Pedagogical uses of AI tools: reflection on a case study

Abstract

Academic writing is central to assessment in UK universities (Goodfellow, 2005). The emergence of easily accessible generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools took the sector by storm, with some voices raising critical concerns about academic integrity and the de-skilling of writing, while others pointed to the developmental and time-saving opportunities these tools can offer (OpenAI, 2023; UNESCO, 2023). This presentation reflected on the author’s experience of designing and delivering a workshop on ‘Introduction to proofreading techniques using AI tools’. The workshop was developed as part of a broader Academic Innovation Project designed to support the developmental and ethical use of GenAI tools by student writers at one institution in line with internal and emerging sector policies (such as Russell Group, 2023).

The presentation outlined the workshop plan, including learning outcomes and sample activities, alongside highlighting some of the challenges experienced during the design process. It also offered critical insights into the delivery and impact on student learning, with reference to the author’s reflections as well as student engagement and feedback. A major challenge that can be transferable to other pedagogical uses of GenAI tools was the difficulty in navigating the thin line between, on the one hand, encouraging workshop participants to experiment with a range of tools in a safe learning space and, on the other hand, raising their awareness of the ethical implications and potential risks that over-reliance on such tools may pose to their learning, particularly the development of their academic writing.