With the proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI), college students have used these tools for academic purposes, whether their use is considered acceptable and ethical or not.  Given the growing student adoption of AI and its rapid diffusion, faculty and staff in higher education, including those who welcome or resist the innovation, as well as those on the fence, should be aware of its applications and implications for education.  This presentation will report on an evaluation study of AI tools that support academic writing and compare the findings with themes identified through a synthesis of relevant literature.  The study aims to offer a lens through which higher education professionals may deliberate and make decisions on curriculum design and academic policies. This study evaluates nine AI tools that support different stages of the academic writing process, i.e., planning, drafting, and editing.  For practical reasons, the writing tools evaluated (including general-purpose platforms such as ChatGPT and writing-specific tools such as Grammarly) all offered free versions at the time of the study.  While the evaluation criteria focus on the tools’ functionality and pedagogical values, they also address ethical considerations.  Evaluation results, in general, echo themes from the literature, including research efficiency, writing improvements, and ethical challenges. However, they also reveal the rapid emergence of tools and features, raising concerns about integrating them into writing instruction and students’ writing processes.  The presentation will conclude with the pedagogical and ethical implications of these tools, as well as recommendations for curriculum development and institutional guidelines.

Authors:
Teresa Chen, California State University-Long Beach, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Teresa Chen is currently a Full Professor of Educational Technology at California State University, Long Beach, U.S.A.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule

Bookmark