A Quick Overview of GenAI Resources from Writing Across the Curriculum

The Writing Across the Curriculum program’s Teaching with Writing AI resources aim to respond to common questions we hear from instructors about GenAI and, in particular, its implications for teaching about and with writing. Although we invite all readers, these resources are specifically designed for UMN instructors. While there aren’t easy answers to many questions about GenAI, we hope that these pages offer actionable ideas and insights you can apply in your own teaching and share with colleagues. 

This page provides a brief overview of audiences and themes for our pages to help you find the most relevant resources for you. If you can’t find what you’re looking for or want to talk further, we are always available to consult.

Our GenAI resources begin with some useful context for thinking about Generative AI and writing on university campuses:

  • What are Generative AIs and why are they suddenly a thing?: This not-too-technical overview of the computational nuts and bolts of Generative AI: what it is, where it came from, and why a little technical understanding is vital for everyone, whether or not you are interested in these new technologies.
  • Student Uptake of GenAI: This instructor-facing page offers insights into how students arriving at the University of Minnesota are already using Generative AI in their lives and academic work, and addresses what it means to be “learning to write” as students in an era of pervasive GenAI tools and hype.
  • How does GenAI impact student writing and learning?: This resource summarizes early research on the impacts of Generative AI on learning, with particular attention to cognitive offloading, the process of turning over memory and thinking tasks to outside tools or technologies. We highlight how the roles given to GenAI tools influence whether GenAI use enhances or detracts from student learning.
  • Critical AI Literacy: Encouraging Thoughtful Engagement with GenAI Tools and Texts: Our Critical AI Literacy page is a supplement to other GenAI Literacy resources from University Libraries and the AI Hub, considering the social, economic, environmental, and educational impacts of artificial intelligence through the lens of systems and power.

The next four pages address course-based specifics on GenAI use in student writing:

  • Connecting Your GenAI Course Policies to Your Discipline's Writing Expectations: This page builds on existing UMN resources about developing course and assignment AI policies by specifically highlighting ways to connect your policy to disciplinary writing practices faculty hope to pass on to their students.
  • Opening Conversations with Students about GenAI: Building a strong policy is only the first step in helping students understand GenAI. This resource offers suggestions for talking to students about GenAI use in your course to develop shared understanding and center course learning outcomes.
  • Helping Students Disclose Approved GenAI Use: Writers need robust ways to transparently document a range of GenAI uses. We provide an overview of the Artificial Intelligence Disclosure (AID) framework for AI attribution and explore how you can use this framework to help students describe their AI use on your assignments.
  • Incorporating GenAI in Assignments and Activities: This resource explores strategies instructors can use to support critical, thoughtful student GenAI use without encouraging cognitive shortcuts. 

Finally, we conclude with two pages on discouraging unpermitted AI use and what to do in the event of a student using GenAI inappropriately:

  • Discouraging (Not Preventing) Unauthorized GenAI Use: For faculty who want to limit some or all forms of GenAI use in their courses, this resource suggests assignment and course design strategies that encourage students to follow your AI policy.
  • Identifying and Responding to Unpermitted GenAI Use: Despite instructors’ best efforts, students may choose to use GenAI tools in ways that violate course policies. This page offers strategies for detecting unpermitted use and shares UMN requirements and procedures for reporting academic integrity violations.

Instructors thinking about GenAI questions may also be interested in the resource “GenAI for Grading and Feedback: Questions and Cautions.” This resource addresses questions we receive frequently about using GenAI to complete grading or provide feedback on student writing. We offer a number of cautions, highlighting that GenAI tools can’t displace instructor effort, but also explore how GenAI might be used to extend your feedback.

We also encourage you to explore resources from other UMN offices on a variety of AI topics related to instruction:

  • The AI Hub: The university’s front door to all AI-related topics for research, teaching, and operations, providing details on university-approved tools, technology policies related to Artificial Intelligence technologies, and events, activities, training, and resources for anyone interested in new technology.
  • Artificial Intelligence: Appropriate Use of Generative AI Tools from the Office of Information Technology: Crucial information for faculty, staff, and students on how to use AI technologies legally and ethically, with specific attention to data privacy, licensing, and copyright/contract questions.
  • UMN Teaching Support resources on Teaching with GenAI: A collection of resources from UMN teaching support units designed to address instructors’ GenAI questions, featuring content from University Libraries, Academic Technology Support Services, the Center for Instructional Innovation, Liberal Arts Technology and Information Services, the Digital Education Initiative from the College of Education and Human Development, the Office of Community Standards, and many more!

GenAI tools are evolving quickly, and we’re doing our best to keep up! If you notice content that is outdated or have other feedback on our pages, please let us know.