Lesson 4.1: Selecting and Using AI Writing Tools — Teaching Writing in the Age of AI

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Concept Explanation

From the quill to the printing press to the typewriter, every age has its writing revolution. (See the chapter beginning on p. 27) Today's revolution is coded in algorithms and powered by artificial intelligence.

The SAMR model of tech use in education (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition) is a way to think about how technology changes learning.

Shortcode [See “Learn More” section at the end of this lesson for a source talking about the SAMR model.]

At the Substitution level, new technology just replaces old tools, like typing instead of handwriting. Augmentation means technology improves the task. With AI, this might look like giving students instant, personalized feedback on their writing. Modification means technology changes the design of the task. For example, students could use AI to co-create drafts, brainstorm multiple perspectives, or simulate different voices in a debate.

At the highest level, Redefinition, students can do completely new tasks. The technology enables something entirely unseen before. Students could use AI to model climate data, generate interactive stories, or collaborate with peers worldwide in ways not possible before.

With AI, we should aim higher than just substitution, which would consist of teachers letting AI write for students, or having it grade exactly like a teacher would grade. Used well, AI can augment learning by giving personalized feedback, modify tasks by changing how students create and revise, or even redefine learning by enabling projects that were once impossible. The goal is not to replace human work, but to expand what teachers and students can accomplish.

At the heart of AI writing tools lies a web of algorithms, analyzing patterns, suggesting improvements, and even creating content. These tools aren't just reactive (correcting errors). They are also proactive (suggesting style enhancements). To understand what AI is capable of doing for the writing process, we have to recognize that it has been fed so much text that it can reproduce common linguistic structures, grammatical rules, and stylistic conventions.

The key is that AI operates on patterns and probabilities, offering suggestions based on what it has learned from countless examples, rather than true understanding or creativity. This reality carries several positives and several potential problems.

Benefits:

Consistency: Unlike humans, AI doesn’t have a bad day. It provides consistent feedback every time. It doesn’t get tired of working with your text, like a human tutor might. It is always ready to give you just the answer you ask for. It’s sort of similar to a very eager assistant who aims to please at every moment.
Speed: Immediate feedback can be invaluable, especially in draft revisions. AI tools can analyze large volumes of text in seconds, highlighting errors and suggesting improvements almost instantaneously. This rapid turnaround allows writers to move forward more quickly, from initial drafts to polished versions in a fraction of the time it would take with manual review.
Adaptability: Many AI tools learn from user interactions, tailoring advice to individual needs. This adaptability means that over time, the AI can become more attuned to your specific writing style, common errors, and preferred vocabulary, offering more personalized and relevant suggestions that genuinely aid your writing development. Through the process of trying different prompts, you also learn how to better get the results you want from AI.

Limitations:

Lack of Nuance: AI may miss cultural nuances or personal writing styles. While AI excels at identifying grammatical errors or awkward phrasing, it often struggles with the subtleties of human communication. It may not grasp satire, irony, emotional tone, or specific cultural references, potentially leading to bland or unfit suggestions that strip the writing of its personal depth or voice.
Over-reliance: Dependence on AI can hinder a student's ability to self-edit. If writers always use AI, or always defer to AI suggestions without critically evaluating them, they risk losing the ability to identify and correct their own mistakes, develop their unique writing voice, and understand the underlying principles of effective communication. It can create a dependency that stifles genuine improvement and critical thinking skills.

Application

With the full picture in mind, here are some examples of tools that can be used with students related to the writing process. Each suggestion includes specific ideas for classroom applications. These ideas aren’t necessarily tied to specific parts of the writing process, such as when tools were mentioned in Modules 1 and 2.

Grammarly: More than a grammar checker, Grammarly provides feedback on tone, clarity, and engagement.
- Classroom Application: After peer review sessions, or when revising, allow students to cross-check their feedback with Grammarly's suggestions. It's a way of validating their observations and understanding the areas they might have overlooked.
Quillbot: This tool has been mentioned several times in the course, and it always has a feature addressed to most any topic that might come up in a writing class.
- Classroom Application: During literature lessons, use Quillbot to paraphrase complex texts, making them more accessible without losing their essence.
Chatbots, such as OpenAI's GPT models: These more general tools can generate content, inspire ideas, and even assist in research.
- Classroom Application: In creative writing classes, provide students with a story's beginning, let the AI craft the middle, and ask students to conclude. It becomes a collaborative storytelling experience.

Imagine handing a Shakespeare play to a third-grader, or giving a picture book to a tenth-grader. Neither fits, right? Similarly, AI tool selection should be attuned to the student's age and proficiency.

Age considerations: Young minds often revel in visual feedback, interactive interfaces, and even gamified learning elements. Some platforms offer colorful feedback, use animations, or transform corrections into games.
- Duolingo, while primarily a language learning tool, uses gamification effectively, and can be understood even by young children.
-  Project Read, a tool that can generate brief stories that include specific phonetic sounds for students to practice reading.
-  Curipod, a tool engineered for teachers, providing interactive lessons for any level in a matter of seconds.
-  ChatGPT’s audio interface allows people to communicate verbally with the AI tool, and get responses they can hear and read at the same time. Give it an initial prompt that it is talking to elementary students, and it will provide answers with vocabulary they understand.
Skill considerations: AI tools should scaffold learning, supporting students without overshadowing their innate abilities. For novices, emphasize foundational skills; for advanced learners, focus on refinement. ProWritingAid, with a goal of giving writers actionable suggestions, is suitable for advanced students. It goes beyond corrections into more complex aspects of writing, such as tone, structure, and descriptive details.

Analysis

While AI writing tools offer significant benefits, we also have to consider a potential pitfall: the erosion of personal expression. As algorithms guide text generation towards what they deem “most likely” or “perfect,” there’s a risk that unique voices and original thought may be stifled. This section will shine a light on this delicate balance.

Originality vs. Perfection: The integration of AI writing tools into the educational landscape presents a significant paradox concerning student output. Would you rather your students have perfect grammar, or would you rather they be perfectly themselves? Are we inadvertently risking the very essence of a student’s unique voice and intellectual curiosity in exchange for a grammatically impeccable, yet ultimately conforming, piece of work? The concern lies in the potential for AI’s suggestions to homogenize student writing, subtly nudging individual expression toward a common, algorithmically-approved standard.
Ethical Concerns: The lines blur when AI assists in content creation. Authenticity becomes a concern. The ethical implications extend to the practice of AI taking wording from different authors around the web without attribution, meaning the current writer is completely unaware of whose ideas they are presenting as their own. As discussed earlier in the course, this constitutes plagiarism. Even more significant, though, is the fact that ideas came from somewhere else. A teacher should be much more interested in what their students think about a topic than what anonymous people online think.

Let's dwell on this: if Shakespeare had AI, would we have his iconic phrases or more linguistically “correct” but potentially less memorable lines? Would he have been able to make up words if AI kept fixing his “errors”? How do we leverage AI’s brilliance without dimming the unique light each student brings to the table? Early studies on AI use show that while the tools can enhance grammatical accuracy, their impact on creativity is still under debate. This reminds us of the need for balanced application, aiding correctness without stifling creativity.

The landscape of writing, with AI’s inclusion, is undeniably richer. It promises accuracy, efficiency, and modern insights. Yet, the heartbeat of every great piece of writing is undeniably human. Our journey with AI tools should echo this sentiment: a harmonious duet rather than a solo performance.

Learn More

Recommended Resources

This lesson encourages you to seek out online EdTech forums and discussion boards. Engage with peers who are doing the same job as you. The collective wisdom of educators worldwide is a treasure trove of insights.

Ismayilzada, M., Paul, D., Bosselut, A., van der Plas, L. (22 Oct. 2024). Creativity in AI: Progresses and Challenges. Arxiv.org.
Kurt, S. (10 Sep. 2023). SAMR Model: Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition. Educational Technology.
Lei, J., Conway, P & Zhao, Y. (2008). The Digital Pencil: One-to-one Computing for Children. Routledge.
Runco, M. (Dec. 2023), AI can Only Produce Artificial Creativity. Journal of Creativity.

Reflective Questions

Describe an age-appropriate AI tool for your instructional situation, and justify your choice. Imagine that you have an administrator or a parent asking why you chose to use that particular tool.
Reflect on potential ethical concerns when students heavily rely on AI for content generation. What concerns you the most about using AI with students?
Considering the SAMR model, how might AI tools be used to achieve redefinition in a writing task, enabling students to do something entirely new and previously impossible?