When this came out a few months ago, it was the first piece on writing with AI that i read that engaged with the topic in a nuanced and multifaceted way. Having just returned from a week-long Academic Writing in the Age of AI workshop at Bard College, I took a stab at the topic myself: part experiment, part grief memoir, part genre theory, part teaching mediation, this is what I came up with: https://open.substack.com/pub/curtisnehringbliss/p/a-last-waltz-a-new-genre
I'm a veteran teacher who believes passionately in the value of being able to read complex texts and to write well.
I also live in reality.
We are transitioning to an audio/video world and those of us who are desperately fighting it are doomed to disappointment.
To be clear, I'm not happy about it, but I also have learned to choose my battles carefully and use my time effectively.
I predict that within ten years writing will transition to something akin to carpentry - something a few people choose to master, and they will produce high quality products for those willing to pay a premium. However, the majority of people will be happy with the mass-produced products.
I see writing becoming an elective course instead of the cornerstone of core classes. I think we will be spending time showing students how to effectively use AI and question/check accuracy.
To counter this, I suggest we return to the old-fashioned board where students will be orally tested by an instructor for smaller assessments and by a group of instructors for the major assessments.
We are in what I call the "AOL Dial-up Phase" of this technology and those fighting the tide remind me of the nuns I had in 2nd grade who thought the emergence of calculators was a sign of the apocalypse. AI (which I'm following very closely) is making huge leaps on a weekly basis. It's unlike anything I've seen in my lifetime.
From what I can see, schools are not responding quickly enough to what is happening. Perhaps they are assuming that the changes will progress gradually as they did with the advent of the internet in the mid-90s. They are sadly mistaken.
I so agree. Tools have always changed how we write. Twain didn't like the typewriter. People resisted word processors. Yet here we are. I've been trying to come up with approaches that use AI to support writing not write for you (my latest book goes into that). Good post!
The “6 Tenets of Post Plagiarism” ideas have percolated in my mind for a while, so having this resource is incredibly helpful. As I read your post, I was reminded of a discussion I participated in last week. Reflecting on it afterward, I realized that much of the conversation centered around assumptions: assumptions that AI-assisted writing is somehow “less than” or that, with enough practice, all students can express themselves accurately in writing.
It made me pause and reflect on my assumptions about generative AI, writing, and, more broadly, learning itself. This piece sparked some fun insights and challenged me to think more critically and openly.
Thank you for continuing to push these conversations forward. Keep up the great work, I’m excited to keep learning alongside you!
Please keep sharing your worldview about AI in the classroom! You are a great guide for this topic as students, parents and educators work to navigate sensible steps.
Great article. Writing is something I love. I now find I am dictating my thinking and exploring ideas through conversation as well as numerous hot tub experiences. To be able to put thoughts into words and expand the ideas is a most wonderful experience. Writing as you say is essential. I use several methods with kids. Imaginairing https://www.virtualteacher.com.au/imaginaire/ coupled with Flow writing https://www.virtualteacher.com.au/flowwriting/are great starters. And lately I have had time to write some children's books, I new genre of children’s books AI assisted illustrated books. This provides a splendid opportunity to discuss the use of AI in Writing AND illustration. They come with lesson plans and ideas for beginning these discussions in the classroom You can check them out here. https://www.virtualteacher.com.au/index.html I'll recommend this article on my substack and Linkedin.
I really appreciated how you centered curiosity and collaboration rather than fear. It’s rare to see writing on this topic that keeps both the human craft and the technological shift in view at the same time. Some of the questions you raised align closely with work I’m exploring — would love to follow along as you keep thinking aloud.
Eric thank you for this important and insightful article. I know there is alot going on in the world *significant understatement*, but I still wish GenAI and its intersection with our working and educational lives had a higher profile. Engagement with these ‘entities’ with whom we now co-exist is essential (not getting into arguments re AGI or not yet - it doesn’t have to be AGI to be real) - not just passive diffusion into our lives.
I just can’t accept AI having a place in writing. I taught ELA for 19 years at his university, high school, and middle school levels. I believe AI takes away the necessity to think as much. Any less thinking for students can’t help. I retired last June in part due to the sudden push to use AI by admin and other teachers. I will add that I taught the last nine years at a very high performing private school in Florida. Our English department was unanimous in being anti AI, and I do not think our colleagues liked it. To give my students some balance, I had them read articles describing how AI was not good for them. I showed them how it’s often biased and inaccurate. Call me a Luddite or whatever, and I know AI is not going away, but I won’t be participating. Students need to think without help from something artificial.
Thanks for an interesting perspective on the impact of AI on writing skills.
For the little ones to practice handwriting and spelling autonomously, I invented a "phygital" app where children can get instant feedback from a photo of their handwritten words.
It combines a few AI technologies: Text-To-Speech (to dictate words to write on paper), OCR (Optical Character Recognition, to extract handwritten words) and Gen-AI (to generate wordlists...).
This was so interesting! I teach AI for Creativity and for Cinema (I’m a filmmaker with a journalism / doc background). Would love to chat with you about education in this field!
Thanks for sharing! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining industry line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
When this came out a few months ago, it was the first piece on writing with AI that i read that engaged with the topic in a nuanced and multifaceted way. Having just returned from a week-long Academic Writing in the Age of AI workshop at Bard College, I took a stab at the topic myself: part experiment, part grief memoir, part genre theory, part teaching mediation, this is what I came up with: https://open.substack.com/pub/curtisnehringbliss/p/a-last-waltz-a-new-genre
I really appreciate that, Curtis. And, thank you for sharing this lovely piece of writing. Sounds like Bard’s workshop is a wonderful experience!
I'm a veteran teacher who believes passionately in the value of being able to read complex texts and to write well.
I also live in reality.
We are transitioning to an audio/video world and those of us who are desperately fighting it are doomed to disappointment.
To be clear, I'm not happy about it, but I also have learned to choose my battles carefully and use my time effectively.
I predict that within ten years writing will transition to something akin to carpentry - something a few people choose to master, and they will produce high quality products for those willing to pay a premium. However, the majority of people will be happy with the mass-produced products.
I see writing becoming an elective course instead of the cornerstone of core classes. I think we will be spending time showing students how to effectively use AI and question/check accuracy.
To counter this, I suggest we return to the old-fashioned board where students will be orally tested by an instructor for smaller assessments and by a group of instructors for the major assessments.
We are in what I call the "AOL Dial-up Phase" of this technology and those fighting the tide remind me of the nuns I had in 2nd grade who thought the emergence of calculators was a sign of the apocalypse. AI (which I'm following very closely) is making huge leaps on a weekly basis. It's unlike anything I've seen in my lifetime.
From what I can see, schools are not responding quickly enough to what is happening. Perhaps they are assuming that the changes will progress gradually as they did with the advent of the internet in the mid-90s. They are sadly mistaken.
I so agree. Tools have always changed how we write. Twain didn't like the typewriter. People resisted word processors. Yet here we are. I've been trying to come up with approaches that use AI to support writing not write for you (my latest book goes into that). Good post!
Fantastic article. Much of applies to areas well beyond writing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Love this!
The “6 Tenets of Post Plagiarism” ideas have percolated in my mind for a while, so having this resource is incredibly helpful. As I read your post, I was reminded of a discussion I participated in last week. Reflecting on it afterward, I realized that much of the conversation centered around assumptions: assumptions that AI-assisted writing is somehow “less than” or that, with enough practice, all students can express themselves accurately in writing.
It made me pause and reflect on my assumptions about generative AI, writing, and, more broadly, learning itself. This piece sparked some fun insights and challenged me to think more critically and openly.
Thank you for continuing to push these conversations forward. Keep up the great work, I’m excited to keep learning alongside you!
Appreciate it, Benjamin!
Please keep sharing your worldview about AI in the classroom! You are a great guide for this topic as students, parents and educators work to navigate sensible steps.
Great article. Writing is something I love. I now find I am dictating my thinking and exploring ideas through conversation as well as numerous hot tub experiences. To be able to put thoughts into words and expand the ideas is a most wonderful experience. Writing as you say is essential. I use several methods with kids. Imaginairing https://www.virtualteacher.com.au/imaginaire/ coupled with Flow writing https://www.virtualteacher.com.au/flowwriting/are great starters. And lately I have had time to write some children's books, I new genre of children’s books AI assisted illustrated books. This provides a splendid opportunity to discuss the use of AI in Writing AND illustration. They come with lesson plans and ideas for beginning these discussions in the classroom You can check them out here. https://www.virtualteacher.com.au/index.html I'll recommend this article on my substack and Linkedin.
I really appreciated how you centered curiosity and collaboration rather than fear. It’s rare to see writing on this topic that keeps both the human craft and the technological shift in view at the same time. Some of the questions you raised align closely with work I’m exploring — would love to follow along as you keep thinking aloud.
Eric thank you for this important and insightful article. I know there is alot going on in the world *significant understatement*, but I still wish GenAI and its intersection with our working and educational lives had a higher profile. Engagement with these ‘entities’ with whom we now co-exist is essential (not getting into arguments re AGI or not yet - it doesn’t have to be AGI to be real) - not just passive diffusion into our lives.
I just can’t accept AI having a place in writing. I taught ELA for 19 years at his university, high school, and middle school levels. I believe AI takes away the necessity to think as much. Any less thinking for students can’t help. I retired last June in part due to the sudden push to use AI by admin and other teachers. I will add that I taught the last nine years at a very high performing private school in Florida. Our English department was unanimous in being anti AI, and I do not think our colleagues liked it. To give my students some balance, I had them read articles describing how AI was not good for them. I showed them how it’s often biased and inaccurate. Call me a Luddite or whatever, and I know AI is not going away, but I won’t be participating. Students need to think without help from something artificial.
Next, let's talk about AI and sports coaching. That's what my podcast is covering.
Thanks for an interesting perspective on the impact of AI on writing skills.
For the little ones to practice handwriting and spelling autonomously, I invented a "phygital" app where children can get instant feedback from a photo of their handwritten words.
It combines a few AI technologies: Text-To-Speech (to dictate words to write on paper), OCR (Optical Character Recognition, to extract handwritten words) and Gen-AI (to generate wordlists...).
What do you think?
https://www.penpoints.app/
This was so interesting! I teach AI for Creativity and for Cinema (I’m a filmmaker with a journalism / doc background). Would love to chat with you about education in this field!
Thanks for sharing! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining industry line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
check us out:
https://thesecretingredient.substack.com