LEARNING OUTCOMES/OBJECTIVES

Pre-meeting steps & MATERIALS NEEDED

Pre-Meeting Steps

Before diving into the lesson, it’s essential to establish a foundational understanding of generative AI (GAI) platforms for tutors who may be unfamiliar with these tools. Prior to the introduction section of the lesson plan, the facilitator should have tutors explore how these tools function, their potential benefits, and limitations, ensuring they feel confident engaging with GAI in a tutoring context.

Materials

• Access to personal computers with internet connection
• Word processing software
• Printed copies or digital access to the case study/scenarios
• Notebooks/journals and pens
• YouTube video: AI in Education: How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing Learning in 2024

INSTRUCTIONAL PLAN

This GAI lesson plan has been administered at one college writing center, where participants were both undergraduate and graduate peer writing tutors. However, this lesson plan can be adapted for a variety of formats and audiences. During our training, writing tutors engaged in face-to-face discussions, by asking clarifying questions about GAI integration into tutoring sessions and sharing what they had learned through the case-study analysis and role-playing tasks.

Introduction

The facilitator will initiate the lesson plan through a YouTube video, AI in Education: How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing Learning in 2024, that highlights the growing impact of GAI in various fields, including writing. Furthermore, the facilitator will explain that GAI tools are becoming more prevalent in academic and professional settings, helping users with tasks such as grammar checking, style improvement, brainstorming, and drafting. Moving forward, the facilitator will emphasize that understanding these tools is crucial for writing tutors to guide students effectively, helping them leverage GAI without compromising their learning experience.

Then, the facilitator will ask participants if they have ever used GAI writing tools such as Grammarly, ChatGPT, or Quillbot. This is a moment in which participants can be invited to briefly share their experiences, focusing on what they found helpful or challenging. This will help set the stage for a deeper discussion on how these tools can assist or hinder the writing process in tutoring sessions.

Example of Discussion Questions

Body of Lesson

Once the introduction is completed, the facilitator will ask writing tutors to collaboratively explore and address challenges related to the use of GAI tools in writing tutoring sessions, developing strategies to integrate GAI effectively while maintaining focus on the student’s learning. For this purpose, tutors will actively analyze two case scenarios on GAI integration into writing tutoring.

Guided Instructions

Divide Tutors into Pairs

• Organize writing tutors in pairs, ensuring a mix of experience levels where possible. Each pair will receive two case scenarios to work through.

Case Scenarios

• Scenario 1: Overreliance on GAI for Grammar and Style. A first-year student frequently uses a GAI tool like Grammarly to correct grammar and style issues. During a tutoring session, the student expresses that they rely entirely on the tool without understanding the changes it suggests. As a writing tutor, how would you approach this situation to help the student improve their grammar skills while still using the GAI tool?
  
  
• Scenario 2: Brainstorming with ChatGPT. A psychology major uses ChatGPT to generate ideas for an essay topic and presents several AI-generated ideas during a session. However, the student is unsure how to expand on these ideas or make them more personal. As a writing tutor, how would you guide the student in refining and developing the AI-generated suggestions to create a more original and thoughtful piece of writing?

Discussion Questions for Each Case Scenario

• Have each pair of students analyze the case scenarios based on the questions below:
• What are the main challenges in each scenario?
• How can GAI tools be used effectively without hindering the student's learning process?
• What strategies would you recommend to help the student balance GAI assistance with their own writing development?

Conclusion

After pairs discuss their scenarios, the facilitator will bring all participants together to share their insights per case scenario. This is a great opportunity for the facilitator to encourage pairs to present their solutions and facilitate a discussion on the benefits and potential drawbacks of integrating GAI in the writing tutoring process. As facilitator, make sure to highlight effective strategies that emerged from the activity.

ASSESSING FOR UNDERSTANDING

To close the activity, the facilitator will evaluate writing tutors' understanding of GAI writing tools and their ability to integrate these tools effectively in tutoring sessions. Below is the assessment format composed of two parts, a short-answer and reflection aspect.

Assessment

Short-Answer Questions

• Describe two benefits and two potential drawbacks of using AI tools such as Grammarly or ChatGPT in the writing tutoring process.
• How would you explain the role of GAI in writing to a learner who has never used such tools previously?
• Provide one or two strategies for helping a learner balance the use of GAI tools with developing their own writing skills.

Reflection

• Please take a moment to reflect on what you learned in today’s lesson. How has your perception of GAI tools in the writing center context changed?
• In what ways can you apply the knowledge from this lesson to improve your future writing tutoring sessions at the writing center?

EXTENSIONS AND ADAPTATIONS

As part of the lesson plan, facilitators can integrate a variety of alternate activities. For this lesson plan in particular, an alternate task to consider is a Role-Playing Debate. This activity allows participants to explore different perspectives on GAI tools integration in the writing process as well as tutoring sessions. Below are detailed instructions for implementing this extended activity:

Role-Playing Debate on AI in Writing

Setup

• Divide participants into small groups, assigning each group a specific role or perspective. For example:
• Pro-GAI tools advocate: A tutor who believes GAI enhances the writing process and efficiency.
• GAI-skeptic tutor: A tutor who is concerned that GAI tools may hinder the development of critical writing skills.
• Neutral observer: A tutor who sees both benefits and challenges in using GAI tools.
• Student perspective: A student who uses GAI tools for assistance in writing.

Task

• Each group prepares a short argument from their assigned perspective. As facilitator, encourage participants to consider factors including real-world applications, ethical concerns, and the role of AI in the writing education context.
• Provide guiding questions, such as the following:
• How should tutors address the use of GAI tools during tutoring sessions?

Debate

• Each group presents an argument in a debate format, with each group given 3–5 minutes to share their stance.
• After each group has presented, open the floor for a roundtable discussion. Allow participants to ask questions, respond, and challenge other perspectives.

Reflection

• Conclude the activity with a reflection session. The facilitator will ask participants to discuss the following:
• What new insights have you acquired about the role of GAI in writing tutoring procedures?
• How has your particular perspective changed based on the debate? If it didn’t change, reflect on why it didn’t.
• How can you use this knowledge to guide learners during the tutoring practices?

This alternate activity will open doors to encouraging critical thinking, communication, and active engagement with the topic, helping writing tutors navigate complex conversations about GAI in the writing centers’ tutoring procedures.

RESOURCES

AI For Education. (n.d). An essential guide to AI for educators. AI for Education. https://www.aiforeducation.io/ai-course

Deans, T., Praver, N., & Solod, A. (2023, August 1). AI in the writing center: Small steps and scenarios. Another Word. https://dept.writing.wisc.edu/blog/ai-wc/

REFERENCES

AI For Education. (n.d). An essential guide to AI for educators. AI for Education. https://www.aiforeducation.io/ai-course

Deans, T., Praver, N., & Solod, A. (2023, August 1). AI in the writing center: Small steps and scenarios. Another Word. https://dept.writing.wisc.edu/blog/ai-wc/

Potential. (2024, May 31). AI in Education: How Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing Learning in 2024 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaA9Fw2sUB4