Reconceptualizing writing assignments in an age of AI: Editorial

In an age of artificial intelligence (AI), standard writing assignments–like the five-paragraph prompt–should be reconceptualized, argues Trent University Durham GTA Associate Professor Dr Karleen Pendleton Jiménez. Given ChatGPT’s ability to write essays and plagiarize undetected, Pendleton Jiménez recommends that educators design assignments that recognize the “depth and complexity of our students.” This could be conducted through oral communication exercises or by asking students to relate new concepts to real-world experiences. The writer concludes that educators can avoid the “blandness of AI answers” by asking students to go beyond basic “regurgitation of general facts.”