Teaching Writing with Generative AI
Teaching Writing with Generative AI
Updated August 2026
Writing has always been a technology for thinking and communicating. With each evolution of this technology, who was permitted to speak, what was said, how it was said, who could be reached, and how the message was delivered shifted. Just as the act of writing shifted with changes in writing technologies, the teaching of writing changed as well, and now the emergence of generative AI presents us with the most recent opportunities and challenges. It’s important to remember that writing to learn remains central to engaged learning and cognitive development, and this vital intellectual activity cannot be replaced with generative AI. Further, helping students to develop strong writing skills so they can join disciplinary conversations and participate actively and critically in civic and professional life remains central to Elon’s Mission Statement.
In addition to the resources below, each term the Writing Across the University program offers several professional development opportunities for faculty and staff related to teaching writing with AI.
If you’d like to discuss designing writing assignments and activities that integrate AI with the WAU Director–individually, in groups, or as a department, program, or office–please contact Dr. Paula Rosinski.
An Overview of Teaching Writing in the Age of AI
For an overview of teaching writing effectively and responsibly with generative AI — including integrating AI throughout the writing process, critiquing the benefits and limitations of AIs and their output, and developing AI expectations and guidelines for writing assignments — visit Teaching Writing as a Process with Generative AI as a Thought-Partner
Resources
- Center for Writing Excellence Statement on AI Detectors
- AI Use in The Writing Center: Considerations for Faculty and Students
- Functional, Critical, and Rhetorical AI Literacy
- Examples and Resources for developing AI Writing Assignment & Syllabus Policies
- Generative AI Professional Development Opportunities
- Academic AI Resources Guide
- Research AI Chatbots
- Collection of AI-enhanced writing assignments from the CWE Summer AI Writing Institute 2025, Fall 2025, and outside of Elon (online)
- Video of the workshop “How AIs ‘Write’: Explained Like You’re Five” given by Computer Science professor Dr. Shannon Duvall, the Center for Writing Excellence’s 2023-2024 Technology Fellow
- Faculty and staff generative AI annotated bibliographies and activities (supported by CWE AI Engagement Grants; from Summer 2023)