Students from Holy Cross Participate in Writing Seminar Following AI Concerns
In the heart of Worcester, Massachusetts, the College of the Holy Cross is not only committed to fostering intellectual growth but also to promoting sustainability. The institution, established in April 2020, has an Office of Sustainability at its helm, working tirelessly on a series of environmentally-progressive initiatives [1].
Recently, the College's Academic Services office held a meeting to discuss the impact of an AI outage on academic writing. The gathering was attended by many students who rely on AI generative resources for help with writing. A student encounter with a glitch in ChatGPT, an AI assistant used for minor revising, served as a timely reminder of the importance of developing foundational writing skills [2].
Academic writing is a multifaceted skill that can range from creative expression to technical communication. It plays a crucial role in developing critical thinking, intellectual integrity, and fostering knowledge dissemination, intellectual growth, and academic collaboration [3]. In the absence of AI support, students should rely on several basic writing skills: brainstorming and generating their own ideas independently, organizing thoughts clearly through outlines or frameworks, selecting precise vocabulary, composing drafts that reflect their unique voice, and revising their work thoughtfully to ensure coherence and correctness [1][2].
Structured writing instruction emphasizes explicit teaching of writing as a process—starting from idea generation, through planning and organizing, to drafting and revising. This approach supports students to actively engage cognitively in writing rather than outsourcing critical thinking to AI [1]. Students should practice crafting their own outlines and arguments since early stages such as brainstorming cultivate original thinking, which AI should not replace [2].
Moreover, students should develop skills in editing and self-feedback to refine both content and language. Being familiar with grammar, vocabulary choices, and paragraph structure is crucial to producing clear, well-organized writing independently [1][2]. Treating AI as a supplementary language tool, rather than as a source for ideas or full drafts, ensures students maintain control over their writing quality and authenticity [2].
These competencies prepare students to function effectively even when technology or AI support is unavailable, reinforcing their writing autonomy and critical thinking. Educators are encouraged to integrate structured, scaffolded writing practice across subjects to strengthen these core skills [1][2].
Meanwhile, Holy Cross's commitment to sustainability extends beyond its academic pursuits. Sustainability practices are built into many facilities and buildings at the college. The institution aims to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 [1].
Entropy, Holy Cross's comedy troupe, recently performed their inaugural on-campus show this week. The format was sketch comedy, and the performance was held in Stein 120, attracting an audience of students from Holy Cross and Boston College [4].
As the world grapples with climate change and discussions about sustainability are at the forefront of global politics and scientific research, the College of the Holy Cross continues to strive for a sustainable future, both in its academic and physical operations.
References: 1. The Office of Sustainability at Holy Cross 2. The Impact of AI on Academic Writing 3. The Importance of Academic Writing 4. Entropy, Holy Cross's Comedy Troupe
- The student meeting hosted by the College of the Holy Cross's Academic Services office focused on the significance of developing foundational writing skills, such as brainstorming, outlining, and self-editing, in the absence of AI support.
- In the realm of education-and-self-development and personal-growth, students at Holy Cross should aim to become self-reliant in their writing, practicing the process of writing from idea generation to drafting and revising, to foster intellectual growth and critical thinking.
- As the College of the Holy Cross offers a wide range of events covering various topics, one recent event featured the debut performance of Entropy, the college's comedy troupe, further enriching the student community's learning experience.
- The College of the Holy Cross's Office of Sustainability, launched in April 2020, is instrumental in implementing environmentally-progressive initiatives that contribute to the campus's commitment to reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
- With a comprehensive university life that combines intellectual growth, academic collaboration, and sustainability, students at the College of the Holy Cross play an active role in shaping their own opinions on crucial issues like climate change and contribute to the campus community's discussions.
