In response to the rapid integration of Generative Artificial Intelligence in educational settings, Norfolk State University’s Writing Center has launched a comprehensive suite of initiatives aimed at providing targeted support to both faculty and students. These efforts reflect the institution’s commitment to navigating the new challenges that AI presents in the academic landscape.
As the use of AI tools among students continues to rise, the Writing Center is taking proactive steps to understand and address this trend. “We have noticed an uptick in student usage of AI this semester, and we are finalizing a grant-funded study to investigate how many students on campus are using AI, why they choose to use it instead of campus resources,” said Andrew Burlie, director of the Writing Center. “We also want to know what we can do as a campus community to foster students’ academic skills while also teaching them how to use these new tools.”
Navigating AI
To achieve this, the Writing Center is collaborating with faculty across various departments to mitigate over-reliance on GenAI among students. The initiative includes several key components designed to enhance understanding and ethical usage of AI technologies in academic contexts.
Among the initiatives rolled out this semester is a faculty professional development program. A comprehensive slideshow was presented to approximately 20 faculty members at the semester’s start, outlining what AI is, how AI chatbots can be ethically applied, and their potential to enhance teaching and research. This session also included critical discussions on developing policies for AI use within university, departmental, and classroom settings.
The Writing Center is also preparing a graduate student workshop to be delivered to the Graduate Student Association. This workshop aims to introduce graduate students to AI chatbots, highlighting common uses, editing capabilities, and innovative AI tools that can assist throughout the research process. Ethical considerations and the limitations of AI as a resource will also be key topics of discussion. In addition, a tailored undergraduate workshop is being developed to provide a streamlined version of the graduate presentation.
To further support students, the Writing Center is launching specialized AI “GPTs”. These will be dedicated training modules based on ChatGPT, including a graduate research planning tutor, an academic title development tutor, and a writing prompt interpretation tutor.
These targeted resources aim to help students enhance their academic work while effectively harnessing AI capabilities. Through these initiatives, NSU’s Writing Center is not only addressing immediate concerns regarding AI in academia but also fostering a culture of responsible AI use that empowers students and supports faculty.
