Writing teachers have a lot to learn from Math teachers, who have had to fight against the crutch of calculators for decades. The future here is obvious. More in-class tests to evaluate writing ability instead take home is what will happen. For take home, require "showing your work" and the research that went into writing. Show the steps.
Yes, you could still use AI for any take home work, but I think what forces students to AI isn't the lack of will to do the work. It's the "I have a 5 page paper due tomorrow and I haven't started" cliff.
I mean, writing education is messed up in so many ways, but if I'm being realistic this is the path forward.
Seriously, the answer is to have the students turn essays in using stages. First stage is to write on paper by hand, even if there’s not a lot of research or facts yet. Lay out the argument first using what they remember from the initial research, then look it over with the kid and have them explain it a bit. Then, they do the next stage which is to do closer reading and research, and fill in the gaps. Finally, they polish the essay and turn in the final.
It’s hard to use AI to do this, and if a student did use AI effectively like this, they’ll still learn a lot about the topics, because they’re forced to think about it.
Imagine, rather, that you have these kids actively use AI to help them write an essay, but make them provide the transcripts so you can so how they think and use the tool. Perhaps even sit with them and use the AI tools and show how they can be used as a guide, as long as you don’t take the responses as facts like in an encyclopedia, but rather use AI like a parent who is getting but doesn’t quite remember the details. You’d not trust it implicitly but just use as a guide. Perhaps someone should make an AI that isn’t so sure of itself, and suggests ways to research things yourself but points you towards the closest cardinal direction to your question?
Me too, but as an adult now I see the value in teaching or even forcing kids to not procrastinate :) I still do it, but I know in my heart that I'll hate myself for it later!
Yes, you could still use AI for any take home work, but I think what forces students to AI isn't the lack of will to do the work. It's the "I have a 5 page paper due tomorrow and I haven't started" cliff.
I mean, writing education is messed up in so many ways, but if I'm being realistic this is the path forward.