Abstract
This paper explores how generative AI tools can shift the balance of learning agency toward students, transforming them from passive recipients of knowledge into active participants in its creation. Drawing on specific classroom experiences at the United States Naval Academy, I examine the integration and application of AI into two distinct English courses: Professional Communication, an upper-level elective, and Rhetoric and Introduction to Literature, a freshman-level core course. In both courses, students engaged with AI to generate written content—but with different pedagogical goals. In the core course, students acted as evaluators, reviewing AI-generated essays and assigning grades as if they were English instructors themselves. In the upper-level course, students used AI as a co-creator, producing drafts and refining their messages through iterative prompts and revisions. These methods turned students into editors, critics, and meaning-makers—roles typically reserved for instructors. By focusing on process over product, these assignments fostered metacognitive reflection and critical engagement with AI tools, with the ultimate aim of enhancing human writing. This paper argues that thoughtful integration of AI can democratize the learning process, offering new pathways for learner agency without diminishing academic rigor. The findings offer a human-centered approach to AI integration—one that enhances student voice and responsibility in writing-intensive courses. This work contributes to ongoing conversations about digital pedagogies and highlights the practical value of AI in cultivating engaged, empowered learners.
Presenters
Marissa LemarMaster Instructor, Humanities and Social Sciences/English, United States Naval Academy, Maryland, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Considering Digital Pedagogies
KEYWORDS
AI, Metacognition, Evaluation, Composition, Professional Communication, Writing
