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| Alexis Hart, English Professor and Director of Writing at Allegheny College, shared this writing activity at the GLCA AI workshop in August:
According to writing professor and author of Why They Can’t Write, John Warner, “Writing is thinking” because “the basic…unit of writing” is the idea (144-145, emphasis added). However, in May 2023, a student at Columbia University, Owen Kichizo Terry, wrote an article in the The Chronicle of Higher Education claiming that when college students are given an essay assignment “it’s very easy to use AI to do the lion’s share of the thinking” and therefore, “writing is no longer much of an exercise in thinking.” |
CfLT Newsletter
The posts below are from the CfLT newsletter which includes curated, research-based digital resources to support ongoing faculty development and pedagogical engagement. As of August 2025, CfLT Director Karen Spierling oversees the content. Posts from July 2020-May 2025 were compiled by previous Director Lew Ludwig.
Tech Tip from ETS: Show your students some love through Canvas
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Students appreciate accessible and well-designed Canvas courses. ETS is here to help you amp up your Canvas course through:
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Teaching: Student Mental Health
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| In a previous post, I shared insights from Bonni Stachowiak, host of the “Teaching in Higher Ed” podcast. As featured in the Chronicle, she highlighted a mental health crisis as one of the three significant changes in higher education. This week, I’d like to dive deeper into her concerns.
The Chronicle article, ‘Why Students Can’t Work on Their Own,’ addresses what many faculty members are likely already experiencing: a significant decline in students’ ability to complete substantial independent work since the pandemic. |
Teaching: What Does It Really Mean to Learn
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| Typically, we publish one TTT (Teaching, Tech, and Tidbit) every two weeks, featuring articles, resources, and more. During alternate weeks, we issue ‘In the Center,’ which highlights upcoming events.
I am breaking the cycle this week because Catherine Stuer shared such a fantastic New Yorker article that I wanted to get it in your hands as soon as possible. |
Tidbit: Classroom Rules
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Tech Tip from ETS: AI and Assessment Strategies
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As you think about your learning goals and AI, check out these timely resources on course policies, assessments, and usage examples from Alchemy’s recent webinar: “Navigating AI and Assessments: Strategies for the New Academic Year.”
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Tech Tip from ETS: A Student Guide to Navigating College in the AI Era
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| Given our own uncertainty about generative AI, undoubtedly our students also have questions. Elon University and the AAC&U have put together A Student Guide to Artificial Intelligence. This is a wonderful, excellent, fabulous gem; check it out! |
Teaching: Three big shifts in education
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| I’ve been beating the AI drum pretty hard, so I will let our friends in ETS share an AI resource I found last week. It’s a fantastic guide—be sure to check it out!
This week, I’m circling back to a piece, Simple ways to support student mental health in class, that Becky Supiano featured in her Chronicle newsletter at the beginning of August. |
I’m familiar with AI. Now what?
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Are you already pretty familiar with generative AI? Ready to try more advanced prompting? Our friends at the UCF’s Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning, led by Kevin Yee, have created a terrific resource: AI Hacks for Educators. Kevin and his group offer more than 50+ AI uses with detailed prompts that you can copy and edit for your purposes. |
From fear to familiarity
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In May, I had a conversation with Adam Weinberg about the use of generative AI and its implications for higher education. During that conversation, I recommended two things:
When we met last week, Adam shared his enthusiasm for Mollick’s book—he even purchased copies for the entire senior staff! |