As technology rapidly advances, there are numerous ways in which artificial intelligence can impact the teaching and writing process. AI tools such as ChatGPT may have the potential to revolutionize both areas. As the director of the Hixon Writing Center and a professor of writing at Caltech, Susanne Hall examines how AI tools like ChatGPT can be used in writing and teaching fields.
Hall shares her thoughts on the current and future implications of AI tools on teaching and writing. She emphasizes the importance of using the tools in a controlled context and within the boundaries of an educational setting. Hall also assesses the advantages of leveraging AI tools to increase accessibility—especially for those with ADHD, autism spectrum, or multilingual backgrounds—and outlines potential risks such as plagiarism and intellectual property rights violations.
In terms of teaching, Hall underscores the need for students to develop critical media literacy and understand bias. She also proposes the potential for machine learning to help research scientists better explain their methods sections in academic documents.
Ultimately, Hall places a premium on understanding the ethical implications of AI tools and emphasizes the importance of caring for those who would experience the most climate impacts that arise from these technologies.
Susanne Hall is the director of the Hixon Writing Center and a professor of writing at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Since joining Caltech, she has taught undergraduate writing courses and has been part of a co-principal study of text recycling.
