Type of Presentation
Individual paper/presentation
Conference Strand
Media Literacy
Target Audience
Higher Education
Second Target Audience
K-12
Relevance
"If you cannot beat them, join them." Ancient wisdom may apply to modern scenarios in Information Literacy. Most of us have probably encountered a document with an odd “flare” to it. It may sound too perfect and too vague at the same time. It may present sources inconsistent with our expectations or ones that are unreliable and unverified. As university instructors, we want our students to be literate and capable of producing quality research and text. Moreover, most of our graduate students are educators in the K-12 school system, so what they learn in the workshops can also indirectly benefit the next generation of students.
Proposal
This project illustrates and discusses actionable examples of how collaborative, supportive virtual or in-person environments can foster democratic learning models in the age of Artificial Intelligence.
The workshop models, whether in person or virtual, provide dialogical opportunities for growth. Critically examining information and developing writing skills become crucial in supporting scholarly growth and intellectual exploration while providing access to academic pursuits to otherwise marginalized individuals and groups.
The experiences we share are situated in a specific context and are interconnected with the perspectives, backgrounds, and expectations of the scholars involved. However, as the writing workshops continue to evolve due to individual and systemic adaptations, we have an opportunity to strengthen the power of authentic dialogue and independence of thought and choices. Scholars who participate in the workshops come from different countries and regions of the United States.
As such, scholars need to develop their identity as writers in ways that are responsive to their interests and aspirations. Artificial Intelligence can support this process by providing options and resources that may have not been available in the past. In this light, we discuss novel ways in which students and educators can affirm their right to be decision-makers (Tenam-Zemach, 2019). Dialogical approaches provide opportunities to develop essential writing and critical skills through spontaneous interactions (Wardle & Downs, 2023). Furthermore, collaborative learning models shift the attention from the final product, including the final grade, to the process (Bruffee, 1993), thus promoting the dissemination of knowledge.
By encouraging graduate students to explore ways to incorporate Artificial Intelligence in their research and writing process, we oppose the skepticism that relegates Artificial Intelligence to the fringes of scholarly endeavors as we discover the endless possibilities (Burkhard, 2022; Crompton and Burke, 2023; Heaven, 2020). By choosing the “road more traveled, we reaffirm the importance of individual choices and responsibilities in time globalization.
In our experience, we found that rather than try to resist change, we should work on building resources to address change and protect the integrity of the democratic values of our society. After all, Information Literacy perfectly aligns with these aims.
Presentation Description
Is Artificial Intelligence truly “the road more traveled”? In this presentation, we discuss actionable examples of how collaborative virtual or in-person environments can foster democratic learning models. Our graduate writing workshops present an invaluable space to unveil opportunities for growth and new challenges.
Keywords
Information Literacy, Artificial Intelligence, Writing Workshops, Inquiry, Democracy, Intellectual Freedom
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Zucca-Scott, Laura and Stinson, Samuel, "Artificial Intelligence: the road more traveled. Writing and conducting research with AI" (2024). Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy. 6.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gaintlit/2024/2024/6
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, English Language and Literature Commons, Information Literacy Commons, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons
Artificial Intelligence: the road more traveled. Writing and conducting research with AI
This project illustrates and discusses actionable examples of how collaborative, supportive virtual or in-person environments can foster democratic learning models in the age of Artificial Intelligence.
The workshop models, whether in person or virtual, provide dialogical opportunities for growth. Critically examining information and developing writing skills become crucial in supporting scholarly growth and intellectual exploration while providing access to academic pursuits to otherwise marginalized individuals and groups.
The experiences we share are situated in a specific context and are interconnected with the perspectives, backgrounds, and expectations of the scholars involved. However, as the writing workshops continue to evolve due to individual and systemic adaptations, we have an opportunity to strengthen the power of authentic dialogue and independence of thought and choices. Scholars who participate in the workshops come from different countries and regions of the United States.
As such, scholars need to develop their identity as writers in ways that are responsive to their interests and aspirations. Artificial Intelligence can support this process by providing options and resources that may have not been available in the past. In this light, we discuss novel ways in which students and educators can affirm their right to be decision-makers (Tenam-Zemach, 2019). Dialogical approaches provide opportunities to develop essential writing and critical skills through spontaneous interactions (Wardle & Downs, 2023). Furthermore, collaborative learning models shift the attention from the final product, including the final grade, to the process (Bruffee, 1993), thus promoting the dissemination of knowledge.
By encouraging graduate students to explore ways to incorporate Artificial Intelligence in their research and writing process, we oppose the skepticism that relegates Artificial Intelligence to the fringes of scholarly endeavors as we discover the endless possibilities (Burkhard, 2022; Crompton and Burke, 2023; Heaven, 2020). By choosing the “road more traveled, we reaffirm the importance of individual choices and responsibilities in time globalization.
In our experience, we found that rather than try to resist change, we should work on building resources to address change and protect the integrity of the democratic values of our society. After all, Information Literacy perfectly aligns with these aims.
