Writing Across the University hosts fall 2024 professional development workshops

Writing Across the University, part of Elon’s Center for Writing Excellence, will host several professional development workshops for faculty and staff in fall 2024.

Developing AI assignment policies & AI-enhanced writing assignments
Monday, Sept. 9 & Tuesday, Sept. 17, 12:30 p.m. to 1:40 p.m.
113 Belk Library & 205 Belk Library

Both workshops (the same workshop held twice) will discuss what is commonly included in AI syllabi and assignment policies, share some examples, and review ways to integrate AI into writing assignments. Time will be reserved for participants to begin writing or revising their own AI policies and writing assignments, with the opportunity to share in small groups. Bring a laptop, as this will be a working session. Lunch will be served, so please register.

AI prompt engineering as a writing strategy
Monday, Oct. 21, 12:30 p.m. to 1:40 p.m.
205 Belk Library
Led by Tim Peeples and Paula Rosinski

Prompt engineering is a new kind of writing strategy emerging in this age of generative AI. Before this session, participants will be asked to complete a LinkedIn Learning video tutorial and a set of simple step-by-step prompt engineering activities. All faculty and staff have access to LinkedIn Learning, and detailed directions will be provided. The session will focus on experiences with these tutorials, along with activities that explore how prompt engineering could be integrated into professional lives and writing pedagogies. Lunch will be served, so please register.

Doing teaching-related scholarship? We have grants for that!
Tuesday, Nov. 5, 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Belk Pavilion 208

Did you know there are lots of funding opportunities on campus to support your scholarly teaching and scholarship of teaching and learning? Join us to hear from colleagues who have utilized funding from WAU, the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) and the Center for Research on Global Engagement (CRGE) to explore teaching-related scholarship. Faculty panelists will share their work and how their teaching curiosities formed into projects. Participants will then have time to reflect on potential grant ideas based on their teaching. Panelists include Aaron Trocki (math), Elizabeth von Briesen (computer science), Dan Burns (English), Kai Swanson (cinema and television arts), and Nermin Vehabovic (education). The directors of WAU, CATL and CRGE will explain their respective grants, expectations and deadlines. Lunch will be served, so please RSVP.

AI & writing book club #1: Monday, Oct. 7, 4:20 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.
AI & writing book club #2: Wednesday, Nov. 6, 4:20 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.
AI & writing book club #3: Monday, Nov. 18, 4:30 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.
113 Belk Library

These three book club events will discuss Sidney Dobrin’s AI & Writing, an accessible introduction to what generative AI is, how it may be used in academic, professional, civic and personal writing and the ethical and social implications of using AI to write.

Book Club #1 will focus on “Part 1: Understanding Generative AI’; Book Club #2 will focus on “Part 2: Opportunities & Applications,” and in Book Club #3, participants will discuss ways they might use AI in their writing, when teaching writing and for engaged learning. Participants are encouraged to attend all three sessions, although this is not required. Colleagues from Eastern Michigan University will join online for the Book Club #3 discussion. After registering, participants will be notified when they can pick up the book in the Center for Writing Excellence. Snacks will be served, so please register.

Informal & reflective writing-to-learn
Monday, Nov. 12, 12:30 p.m. to 1:40 p.m.
113 Belk Library

This session will explore ways to use informal and reflective writing in any discipline or context to help students learn content and engage in metacognitive thinking. Not only do these examples of writing-to-learn deepen student thinking, but they also highlight the importance of engaging in metacognitive talk about writing, something which has always been important to developing strong writers but may be of special interest to teaching in the age of generative AI. Lunch will be served, so please register.