on rhetorical-focused rather than information-focused questions to use AI to its most successful effect in writing.
We direct the conversation, shaping the dialogue rather than passively receiving the responses. This means giving details, steering the conversation, redirecting, exploring different ideas, etc. Put yourself in the driver’s seat to maintain ownership of your writing and thinking.
Concerns about AI and Writing
We should be aware of the limitations of AI in writing, whether it comes to biased perspectives (with implicit ethnocentric and Western values), standardized or formulaic writing patterns, or empty language. If the writing is inherently biased toward white, western values, other cultures and perspectives are ignored.
AI can also make things up and get things wrong. It can hallucinate information and sources. Therefore, checking and verifying the information you receive from AI is essential.
AI, trained in other types of writing, may flatten out the things that make human writing powerful, unique, and beautiful. If we let AI write for us, we give up our agency and voice. It can result in “boring” writing that doesn’t sound like us but can sound like other generative AI.
Learn more
See more about Prompt Engineering in Section 1.3 Basic Prompting Skills.
See more about writing and authorship in Student Authors and AI Tools (Faculty Learning Hub).
Ideas for Teaching Writing in Class
Below are some ideas for getting started with teaching writing with Copilot. Select activities that align with the intended learning outcome. For students new to using AI for learning about writing, use these activities as worked examples in class together, and use screensharing Copilot to guide students on how you are using or responding to AI.
Lower-Order Learning Outcomes
| Learning Level (Bloom’s Taxonomy) | Activity Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Remembering | Study Partner | Use Copilot as a study partner to ask simple closed questions that students answer.
Example: Copilot asks, “What is the capital of Canada?” and students respond with “Ottawa.” |
| Comprehending | Summarizing Articles | Have students read a short article and use Copilot to help summarize the main points.
Example: Summarize an article on climate change by highlighting key points like rising temperatures and melting ice caps. |
| Comprehending | Writing in a Style | Have Copilot write a love poem or a short tale in a famous author’s new style, tone, or perspective.
Example: Write a poem in the voice of Harry Potter. Write a tale in the style of your favourite author. |
| Comprehending | Paraphrasing Practice | Provide students with a complex paragraph and ask them to use Copilot to help paraphrase it in simpler terms.
Example: Paraphrase a scientific explanation of photosynthesis into everyday language. |
| Applying | Vocabulary Building | Provide a list of new vocabulary words. Ask students to use Copilot to generate sentences using these words correctly.
Example: Use “benevolent” in a sentence like “The benevolent teacher helped all her students.” Or, use an adverb in a sentence, and then move it to different parts of the sentence to see how the meaning changes. |
| Applying | Grammar and Style Checks | Students write a 500-word essay, use Copilot to identify grammar and style issues, and then manually correct these issues.
Example: Correcting subject-verb agreement errors in their essay. |
| Applying | Expanding Sentences | Provide students with simple sentences to expand using Copilot.
Example: Expanding “The cat sleeps” to “The cat sleeps on the cozy, red sofa in the living room.” |
| Applying | Dialogue with AI | Give students a basic dialogue prompt and ask them to continue the dialogue using Copilot, using the writing knowledge or skill being developed.
Example: Extending “A: Hi, how are you? B: I’m fine, thank you.” to a longer conversation. |
| Applying | Error Identification | Ask Copilot to provide content with intentional errors. Students then identify and correct these errors.
Example: Correcting a paragraph with misplaced modifiers and punctuation errors. |
Higher-Order Learning Outcomes
| Learning Level (Bloom’s Taxonomy) | Activity Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Analyzing | The Limits of AI as Author | Ask Copilot to provide a descriptive paragraph, then help students identify formulaic language and other patterns. Highlight the original text.
Example: Identifying and revising overly formal language suggested by Copilot. |
| Analyzing | Your Authorship | Flip the script and have Copilot prompt you as a writer. Have a conversation with AI about your writing or writing process.
Example: “Have a conversation with me to discover something about myself as a writer. Pay close attention, asking questions about my process, what I found difficult, and what I like most. As one question at a time, waiting for my response.” |
| Evaluating | Research and Citation | Assign a writing topic where students use Copilot to find credible sources and generate citations. Screenshot the output and what was fixed.
Example: Researching “The effects of climate change on animals” and generating APA citations for the sources. |
| Evaluating | Critical Analysis Essays | Assign students to write a critical analysis essay on a given topic. They can use Copilot to generate initial ideas and structure and then share how they used it.
Example: Analyzing the themes in a text and forming a coherent argument. |
| Evaluating | Peer Review and Feedback | Have students exchange their essays with peers and use Copilot to provide constructive feedback on each other’s work.
Example: Providing feedback on a peer’s essay about the importance of renewable energy. |
| Creating | Writing Prompts and Outlines | Use Copilot to generate a prompt and outline. Students then expand this outline into a full essay. Copy the outline.
Example: Expanding an outline on “The impact of social media on communication skills” into a detailed essay. |
| Creating | Creative Writing Projects | Ask students to write a short story or a creative piece. They can use Copilot to brainstorm ideas and develop a plot outline. Put the plot outline in a media format.
Example: Creating a plot outline for a mystery story and writing the first chapter. |
Suggestions for Teaching Writing with AI
Integrate gradually. Start with small activities like grammar exercises before incorporating Copilot into major projects like research papers. This helps students become comfortable with the tool.
Focus on learning outcomes. If the goal is to improve grammar, use Copilot to highlight errors but require students to correct them manually. This ensures they understand the corrections and learn from them.
Model the practice: Work with AI in class together, demonstrating how to use AI as a learning or answer tool. Do this before having students use AI on their own.
Provide clear guidelines. Create a guideline document that explains how students should use Copilot, emphasizing that it is a tool to aid their learning, not a replacement for their own efforts. Include examples of appropriate and inappropriate uses.
Encourage reflection. After using Copilot, have students reflect on what they learned from the experience of using AI to learn about writing. Share and discuss reflections in class to reinforce learning, including the risks of AI.
Practice documentation. Have students document and describe how they used AI for their writing activities. This can include screenshots, copying and pasting prompts, video recordings of “conversations,” drafts of work before and after AI support, and AI-generated summaries of conversations.
Learn more
For more on teaching students about the risks of AI, including simple activities, memorable acronyms, and the “AI sandwich model,” see 6.1 Teaching About the Risks of AI.
Reflective Questions for Faculty: Teaching Writing with AI
- How can I ensure that my use/the student’s use of Copilot aligns with my course learning outcomes?
- What guidelines should I provide to students to ensure they use Copilot effectively?
- What do I need to model to help students gain familiarity with using AI?
- How can I incorporate reflective activities to help students learn from their use of Copilot?